My paradigms are rocking at their roots these days. As a lifelong environmentalist, here's the biggest enviro-root being rocked: environmental protection is a good idea.
I have drunk that Koolaid. I fully embrace the paradigm that earth stewardship is in everyone's best interest. Analysis shows it's even good for business. According to The Economist, “an increase in stringency of environmental policies does not harm productivity growth.”
But on January 31st, 2017, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) proposed legislation in the US Congress that would “completely abolish” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the end of 2018.2
Words fail me.
But not completely.
When I was eight years old, then-President Nixon (Republican, resigned in 1973, after his Watergate tapes were leaked to the press...) signed the National Environmental Protection Act, rapidly followed by the Clean Water Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act. Much needed, witness the Manhattan skyline circa 1970.
Throughout the 1970's, more laws mitigated the painful, visible damage from our perverse systems. The Toxic Substances Control Act. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, for hazardous waste. In the 80's, the Superfund, to clean up toxic messes on land with no identifiable or indemnifiable owner.
The Endangered Species Act.
Although I grew up with the sweet cloying stench of DDT fogged through our windows from the mosquito truck, I also grew up with a kind of fresh breath and hope, with the rising anti-nuclear and pro-solar movements pushing for deeply systemic environmental gains.
So many people working to install delays into the system, to increase the strength of negative feedback loops, to slow the growth of reinforcing loops.
And my career, my life's work: enforcing, encouraging, expanding, educating on EPA and OSHA regulations.
But somebody's been messing with this scene, shifting the lighting, tearing the stage apart, moving the theater.
Heading out to teach about EPA's worker protection rules, I'm suddenly groundless.
Rolling our beautiful country back to the bad old days really rocks my roots.
(not so far back, say the residents of Flint Michigan3).
How did the enormous environmental gains of the 70's and 80's lead to this pathetic tea-party hack fist-bumping Paul Ryan over their plan to decimate our Purple Mountain Majesties and Amber Waves of Grain?
Easterbrook4 says for the past 30 years, this new paradigm's been under construction: "Blind faith in the free market to fix everything, along with accumulation of wealth and material assets as a virtue."
This perverse paradigm started with Reagonomics. The harm is upon us.
My question to you:
Meadows and Easterbrook describe paradigm-shifting thinking, e.g., in an ancient hotel, shower running from scalding to freezing water: Is cleanliness over-rated? Do I really need that shower? Why stay in these antiquated hotels anyway?
What new thought can we hatch, that will break this Blind paradigm?
How can we launch our new healing paradigm?
Notes:
1. http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21637411-environmental-regulations-may-not-cost-much-governments-and-businesses
2. http://www.businessinsider.com/gop-abolish-epa-bill-2017-2
3.https://www.democracynow.org/2017/1/26/headlines/lawmakers_close_probe_of_flint_water_crisis_as_water_is_still_unsafe_to_drink
4. http://planet3.org/2011/10/18/the-power-to-change-systems/
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