Is the Environment Really Going Down the Tubes?
November 7, 2007
The reason things have been steadily improving over the past decades is not because the problems were exaggerated, they weren’t. The destruction of the ozone layer, the contamination of our blood streams with lead, the loss of life in our rivers and streams were real, very serious problems. It was not because (as others have said) market forces lead to remediation of the problems. No, it was because scientific research, social activism and strong regulatory action forced changes in the way businesses and people operate, and these changes have been successful.
Do we really need to know this? Or should we just keep on imagining that we are on a long ride down the tubes to annihilation. I know it is not fashionable to be an optimist, but I also think continuous and unbridled pessimism has its dangers. Why don’t we take a good look at the real state of our planet. We might be surprised.
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Comments
Realistic assessments of the climate
November 7, 2007 by Fred Bortz, 2 years 2 days ago
Comment id: 25853
Many of the books I have reviewed on climate over the past decade give realistic assessments. It's not pessimism to report bad news, nor is it optimism to report good news.
I especially suggest two books that come from very different perspectives, yet both advocate action and their authors understand that there can be a lot of economic benefit to "going green."
The books are:
The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery
A Contract With the Earth by Newt Gingrich and Terry Maple
Fred Bortz -- Science and technology books for young readers (www.fredbortz.com) and Science book reviews (www.scienceshelf.com)
Climate and environment
November 7, 2007 by s.garte, 2 years 2 days ago
Comment id: 25855
Fred
You are right with respect to climate change. There is a good deal of realistic information out there on this topic. But, for the environment in general, programs like CNN's recent "Planet in Peril" is the latest example, and the majority of books published in the past 5 decades are quite alarmist, and ususally take a slanted pessimistic view. I discuss this world view, and possible reasons for it in my book. I would love to get your comments on it.
Sy
S. Garte
Re: climate and the environment
November 7, 2007 by Fred Bortz, 2 years 2 days ago
Comment id: 25856
Sy,
I found your e-mail at Rutgers and tried to send you a personal message, but it bounced. We might have some interesting discussions, including the way to get the best way to sound a badly need warning. So e-mail me from the link at either home page noted below. I'll be glad to discuss your book.
I've addressed the alarmism and overstatement issue in a couple of previous blog entries:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/kilimanjaro-poster-child-13432.html
and earlier,
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/al-armist-gore-10946.html
Looking forward to hearing from you, Sy!
Fred Bortz -- Science and technology books for young readers (www.fredbortz.com) and Science book reviews (www.scienceshelf.com)