An Environmental Ethic: Has it Taken Hold?

arth Da y n11d the creation Eof l·Y /\ i 11 1 ~l70 svrnbolized !he increasing ccrncl~rn of the nation about environmental vulues. i'\o\\'. 18 vears latur. has an cm:ironnrnntal ethic taken hold in our sot:iety'1 This issue of J\ P/\ Jounwl a

Lee M. Thomas, Administrator Jennifer f oy Wilson, Assistant Administrator fo r External Affairs R.A. Edwards, Acting Director, Office of Public Affairs

John Heritage, Editor Ruth Barker, Assistant Editor Karen Flagstad, Assistant Editor Jack Lewis, Assistant Ed itor Marilyn Rogers, Circulation Manager

EPA is charged by Co ngress to What Is an Environmental Industry's Environmental What They're Learning: protect the nation's land. air. and Ethic? Altitudes Guthrie Center, Iowa wat er systems. Under

Front Cover: Earth Day. 1970. sym­ t\nnounc e1111:11t s: Correctio n: The l)()ck co1·er· bol of a nat ional environrnentcd Beginning 11·i rl1 th e ne.>;I issue. EPA photograph in th e lost issue of owakening. A scene in i\'e1v York journal 11'i ll Im p11 blished EP1\ Journal 11'as in rnrrec:tl.1· city is pictured in this photo by bim on thlv. or six timrs n .1·cm'. idenlifird to th e magazine stoff b1· /oson Loure. Woodfin Comp. In c. ct pJ10.to rent ed house os bPi ng on · The nex t issue of EPt\ journal 11·i ll aeriol picture of Co µe .\lo_\'. .\'.]. In be on enl'ironmentol priorities .fur fact the photo is of o neorby the na ti on os seen br different section of shoreline. The Ed itor obse1Ters. ond the photo house. Woodfin Comp, In c .. regret the error.

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Pilgrims to Yellowstone Park, established in 1871 as the first U.S. national park. This late 1920s photo shows throngs arriving at the Gardiner, Montana, train station, near the northern entrance to Yellowstone. National Park Service photo.

hroughout 20 years as an Researching a series of articles on Footprints on the Planet: A Search for Tenvironmental journalist and during America's national parks a t about that an E1wironmental Ethic (1978). the period from Hl70 to 1972 when I time also brought an awareness of how Specifically, I sought to discover what was a member of the newly formed the environmental ethic could be p ut impacts the actions of each citizen were President's Council on Environmental into practice. It was just such a n ethic having on the environment of which Quality (CEQ), o ne concept that has that led to the starting of national parks man is a part. What responsibility did particularly interested me is the in the world. An early explorer of we- as writer or banker or government nurturing of a genuine environmental Yellowstone, Cornelius Hedges, stated, official or corporate executive or worker ethic in America. "It is impossible that any individual or homemaker or student or architect or What is an "environmental ethic7 " should think he can own any of this scientist-have to tread lightly wherever Perhaps ecologist/writer Aldo Leopold country for his own in fee. This great vve go and leave footprints that do not says it best in his essay ''The Land wilderness does not belong to us . It mar the planet, or better yet, no Ethic" from A Sand County Almanac belongs to the nation. Let us make a footprints at all. and Sketches l lcre ond There (1949): public park of it and set it aside never My search was for practical, not to be changed but to be kept sacred merely philosophical, evidence of an All ethics so far evolved rest upon always." environmental ethic, and for ways to a single premise: that the develop new structures or types of individual is a member of a institutional organizations through community of interdependent which environmental concerns could be parts. Thi~ land ethic simply Each individual-corporate raised, considered equally with enlarges the boundaries of the executive, public official, or economic and other social concerns. community to include soils, aware citizen-must make and li stened to at high enough levels to W

2 EPA JOURNAL What I found was that Ameri ca's free gases, or people who might be impacted into decisions before actions \\'ere taken. enterprise system had not yet adopted a by the location of a new plant. But those structures proved eff ecti\'e true envi ron mental ethic. Most business [n 1975 , fo r instance, Cummins split only when some person with decision-makers seemed to feel they had away fro m the solid posi ti on of other influence- a business leader, la\\'makcr, done enough if they simply stayed major makers of heavy-duty truck p ublic official. or local activist- 1\'tis w ithin the lett er of the law. Some engines who were opposing a proposal suffic iently imbued with an evaded, resisted , and delayed complying by a Congressional committee to adopt environmental ethic to gi\'O force to w ith environmental laws because they tough target goals or standards for environmental concerns t11H.l \\'ho cu red fo und doing so more profitable than emissions. Most of the industry fe lt the enough to lead the way. Those compliance. proposals were unachievabl e and environmentally caring decision-makers Although I fo und no corporate model unworkable. Cummins ent a shO\.ved a kind of enlightened of excellence where environmental representative to Washington to work self-interest. Instead of acting only in concern s were adequately considered in with the committ ee to help develop their own personal or corporate a ll parts of the decision-making process, standard. and compliance procedures interests, thev considered thei r there were some commendable that took into account h uman health neighbors, th.cir community. and the examples. The Cummins Engine and yet could be met by manufacturers: natural worl d in their decisions. 1\ ncl Company of Columbus, Ind iana, for this effort helped to provide a they were con erned with th e future as example, used what it call ed a compromise that became a part of the well as the presen t. "stakeholders" concept of corporate Clean Air Act Amendments passed by Since doi ng the research fo r the book responsibil ity. Instead of putting Congress in 1977. a decade ago, I have seen an inc:reasP in l rio rity on the concerns of just the In the private sector l also d iscovered the understanding and application of shareholders- the investors fo r whom it non-profit organizatio ns such as The the environmental ethi c bv incli\·id ual wcis s upposed to show a profit, ature Conserva ncv nnd The Trust for ci tizens and some limit ed-progress in Cummins applied a process of trying to Public Land, \Nh ic:I~ in coo1.rnra tion w ith the corporate sector and in govcrn nwnt. give atl equate attenti on to all of the dedicated ci tizens or enviro nmentallv But there has not been enough to compa ny's stakeholders. These included concerned corporations and fou ndations overcome the severe national and global investors, employees, customers, were involved in protecting land for threats now becoming apparent. suppliers, cit ies in which they operated, future ge nerations. They all practiced an Wi thout doubt, the development of a regulatory agencies with jurisdiction environmental ethic in preserving true, widely practiced environmental over products, and the vari ous general wetl ands, open space, and potenti al ethic wil l be increasingly im porta nt as publics in vo lved with the products , park and wi lderness lands that were the global consequences of population such as people in areas in which threatened by development. growth , loss of rain fo rests, impacts on Cummin s tru ck engines emitted exhaust [n the corporate viorld. as well as in the ozone layer from excessive burning government, there were a few of foss il fue ls an d from the use of organizational structu res through whi ch environmental effects could be fac tored

JULY AUGUST 1988 3 Illustration by Leslie Kouba. From Of Time and Place, by Sigurd F. Olson. Copyright < 1982 by the First National Bank of Duluth as Trustee of the Sigurd F. Olson Trust. Reprinted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

adequate protection against environmental and social impacts often brings more problems than solutions. Time and again in recent years, what looked like a technological panacea has brought unforeseen and undesirable side effects and as yet unknown future consequ ences.

The belief held by some that technology can solve all prob­ lems is incompatible with the environmental ethic.

One thing is certain. Decisions and acti ons by individuals faced with ethical choices collectively det rmine the hopes and quality of life for everyone. As ecological knowledge and chloro fluorocarbons, pollution from collapse. Nor does it make sense to awareness begins to catch up with good toxic wastes, and depi cti on of natural maintain stable industrial productivity intentions, it will be essential fo r people resources become increasi11 gly acute. at the cost of depriving the country of in all walks of li fe to li ve by an Each individual- corporate executive, breathnble air, drinkable water, wildlife environmental ethic so that our worl d public: official, or aware citizen- must species, parks, and vvilderness. ca n be brought back into balance. o milke fewer demands on nonrenewable ''l incline to believe we have resources, rcploc: ing a self-only, overestimated the scope of the profit short-range outl ook with long-term and motive," wrote Aldo Leopold. "Is it broader- even global- va lues, and profitable for the individual to bui ld a (Cahn is a Pulitzer prize-winning exercising the Gol den Ru le by behaving beautiful home? To give his children a environmental journalist, a fo rmer toward others as they would desire higher education? No, it is seldom member of the President's Council on others to behave toward them. profitable, yet we do both. These are, in Environmental Quality, and a long-time Practi cing an environmental ethic fa t, ethical and aesthetic premises environ mentalist who has received the should not interfere vvi th economic and which underli e the economic system. U.S. Department of the Interior's other social responsibilities or Once accepted. economic forces tend to Conservation Service Award.) obliga ti ons. ll must be integrated into al ign the smaller de tai ls of social (This article has been adapted by Cairn overall systems of beli ef and orga nizati on into ha rmony with them." from his book Footprints on the Planet: coordinatec.l with economi c systems. "No such ethica l and aesthetic A Search for an Environmental Ethic Env ironmental advocates, in turn, need premise yet exists for the condition of (Island Press 1978).) to consid er th e ful l consequences of the land these children must live in .... thei r objoctives just FIS th ey demand of There is as yet no social stigma in the others the consideration of th1! possession of a gu llied farm, a wrecked environmental consequences in fo rest. or a pol luted strea m provided the clecision-mnking. It mnkos no sense to dividends suffice to send the youngsters preserve the environment if that to col lege." obj ccli ve produces nat ionn l economic The belief held by some that technology can so lve all problems is incompatible with the environmental ethic. Technology that does not provide

4 EPA JOURNAL Russell E. Train Michael Frome

as the nation gone far • Reducing wastes before espite promise and Henough in adopting an the1· enter the air or water or Dpositive signs. our society Has the environmental ethic'1 are- deposited in th e ground. has a long, long way to go in lf progress in the past This is the most important accepting the environmental Ethic Taken 20 vears is an\' indication. approach to cutting ethic as a part of life. As I we;\·e come a -long way. In pollution, especially toxics; it observe the scene, we are manv U.S. cities. the air is may mean re\·amping still losing ground. rather Hold? cleaner and "'"ater quality has em~ironmental la11·s and than gaining. I say this held its O\Nn. on balance, changing consumer attitudes without despair, for A Forum despite substantial economic about packaging. recycling, Americans have the capacity growth. Large acreage has and paying the true costs of to tackle and lick tough been added to our parks and goods and services. challenges. Once the need wilderness systems. Backing are explained clearly and • Stopping piecemecd boldly, people will respond these achie\·ements are degradation of the American unwavering support by to them. That is as much the countryside as population American way as the chronic Has an environmental ethic Americans and sizable and development spread out expenditures for cleanup. concept of the modern really taken hold in across the landscape. "throwaway society." America? EPA Journal asked Americans are still seeking The 1960s were rich in five observers 1~1ho have ways to reconcile long-held landmarks. like the diffe rent viewpoints to preferences for single-family Wilderness ct. recogmzmg respond to this question. homes, surrounded by a plot in law the value of saving Their answers follow: of land and coupled with sub tantial fragments of the widespread u e of original America. That the automobiles, and the National Wilderness consequences-loss of Preservation S\'stem. which wetlands. farmlands. historic came into bei1{g with passage sites, and other productive of the act, should now lands: traffic jams: embrace nearlv 90 million overloaded public facilities: acres of feeler<:;] land clearly and so on-as development demonstrates public concern spreads. for our natural heritage and • Making choices in l\'h?t 11·e desire to save it for the buy and support thut rejlect future. the imperati1 ·e of sm·ing The 1970s began \\'ith biologically rich rain forests Ea rth Dav and the National in distant lands. Like local Environ~1 e nta l Policv r\ ct people who benefit (NEPA). and I don't think Yet as scientists and economicallv from the there has been anv retreat policy-maker learn more forests, we, ioo, depend on from the principles implicit about pollution, they are their sustained yields fo r in either of them. \\'ith both seeing a ne1N generati on of products useful in Earth Day and NEPA. environmental problems. agri culture, medicine. and national environmental typically involving less industry. Moreover. rain organizations emerged as visible pol lutants and highly forests may be CJ stabilizing prominent influences in diffuse sources. Toxics influence on regional. shaping popular altitudes leaking fro m waste sites into perhaps oven global, weather and government µo licies. I grcitrnd water, incinerated patterns. think. for instu11ce. of a group PCB residues settling from like Defenders of Wildlife. the air into Great Lakes' Hovv ""e respond to these which has helped people to water, greenhouse gasr.s problems will test whether understand the beautv and accumulating in the the nation's environmental value of predators lik-e the atmosphere- these arc ethic is up to the challc11gn \Nolf and rapturs li ke the current problems that largely ahead. o golden agle, so thu t we are escape existing controls. now inclined to protect To address them, we will (Train, forme rly rather than to destroy these need to re invigorate our 1\dministrotor of EPt\. is the superlati ve crit ters with already strong environmental Chairman of the Board of which we share the ethic, for some of the issues \t\'orld Wildlife Pund ond The continent. we face wil I surely test our Conservation Foundotion.) But we all have st il l to commitment to come to grips w it h issues of environmental progress and growth, greed, and require changes in altitudes and actions:

JULY/AUGUST 1988 5 George M. Keller Quentin N. Burdick overconsumption. We need he United States has involved-government, epresenting such a to live within our means, Tmade remarkable progress industry, and the Rrelatively pristine state as using less and enjoying more. in protecting the environmental North Dakota. I find that Professions need to environment during the past leadership-must do a much environmental quality can re-examine the ir purposes. 25 years. We have adopted better job of communicating easily be taken for granted. Architecture, as I see it, is at scores of increasingly strict with each other. The Peace Garden State is its best in restoring sites, not programs to clean up the air We also need to develop a but one of a handful of states deve loping them while and water and to safeguard credible system of risk in compliance with the destroying them in the scenic and other assessment, to make certain ambient air quality standards process. journalism, too, is environmental values. But that our environmental established by the Clean Air better in my view when it the job is certain l not decisions are based on Act. W e have very few explains values to be lost as finished by any means. scientific fact. not political Superfuncl sites. and our well as gained from the rhetoric. To do otherwise arrival of any new industry could impose unnecessary or the construction of another financial burdens on U.S. suburban mall. industry at a time when I picture the community in American business faces which I lived at the turn of the tough international century, then envis ion it with competition. overlays marking each Industry is ready to do its decade since. I see little part. Business recognizes the change until the end of need for a more cooperative World War II . and approach. If the interested accelerated change ever parties work together, we can since. The same, I daresay. is solve the complex true of almost every environmental challenges we community. And the change face--at a price our nation is simply not for the better. can afford. o More people. congestion, pollution, open space (Keller is Chairmon of the gone- you can fill in the rest. Boord, Chevron Corporotion.J The environmental ethic won't cure it a ll, but we cannot have the cure without In fact. I believe the next water quality is second to it. Laws and regulations have fcvv years 'Nill be a critical none. orth Dakotans have their place, but people make test of our society's ability to been willing to pay a steep things work. Once Americans deal effectively with price to maintain a high lev have the environmental ethic environmental concerns on a of environmental quality. Jn in their hearts. their minds. long-term basis. To d evelop the past decade alone, nearly pocketbooks. and voting. and intelligent, informed, and three quarters of a billion business and political workable environmental dollars have been expended institutions will respond. solutions will require a broad for air pollution controls on That day will come and I consensus among all parts of facilities in our small state. plan to be around for it. o our society. ll will also for example, over the years require the kind of there has been overwhelming proble m-solving technical and consistent public su pport (Frame is Environmental leadership that is the special for a broad array of programs journalist in Residence ot genius of America's designed to protect the 1 luxleer College of industrial system. environment and publi c En vironmental Studies. Unfortunately. at the very health. ln almost two decades Western Wosh ington lime when the battle for since the establishment of Universi ty, 13ellingham. environmental awareness has EPA. we 1\mericans have Washington.) been largely won. the public made trem endous sl rides in dialogue on this subject has improving the quulity of our become increasingly environment. In many polarized. respects we have completed Our nation cannot afford the easy initial tasks this kind of political involving environmental stalemate. To establish a protection. more constructive However, the emerging atmosphere. l believe all the environme nta l conr.erns that consl it uenc ies bombard us daily in newspapers and on television ore much more com µlex. interrelated, and global in nature. The greenhouse effect, global \Narming, toxic

6 EPA JOURNAL Lester W. Milbrath contamination of our air and early everyone prefers a Most of us perceive so drastically injure physical water. ozone depletion, and N safe, clean, and beautiful ourselves as being morally systems that they will no the safe disposal of our environment. Ethical responsible: we avoid longer work the way we have waste, are all issues looming questions arise v.•hen our inflicting injustice. Yet if we always counted on them to on the horizon. preference for such an simply go on doing what we work. ature w ill be our Paradoxically, the solutions environment conflicts with have always done (and most powerful teacher to these problems are vastly other values such as jobs or believed to be morally (witness the painful lessons more dependent upon wealth. correct). we w ill so injure the from the drought this decisions made by each of us I recommend Peter Wenz's ecosphere that our own lives summer). We must connect individually. The countless Environmental Justice (SUNY will be diminished and we our ethical principles to a collecti ve actions of Press, 1988) and Kristin will unjustly injure future much broader and deeper individuals have a significant Shrader-Frechette 's generations and other understanding of how the impact upon our global species. Even if people are world works if we hope to be environment. Unlike simpler thoughtful and caring. and morally responsible in our times when we could easily even if government thinking and actions. o identify the major polluters, splendidly carries out distinguish the "bad actors," clean-up programs. our and dramatically point the environment •vii! continue to (Dr. Milbrath is Director of finger at offending parties, d eteriorate. T he problem lies the Research Program in these emerging more with our way of Environment ond Society at environmental problems are thinking, our beliefs about the State Uni1'ersit\· of ,\ 'e11• more pervasive and insidious how the world works, than it York at Buffalo and a·u thor of and less conducive to simple does with our ethics. several books, including solutions. Therefore, the m eaningful Environmentalists: Vanguard Personal decisions made by question is: How far ham we for a New Society.) individuals are at the root of come in recognizing that our whether or not we choose to d ominant ways of thinking purchase only substitutes for a nd behaving ha ve unjust CFCs, decide to share rides consequences that we would under transportation controls not desire, or believe to be designed to help our m oral, if only we were able communities attain clean air to foresee the long-run standards, or separate and outcomes of our behavior7 recycle our household solid "En vironmental Ethics and Surveys I conducted in the waste. Much more can and Global Imperatives" (i n early 1980s showed that should be done to educate Robert Repetto, ed., The about 20 percent of the public regarding the Global Possible, Ya le Americans believe our relationship between University Press, 1985) to present societal trajectory is individual actions and read ers who wish to inquire wise and sustainable. In collective impact on our more deeply than is possible contrast, another 20 percent environment. here. Both demonstrate that a are convinced that in order to As an old country lawyer, I rationallv consistent new avert environmen tal can only say that the jury is e n viron~ental ethic is not catastrophe we must still out on whether or not feasible. Rather, we need to transform our society into a America has developed an systematically apply the more sustainable. harmonious environmental ethic. One egalitarian ethics (we are our relationship with nature. The thing is certain. You and I brothers' and sisters' keepers) majority of people have less can make a difference. While that we alread accept. Our clearly worked-out beliefs. the environmental problem s moral obligati on to care for Most people know that we do we face are numerous and other people, future many seriously wrong things intricate, I continue to be generations, and other to the environment. However. optimistic. Only w hen we sentient creatures is they do not comprehend the implicitly understan d that we suffi cient to justify long-run dire con seq uen ccs all occupy one p lanet and rejuvenati on and continual of continuing to do what we that our individual actions stewardship of our h ave always d one. do indeed directly affect our ecosphere. Our environmental en vironment, will we stewardsh ip is not adequate. establ ish a uniquely The impact of our swift ly American environmental growing numbers (world ethic. o populati on will double to 10 billion in 50 years) and the (Senator Burdick (D-ND) is awesome power of our Chairman of the U.S . Senate science and technology will Committee on Environment and Public Works )

JULY I AUGUST 1988 7 Speaking Frankly by Lee M. Thomas

f a nation's laws and institutions drinking water, toxic substances, Ireflect its ethical character, then an hazardous wastes, coastal zones, and environmental ethic has been evident in ocean pollution. These actions reflected the United States since early in its deeply held environmental beliefs that history. Even as our fledgling nation had been expressed by writers like explored a vast expanse of territory that Rachel Carson and were an important eventually would be admitted into the part of the value system of the Union as new states, it was concerned American people. about conserving natural resources for These public expressions of our future generati ons. We completed the national environmental ethic have land purchases that would create the measurably improved the quality of life continental United States in 1867: in of the American people, and they have 1871 we set aside two million acres to set an example that other nations oft e n create Yellowstone, our first national study when they act to preserve their park. Our national conservation ethic was voiced by President Theodore Roosevelt in HJ08 when he said: "The wise use of We have to recognize that al l our natural resources, which are our each of us is responsible for national resources as well, is the great the quality of the environment material question of today." The we all live in .... creati on of our extensive national park and wilderness system over the past century demonstrates that the people of own natural resources or protect their this country have long understood the own people's hea lth . In short, our need to balonce economic development national environmental ethic has led to with the wise stewardship of natural the enactm ent of laws and the creation re sou recs. of institutions that are an invaluable Our national environmentc.il ethic was legacy to future ge nerations, both here demonstrated again during the decade in the United States and in other are linked to our personal and of the 1970s, when a wave of countries as wel l. community patterns of behavior. They environmental legislation was passed to I lowever, as we approach the last are the accu mulated result of individual protect human heulth and the quality of decade of the 20th century. that legacy actions that may seem insignifica nt by natural ecosystems. In 1 !.l70 President may not be sufficient to protect the themselves, but in the aggregate pose a l{i chard Nixon established th e health and well-being of people living threat to the overall quality of li fe of Environmental Protection Agency. and here and around th e globe in the 21st people every vhere. Congress required that environmental century. J\s human populations and If we are to respond to those problems impacts be ex plicitl y considered when economic activity continue to grow both successfully, then our environmental planning federal actions. Over the next nationally and internati o11all y, we are ethic must ex press itself in broader and 10 yea rs Co11gress enacted a dozen facing a number of environmental more fundamental ways . We have to major laws uffecting air quality, water problems that th reaten no t onl y human recognize that each of us is res ponsibl e quality. endangered species. pesticides, health a11cl the productivity of for the quality of the environment we ecosystems, but in some cases the very al l live in, and our personal acti ons habitability of the globe. Those affect environment quality, for better or problems- like waste disposal, loss of worse. This recognition of individual species a11d habitat. ocean pollution. and global warming-are not caused solely h>· specific sources of pollution like cars or power plants. Rother, they

8 EPA JOURNAL As a nat on W"' de'T'onstrated a"' early concern for nat ... ra resources by act ng to er ate a riational park _ystem Estab 1shed n 1899. Mount Ran er at1onal Park n Ashforo, Washingto•1, encompasse t'le greatest s1ng1e-peaK g ac1a systen in t"e United States

Marine wetlands and other fragile ecosystems still would be threatened bv the wastes and contaminants that resul-t from extensi,·e population and economic growth along all three .S. coasts and around the Great Lakes.

Environmental laws will not be effective unless they are supported by a widely accepted environmental ethic.

Our re ponse to ocean polluti on. like our response to a number of other current or emerging environmental problems. must involve a personal commitment from each of us to live environmental!\' ethi al li \·es- not because it is a ;equirement of law, but because it is an essential component of our inherent responsibility lo ourselves, our neighbors, our children. and our planet. In fac t. envi ronmental laws wi ll not be effective unless thev are supported by a widely ace- pted responsibil ity must then lead to real sludge in the ocean. and we have environmental ethic. Thus the legacy we changes in individual, family, reduced the ocean dumping of lea ve for future generations must community, and business behav ior:· In industri al wastes by over 95 percent. include not onlv the laws and other words, our envi ronmental ethic However, even if the federa l institutions of ' ~·h i c h we are so must begin to express itself not onl y in government completely eli minated all justifiabl y proud, but also the net feueral and state lnw. but also in subtle ocean dumping of '"''astes tomorrov", our environmental effects of our dai ly lives. but profound changes in the ways we marine vvater quality problems wo uld Jn the long run , that may be the ;11ost all live our daily lives. not disnppear. Es tunrine nncl valuable gift of all. o For example, the probl em of ocean near-coastal areas still would be pollution has received front-page polluted by the fertilizers and pesticides (T homos is Adn1inistrntor of EPA.) attention this past summer. Some that are washed off farms and lawns far people have call ed for stronge r federal inland. Ocean vva ters and beaches still laws, and stricter enforcement of would be degraded by the trash that existing laws, to stop the individuals throw overboard or leave ocea n dumping of wastes. There is no on streets and parking lots to be washed doubt that we have to slop using the th ro ugh storm sewers into the sea. ocean as a waste-disposal nlternati ve. Over the last several years, in fa ct, we have strictly limited the number of communities that can dump sewage

JULY AUGUST 1988 9 those in the PSA category) feel that Environmental Polls: government must "keep an eye out to be sure that business cleans up any air and water pollution it creates," says Roper What They Tell Us Vice President Richard Baxter, adding, by Frederick W. Allen Neglect of the environment­ and Roy Popkin polluting air and water-stands in first place as a criticism of business management, showing a striking increase in mentions from 1976 to 1982 to 1987. It is named by many more people than the runner-up­ inattention to product quality. In 1987, 73 percent of the public (84 percent of ational polls consistently show a This support is broad-based. The poll the PSAs) held this view. Nstrong and broadly held interest in a results show relatively little difference cleaner environment. This suggests the in response according to sex, family Asked whether they feel that each of presence of a strong environmental size, income, education, job level, or 22 special interest groups has too much, ethic. But is this the whole story? When geographic location. The only notable too little, or about the right amount of one looks beyond the available polling variations are that the concerns of influence, only 13 percent thought data, it is clear that people frequently people in the Northeast are often environmental groups are too oppose the specific measures needed to stronger than those of the South, and influential, ranking them 17th on the achieve this goal, especially when such respondents at the lowest educational list. measures involve personal sacrifice. The and economic levels appear less attitude seems to be, "Someone else concerned (but not unconcerned) about should bear the burden." This is a some issues. Large numbers of people recipe for frustration for both Moreover, respondents with divergent oppose many of the specific government officials and the public they political beliefs do not differ serve. significantly in supporting increased measures needed to improve The most recent Roper poll data show expenditures and regulation. The levels environmental quality .... that Americans continue to be quite of such support are just about as high concerned about environmental issues for Republicans, Democrats, and and favor greater efforts by both independents, and for respondents who With evidence of such widespread government regulators and the business described themselves as conservatives, support for environmental protection, it community to protect the environment. moderates, or liberals. When the polls might seem that the issue ought to be These data are consistent with many separate out "PSAs," people who are pretty well decided. However, it is other national polls taken during the "politically and socially active" (and obvious to even the most casual past two decades. who, as a result, represent a certain observer of environmental regulation amount of community influence and/or that large numbers of people oppose leadership), the percentages reflecting many of the specific measures needed to environmental interest are even higher improve environmental quality, What the people ore telling than those for the general public. especially when such actions affect the pollsters is important, but The results of some of the other them as individuals. it is only part of the story on questions asked by Roper show a In a recent speech before the Air the present state of the consistent story. Over half (54 percent) Pollution Control Association, EPA environmental ethic. of the respondents feel that the United Administrator Lee M. Thomas States spends too little on the commented that many people favor environment, an increase from a decade clean air but oppose mandatory auto As a priority for increased spending, ago. In contrast, 31 percent say we are inspection, and favor clean water but the environment ranks fifth on a list of spending about the right amount, and oppose construction of new sewage 13 national problems surveyed by only 7 percent say we are spending too treatment plants in areas near their Roper, exceeded in concern only by much. homes. They want wetlands protected, health, education, drug abuse, and Do people feel that business is but frequently oppose restrictions on crime, and above such activities as meeting its responsibility to clean up its waterfront development. He noted that energy, public transportation, space, own pollution? While 78 percent feel even though polls may reflect vast military expenditures, and foreign aid. It that business has a definite public support for a clean environment, ranks in the middle of another list of responsibility in th is area (exceeded on large numbers of people oppose many of issues that people are considering in a list of 12 responsibilities only by the specific measures needed to achieve voting for president. making safe products and providing this goal. "The public tends to balk," good quality products and services). just he added, "if they find they've got to 37 percent feel that business is meeting do something differently." the responsibility. A bare 11 percent believe business v.rould clean up its own air and water pollution without governmental oversight. Jn fact, 85 percent of Americans (and 90 percent of

10 EPA JOURNAL emergence of indoor air pollution and radon as important "ne ...v'' issues suggests a trend in this direction. How should a democratic government proceed under these circumstances? When individual actions are needed, is the communications approach enough (as is being tried in the case of radon) or are more forcefu l measures justified, such as mandatory testing of homes in the manner of automobile inspections? In this connection. it is interesting to consider the possible effects of the new emergency planning and community right-to-know regu lations. While there has been much speculation about the degree to which these provisions will make people more adamant about em·ironmental protection, very li ttle, if any, attention has been paid to the fac t that the information being collected and made public relates entirely to the activities of organizations and does not include the more individuallv oriented environmental problems mentioned above. T.he possibility of risky levels of radon in some homes is In a broader context. there is the issue presenting a big challenge tor environmental specialists to of ho·N government officials and the communicate their concern to the public. Photo by Peter public they serve should deal with the Garfield, Folio, Inc. inevitable frustration that occurs when "more" is wanted. as indicated by the This observation is upported by the In contrast, the public downplays the polling data. but som of the necessary polling data cited earlier about business seriousness of veh i le exhaust, the fi rst measures are deemed unacceptable by the environment, and the role of problem listed about which many the same public if the" as individuals, regulati on. Many peopl e sim ply feel that individuals under tand that they are required to take action. environmental quality is a problem and themselves can do something. The Good communications and increased someone else ought to take ca re of it. public ranks this problem 17th out of 28 public understanding are obviously a This attitude is also illustrated by the problems covered in the survey. By kev. t\dministrator Thomas·s answer to manner in whi ch people rank the contrast, scientists rank this problem as th e di lemma is quite fo rceful. "They're seriousness of different environmental re la ti vely quite serious. In door air going to have to change their habits by problems. There are great variances in pollution and indoor radon, two other sorting their ga rbage for recycling the way the publi c and professional problems on the list about which instead of just throwing it ou t. They're experts rank these problems. and there individuals can take d irect action, are going to ha,·e to change their habits by is a vari ety of reasons for th e also considered hi gh risks by the properly maintaining their auto differences. [See "The Situation: What experts, but me ranked 25th and 27 th, emissions systems, maybe c\·en riding the Public Believes: How th e Experts respectively. by the public. Not with a friend to \\'Ork. They're going to See It,'' EPA f ournol, November 1987.) surprisingly. in view of these rankings. have to change thei r habits in just a quick look at the public ranking society at large is spending determining whether they \\'ant to shovv s one of the interesting patterns. comparati vely little for mitigat ion of protect coastal \\'etlands or live in a The problems at the top of the public indoor ai r pollution and rodon. In fac t, bcachfront development." concerns lis t- hazardous waste sites, other EPA dato show that even in the Clearly. what the people arc tell ing worker exposure to tox ic chemi cals. areas shO\·vn to be most affected by the polls ters is important. bu t it is only industrial w;:iter pollution. et .- tend to radon, fewer than 25 percent of part of the story on the present stale of be probl ems for which companies homeowners have even tested their tlw c1wironmunt n! ethic. o ("someone else"). especiall y wi th homes to see if they have a radon perceived "deep pockets," are presumed problem. to be responsible, and for which there The positive support fo r a cleaner (Al len is t\ssociote Director in the Ojj'ic;e of PoJic;y Anuly~is of EPA 's are "technica l fixes" that should not environment, at least in the abstract, Office of Policy. Planning. and affect personal routines. The records and the frequent lack of support fo r Ifraluation. Popkin is a Writer/Editor fo r fr om public hearings at many waste indivi dual action to achieve that goal EPA's Office of Public Affoi rs .) si tes suggest that the public is not ra ise difficult issues and frustration willing to accept any risks al all. levels for all involved. Many of the issues that experts fi nd most seri ous in terms of health and environ mental effects do require actions on the part of individual " The

JULY/AUGUST 1988 11 Earth Day Recollections: Where We Were And Where We Are by Gayl ord Nelson

f all the issues that c hallenge Omankind on the planet, the one that stands out above all others concerns man and his environment. No other issue is more relevant to our physical well-being than the status of our natural resources. Unfortunate ly, we are preocc upied with responding to pressures of d aily events, postponing hard decisions on pervasive, long-term problems under the delusion that delay won't cost very much , and that we can address the problem at some other lime. Until we understand that the problems of the environment are urgent- that every d elay exacts a price, levies a hidden tax, imposes a cost which will ultimate ly impoveris h us- until we understand that, and believe, and are willing to act on the propos ition that the highest and first priority of our society must be to preserve the integrity and viability of those ecosystems that sustain us and all other creatures: until then, we will continue to delude ourselves with the seductive notion that we are addressing the heart of tho matter when, in fact, we are merely tinkering at the periphery of the problem. l don't mean to suggest that we haven't m ade significant progress in the last d ecade and a half or so. Indee d we have come a long way, much more quickly than I thought possible in 1970 and '71. A whole seri es of legislative The Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 was one event that helped catalyze the new initiatives have been adopted involving environmental con·sciousness of Eartti Day and the 1970s. The full measure of social and air pollution. water pollution, ecological costs to be borne in the wake of environmental contamination is not easily quantifiable in cost-benefit terms. Santa Barbara News-Press photo. pesticides, hazardous wastes. We have d esignated 90 million acres of public attitude and understanding of country who do not believe the problem lands n wilderness. We have made environmental issues. For the first lime, is seri ous, and therefore that the extensive additions to our ationnl Park the environment is part of the politi cal e nvironmenta l laws and standards are System and Wi ldlife Refuges. We have dialogue of the nation. No politician can unnecessary and should not be an endangered species protection act totally ignore it. Even those who have enforced. There are others who think we which is a modest success but needs to no serious interest in the issue pay lip cannot afford a clean environment, and be im proved. We are close to agreement service lo it because they need to there are those who oppose an y on a national program on acid ra in respond to the concerns of their governmental interference in the control. constituents. But one more revolut ion is marketplace. They believe good Most important of al l. there hil s been needed. That will come when our in tentions and competiti on will a revolutionary change in the public President, the Congress, and the pub! ic somehow resolve this problem in due put this issue on the agenda of top time. national priorities along with the economy and war and peace. That is bo u nd to happen, but will it be soon enough? We stil l have lo deul w it h those pmverfu l forces in the

12 EPA JOURNAL We have come a long way, We still have to deal with much more quickly than I those powerful forces in the thought possible in 1970 and country who do not believe the 1971. problem is serious ....

There are those-"su ppl~ · s ide dissipation of capital assets which will environmental i ts"- \."110 belie\'e that ultimately be paid for by a lower self-help, free market, do-it-yourself tandard of living and a lower-quality environmentali sm will work if we all environment. just calm down and give it a c hance for Can anyone tell us what the economic a decade or two. If you go into the free and recreational loss to the nation will marketplace to buy some fresh air and be unless we move no\.v to save our none is available, just hold your breath. lakes from acid rain? What is the and as the demand increases. the price economic value of the protein sources will rise and the classic forces of supply in the ocean· and the water in ou r and demand will take over. Then there rivers? If we continue to destroy the salt will be an abundant supply. the price water m arshes and pollute the estuaries will fa ll. and even the poor people w ill and the shallow waters of the be able to buy some. It a ll sounds prett · continental shelf \\'hich provide the good if you don't think about it too breeding habitat of most marine hard. creatures, we ultimately will destroy the ·Over the past fo u r or five years we p roductivity of the oceans. Has that have, ever more frequen tl y, heard the been factored into the economic argument that high enl'ironmental equation in the debate over clean water sta ndards cost too much. They put an standards? excessive and unnecessarv burden o n These and other questions can be business and industry. The costs exceed Litter in Yosemite National Park. National asked a nd every time the answer will be the benefits. They want to institute a Park Service photo. that it is fa r better for the economy and system that we ighs benefits against costs cheaper to maintain a clean to provide ammunition in support of environment than a dirtv one. In the proposals to weaken environmental This arguement is aimed at n major short run, som e very modest temporary standards. And on the other hand, there proposition being advanced by some benefit to the economy might re ult are others "vho support such assessment environmental critics w ho insist that at from relaxed a ir a nd water quality because they believe that the some point we must make a choice standards, but it would be dangerous overwhelming weight of the evidence between a prosperous economy and a and enormously expensive. If vve d o will de monstrate that most dirty environment, or a clean that, it simply means we are borrovving environm enta l mandates need to be environment and a poor economy. capital from future generations and strengthened. T hose who \·vould dramatically counting it on the profit side of the T he reason the two parties reach \Neaken environmenta l protection c laim ledger. opposite conclus ions \•vhile appearing to we must. indeed, make a choice Quite a1 art from the ethical questions support the same proposition is that between the two, assuming the two are involved , there is simply no wa that a they, in fa ct, are not supporting the· sepnrable and must be addressed as future generation could replace the same kind of benefit-cost assessment. discrete entities standing alone. They ca pi ta I we borrow from them, because Those w ho want to use the benefit-cost are wrong by every rational standard of we cn nnot restore a polluted ocean or a approach to weaken support for m easurem ent. I assume we are using the polluted Jake. The ultimate test of a environmental mandates do not include word "environment" in it s broadest man's conscience is his willingness to all societal costs and benefit s, only context to include all physical sacrifice som ething today fo r a future those that are easil y quantifiable i;1 resources. They are all part of the generation whose words of thanks will current d oll ar costs to the polluter and environment. The a ppropria te never be heard. o m easurable on the consumer price genera lization to be made is that the index. They do not include the societal economy and the environment are (Ne/son, o former U.S. Se11otor Jmm cost of a polluted river, a lake or forest inextricably intertwined: a degraded Wisconsin, was the founder of Earth destroyed by acid rain , an aqu ifer environment and a poor economy travel Day, which first took place in April poisoned by toxic che micals, or a hand-in-ha nd. While you can have a 1970. I le is now Counselor of the wildlife refuge d estroyed by selenium. country ri ch in resources with a poor Wi lderness Society and associated with lf all s uch costs and benefits are economy, you cannot have a rich th e University of Wisconsin at Stevens included , the case is clear beyond economy in a country poor in its Point.) question that preserving a c lean resources or its access to them . Each environ ment is a profitable investment. incremental degradation of nature's resources-the air. the water, the soil, forests. scenic beauty, habitats- is a

JUL YIAUGUST 1988 13 hen President Nixon and his staff W \<\'alked into the White House on Earth Day Recollections: January 20, 1969, we were totally unprepared for the tidal wav€ of public What It Was Like opinion in favor of cleaning the nation's environment that was about to engulf us. If Hubert Humphrey had become When The Movement President, the result would have been the same. Took Off During the 1968 presidentiR I campaign, neither the Nixon nor Humphrey campaign gave more than lip service to environmental issues. Rather. by John C. Wh ita ker their thoughts focused on such issues as Vietnam, prosperity, the rising crime rate, and inflation. ixon made one radio speech on natural resources and the quality of the e nvironment, which seemed adequate to cover an issue that stirred little interest among the electorate.

During the 1968 presidential campaign, neither the Nixon nor Humphrey campaign gave more than lip service to environmental issues.

In the Humphrey camp, things were just as quiet. He dedicated a park in San Antonio, Texas, and the John Day Dam in Oregon, us ing both occasion s to discuss the environment and conservation. Otherwise, Humphrey said nothing on the issue. If the candidates showed little interest in the issue, so did the nationa l press corps. In fact, ixon staff members do not recall even one question put to him about th environment. Yet only 17 m onths after the e lecti on, on April 22, 1970, the country celebrated Earth Day, w ith a national outpouring of concern for cleaning up the environment. Politicians of both parties jumped on the issue. So many politicians were on the stump on Earth ConccmccJ students wore masks and decorated garbage trees to Day that Con gress was forced to close pay homage to Earth Day, 19/0. Where are they now? down. The oratory, one of the wire Don Ho~J

14 EPA JOURNAL ------concern over air and water pollution enjoyed since the end of World War II , science added a panoply of invisible jumped fro m tenth place in the summer and which became visibly e\·ident by threats: radiation. heavy metal poisons, of 1969 to fifth place in the su mmer of the mid-fifties. An affluent economy chlorinated hydrocarbons in the water, 1970, and was perceived as more yields things like the-40-hour week, acidic radicals in the atmosphere, all important than "race," "crime," and three-day weekends, the two-week paid potentially more insidious, more "teenage" problems, but not as vacation, plus every kind of labor-saving pervasive. and more dangerous than the im portant ~s the perennial poll leaders. gadget imaginable to shorten the hours familiar nuisances. This could happen " peace" and the "pocketbook" issues. that used to be devoted to household on!) in a country able to support a In the W hite House, we pondered this chores. The combination of spare money large, ad anced scientific community sudden surge of public concern about and spare time created an ambiance for with an immense laboratory cleaning up America and providing the growth of causes that absorb both infrastructure, marvelously sensitive more open spaces for parks, and a money and lime. instruments, intensive funding, heightened awaren ess of the necessity to Another product of affluence has been computers, data banks, and vast dedicate more la nd fo r wildli fe habitat. the emergence of an ·'activist"' upper interchanges of information able to Why, we asked, after it was so long middle class- college-educated, isolate and trace the progress through delayed, was the environmentalist affluent, concerned, and youthful for its the ecosvstem of elements and awaken in g so m uch more advanced in financial circumstances. The nation has compou~ds at concentrations measured the United States than in other never had anything like this ··mass in parts per billion. and to establish countries? What motivated millions to elite"' before. Sophisticated, resourcefu l, their effects upon living organisms in so much activity so long after politically potent, and dedicated to the biosphere. publication of Rachel Carson 's Silent change, to " involvement," it formed the Spring in 1962? Many factors seem to backbone of the environmentalist have been involved. movement in the United States. In the Gallup polls, public First, the environmental movemen t Other factors included the rise of probably bloomed at the time it d id television and the opportu nities it concern over air and water mainly because of affluence. Americans provides for advocacy journalism. pollution jumped from tenth ha,ve long been relat ively much better Also, science contributed another place in the summer of 1969 to off than people of other nations. but dimension to the national agitation. To fifth place in th e summer of nothing in all h istory compares even the obvious signs of pollution that 1970 .... remotely to the prosperity we have people could see. feel. and smell,

The press served the pollinating function of a honey bee, transporting !!t!f!t the latest scientific findings to the .... Utt ti•. public, which reacted with fear and misgiving . These in turn wer relayed b, the press back to the scientific community, which was stimulated by public concern to intensify it investigations. leading to more d iscoveries of new perils, and so on. This in it elf provided a clinrnte in which support for environmentally related causes could be elicited. The feverish pitch of Earth Day 1970 passed, but the en vironmental movement did not go away. Instead. the drive for a cleaner environment became part of our national ethic. Now it is taken for granted, the best possible testimonial that progress is being made. Our nation 's thinking !ms changed. Endorsing growth vvi thout regard to the quality of that gro,·vth seems forever behind us. The fa il ure of the economy lo take into ful l account the so ial costs of environmental pollution is being rectified. ot only are environmental considerations now factored into federal government decision-making but over and over again Americans pay for

Photo courtesy of The White House.

JULY/AUGUST 1988 15 use postal cars to test an experimental fleet of low-pollution cars. T he cabinet meet ing left President Nixon d issatisfied. T here was no overall strategy, too many unanswered questions . Should enforcement be done by regulation . or by user fees, or a com bination of both7 What were the overall costs to industry and the consu mer in terms of both the i ncreasecl price products for various pollution abatement schedules under varying standards and regulati ons? Fi na ll y, what would th e various clean-up scenario do to the federal budget? Nixon clearly need ed a "pollution czar" and one agency to look to for the answ ers. First, Nixon d iscarded the o ption of a Department of Environm ent and Natural Resources as w ell as several other reorgan ization pla ns. In July 1970 he submitted to Congress the Environmental Protection Agency plan; the new agency came in to being on December 2, 1970. Meanwhile, I had interviewed a number of candidates to F.1st Tcrrci1 LJ S. Cop1tol Washinyton Convention and Visitors Assoc1at1on photo. run the new agency and recommended Bill Ruckelshaus to the President. I've missed the m ark on lots of things in my low-polluting or pollution-free products life, b u t Ruc kelsha us was a "bull's eye." li ke low-sulfur healing o il, unlead ed So many politicians were on Now, years later, the gasoline, and coal from fully reclaimed the stump on Earth Day that accomplishments of the Nixon years are strip mines, for au tomobile emission pla in to see. New clean air, water. solid contro ls, for electricity from cleaner Congress was forced to close waste, and pestic ide laws, coastal zone fue ls, and for more parklands and down. m anagement p lan n ing seed money. new wi Id Ii fe refu ges. More fundamentally, national parks, inc luding the great we are beginning to understand that the urban parks in New York City and San e nvi ro nment is an ind ependent whole autom obiles. On pesticides, Walter Francisco harbors. In addition. Nixon of which man is only a part. Hicke l al Interior and Finch argued for ordered federa l agen cies to s hed spare But in the early 1970s it was clear ti ghter pesticide controls, while federal acreage tha t would be converted that the executive branch could not Agriculture Secreta ry Cliffo rd Hardin into parks and recreation areas, respond to public dem and to clean up em phasizer! the increased crop especially in urban areas. More than the environment without first creating productiv it y resulting fro m the 82,000 acres in a ll 50 states were un orgn n izution to do the job. Better application of pesti cides. And Secretary converted into 642 parks, the majority coordination of federa l en vironmen ta l of State Bill Rogers weighed in of them in or very close to cities. really programs was need ed . There were 44 expressing concern on whether a ban on bringing par ks to the people. agenc ies in nine separate departments DDT in this country might restrict the More money was ded icated to buyi ng w ith responsibilities in the fi e ld of what supply of DDT to the d evelo p ing wildlife habitat; Congress passed was then loosely described as " the cou ntries. Hicke l, who at the time Nixon 's con trovers ial proposal to en vironment and natura l resources." No handled water pollution control over at protect endangered species. ixon's de partme nt had e nough expertise to Inte rior, wanted more money for sewage execu tive orders restricted ocean take r. hnrge. treatment control; Bob Mayo, director of dumping and tightened en vironmen tal J\ t c

16 EPA JOURNAL What Nixon-and subsequent 68.3 percent yes, 27.5 percent no. We might have missed a chance in presidents-couldn't accomplish is Subsequently, Ford voted to override those early days to help resolve the to address in a rational \•vay the cost of President Nixon's veto of the Federal debate. Russ Train, chairman of the pollution abatement control: how fast Water Pollution Control Act Council on Environmental Quality, and should the nation clean up and at what Amendments of 1972. (Nixon vetoed it I proposed setting up a national body cost? In the early 1970s, our polls largely because of the very heavy federal with think tank funds plus matching clearly showed the public demanded a expenditures, particularly for sewage federal funds to study cost-benefit cleaner environment, but data on the treatment plants.) Not surprisingly, analysis for pollution controls. We puqlic's willingness to pay was because the perspective almost always hoped that if a body removed from ambivalent. Our initial Opinion changes inside the oval office, Congress and the executive branch did Research polls showed that about President Ford later tried unsuccessfully the number crunching, then perhaps the three-fourths of the public supported to hold down sewage treatment :i:esults would be more acceptable to all more government spending for air and expenditures, as has every president parties inside the beltway. The idea water pollution abatement programs, since then. never reached the President, largely that support existed in all population Nixon knew he would pay a political because Chuck Colson opposed our groups, and that it was particularly high price by not proposing the "toughest" candidate to head this study group, and among the young. But this did. not mean and costliest pollution control Colson beat me out in the White House that taxpayers had committed standards, but after looking at the staff warfare that goes on in any federal budget and the macro-economic Administration. impact, he chose a more moderate Today Americans spend $77 billion course. As it turned out, Congress, annually for environmental The feverish pitch of Earth fanned by the political hurricane of the improvements and that cost could easily Day 1970 passed, but the environmental movement, enacted reach $100 billion by the end of the environmental movement deadlines that could never be met, like century. Rather than ask where the next did not go away. the 1977 deadline for secondary billion dollars can be spent, we must treatment of municipal waste, and an pause and again ask how clean and how $18 billion appropriation over the fast? Today we have infinitely more themselves to spending their own three-year life of the law, which scientific capability and sophisticated money to improve the quality of the couldn't even be dispensed under the cost-benefit analysis to steer a course environment. Spending for government law's cumbersome grant system. toward a cleaner environment. The programs never seems to equate in the Similarly, Congress legislated question is, will our elected officials public's mind with spending their own technology that didn't exist by setting and executive branch regulators be money. Opinion Research reported that emission standards for automobiles that willing to lean into the political winds, in May 1971, three-fourths of the public couldn't be met and later had to be as we did, and act on the basis of would pay small price increases for postponed. The missed 1987 year-end objective information? o pollution control, but six out of 10 ozone deadlines is another glaring opposed large price inreases for that example of Congress' tendency to purpose. legislate non-existent technology. A Harris poll in October 1971 Early in the process we recognized indicated that 78 percent of the public that Congress and the executive branch would be willing to pay (how much was mistrusted each other's cost impact not specified) to have air and water figures for various pollution reduction pollution cleaned up, and 48 percent strategies. Even in executive branch would accept a 10-percent reduction in meetings, the EPA staff repeatedly jobs for a cleaner environment. Poll seemed to minimize pollution costs, editor Hazel Erskine indicated that while other agencies weighed in with individuals were not "personally high costs to meet the identical anxious" to foot the bill for correcting pollution standard. Often, we halved the pollution damage, although willingness difference, relaxing the standard more to pay for pollution control was than EPA wanted, but keeping it much growing. tighter than Commerce, for example, Congress received even stronger found acceptable. (Whitaker was President Nixon's messages. Twenty-two congressmen, in Cabinet Secretary (1969 ); associate a survey of 300,000 Americans in director of the White House Domestic varying kinds of congressional districts, Council for environment, energy, and asked constituents if they were willing natural resources policy (1969-1972); to pay more for pollution control. and Undersecretary of the Department Respondents in all but three districts of the Interior (1973-1975). He is now answered affirmatively. Representative Vice President, Public Affairs, for Union Gerald Ford asked his Michigan Camp Corporation.) constituents, "Should the federal government expand efforts to control air and water pollution even if it costs you more in taxes and prices?" The answer:

JULY/AUGUST 1988 17 Industry's The environmental debate of the late 1980s Environmental is notably less adversarial than in the early '70s, but confrontations between environmentalists and industry still occur. Attitudes In this photograph, Greenpeace activists plug a waste outfall pipe discharging into Fields Brook in Ashtabula, Ohio. Fields by Kent Gilbreath Brook has been named to EPA's National Priorities List under Superfund. Greenpeace photo.

f there were ever a li me when the support in Congress and even less time, sustaining the nation's economic Ibusiness community held the attitude support from the public in general. health. of "damn the environment- full speed Direct administrati ve methods of The spirit of compromise and ah ead," such a n attitude no longer decreasing environmental protection p ragmatism that has succeeded so well characterizes the vast majority of activities are also difficult to achieve, in American society would be violated bus iness-people. On the other hand, it is as the departures of President Reagan's if, after essentia ll y "''inning the debate equally w rong for the business secr etary of the interior and director of over the importance of community to stereotype the En vironmental Protection Agency environmenta lism, the environmental environm entalists as being dogmatic (EPA) demonstrated. There is just no community were not to cooperate in and hostile to compromise. There are, of consensus in the United States for establishing environmental poli cies that course, individuals in both groups w ho diminishing environmenta l protection also recognize the need fo r maintaining fit tradit ional stereotypes, but they now today, and attempts to change direction a viable economic system. Fortunately, constitute a rapidly diminishing really have no significant political the American environmental community minority. constituency at the present time. is also pragmati c, and numerous Jn the last few years, the debate over Part of the genius of American cooperative efforts between business the environment has moved away from society has been its ability to reconcile and environme nta l groups are emerging. adversarial rhetoric toward a more conflict through democratic processes. There wiJl. of course, never be total reasoned discu ssion of the issues. Whi le The environmenta l debate is but another agreement on issues and policies. Some emotions have not disappeared from the success story in the history of confli ct members of both groups still see the confli ct, the sharp philosophical resolution. The fina l chapter of thr. ot her group as the enemy and believe differences that characteri zed the debate debate has not yet been written and is that the onl y proper relationship is an in the 1 D60s and 1970s have not li kely to be written as long as adversarial one. Fortunately. diminished. environmental problem s exist, but it is uncompromising, adversarial attitudes clear that a consensus has emerged. are decreasingly significant in the Movement Has While there are differences concerning mainstream of both groups. Public Support how c lean the air. water. and land The search for common ground is a In a way, the environmentali sts won the should br. , there is little real search for compromise. The theme of first round of the dcbritc. Public opinion disagreement over basic environ menta l the desired compromise is "how can we polls s how that there is overwhelming goals. The fo cus today is on determining have economic growth and affl uence support for e n vironmental protection on the best way to achieve environmental and, at the same time, protect the the part of the American people. protecti on, and the proper balance environment?" En vironmentalists must Perhaps the support was always there between environm ental protection a nd continue to foster awareness and help and th environmental movem ent economic growth. ens ure that environmental con cerns are simp ly brought the issues to the Voices on the fr inges stil l urge. at one kept high on the nation's agenda. But attenti on of the nation. But there is little extreme, removal of environmental they must a lso develop policies that doubt that a strong environmental ethic protection laws and, at the other, a bring the goa l of e nvironmental quality permeates American society today, and radical restructuring of society to avoid into harmo 1y with other social and the American bus iness community and an environmental Armageddon . Bu t economic goals . Thus, the necessary individua l business lead ers have not these voices are growing less and less tactics and m ethods are fa r d ifferent been immune to the em ergence of this influenti al. To those seeking less from those dictated '"'hen the only ethic. rhetoric:, focusing on specific issues, and challenge was to increase public The strong pu blic support fo r moving toward a pragmatic search fo r awareness of environmental problems. environmental protection has been solutions, the news is heartening. Those environmentalists w ho refl ected in recent public policy issues. advocate a de-em p hasis on technology The Rcagrnt administratio n has Toward and de-industria li zation of our society discovered that any attempt to Common Ground are not likely to play a leading role in subs tantiaJlv alter basic envi ronmentnl Without doubt, the Ameri can business the mainstream of the environmenta l protection l~l\vs is likely to receive little community has accepted the challenge movement d uring the remainder of this of environmentalism. It is nmv trying to century. In fact, it is u nlikely that the respond to the chal lenge of giving us a clean en viro nment while, at the same

18 EPA JOURNAL current level of public support for The result of this changing view of America is a pluralistic societ\· and. environmentalism would be so great if it the responsibilities of business will as any biologist will tell you. th ~rc is were perceived that the only way to greatly complicate business decision­ strength in diversity. However, di\·crsi t\' achieve a clean environment is making in the remainder of the also means that we are never likelv to . through a substantial deterioration in twentieth century. More complex achieve unanimity of opinion on · the nation 's standard of living. demands by the public and a public issues. Thus, in the quest for a broadening of hori zons on the part of clean environment it will be necessnr\' A New business will be the dominant theme of to accept n progressive · "Bottom Line" corpora te life during the next few v nrs. compromise- progressi\'e in the sense The business community, on the other That business is accepting thi · of moving continuallv in the direction hand, is faced with a different challenge is refl ected in the statements of improvement whifo at the same tilll(~ challenge. Taken as a whole, there is no of a number of the nation's busi ness ba la ncing tlrn diverse gonls ancl interests more powerful private entity in leaders. One senses no hesitancy or of our societ>" American society than the nation 's reluctance in their attitudes. While thev On some erwironrnental issues. busine s community. But for business to do plead for a recognition that ach i evi r~g continued conflict is inevitnble. and maintain its profitability, influence, and our envi ronmental goa ls will take time there are some pollutants that aru freedom, it must be sensitive to the and will be costl y, they are not opposed potentiall y so harmful to h u111 an health concerns of the public-not just in to the objective. that there will he no roulll [or terms of th e price and quality of the People in busi ness like to refer to the com prom isc. But absoJ ut isl alt it udt!s, goods it produces but also in terms of "bottom line" or the profitability of their attitudes of "all or noth ing ... are no public approval of its social and enterprises. In the United States, a new longer viable and are uol likely to have political influence. bottom line has been defined for society a dominnti ng infl uence on either side. Paradoxical ly, the environmental during the past two decades. lt It is st il l ton carlv to s<1v th at we hu\'l! movement has been enormously recognizes the importance not on ly of won the war againsi polluiion, but it is effective in influenci ng public opinion the level of national income but also of not too ea rl v to sav that we have made a and in moving the powerful business producing that income in a way that beginning n.nd acl;ieved numerous community toward an ethic of preserves our natural environment, successes in the battle. Most people environmentalism. Such success can protects human health, and provi des for have decided they are wi lling to pay for only be attributed to the power of the the right of future generation to enjoy a environmental quality. \/\le have made environmentalists' ideas and the belief similar level of afflu ence, health, and progress, but there is still a need for of a large majority of the public that natural amenities. further reconciliation- for greater these ideas are, in general, correct. cooperation belvveen business and

19 JULY 1AUGUST 1988 environmental communities. All the We are still trying to decide which are perceived as being fair and signs suggest that this reconciliation characteristics of air and water we reasonable and the public supports will continue during the next decade should measure, and we have only the them, the need for government and that the commitment to a clean beginning of a body of historical data by enforcement will be greatly diminished. environment will grow stronger in our which to measure our progress in One of the themes that emerges in the society. controlling pollution. The measurement search for acceptable environmental and interpretation problems become protection policies is the importance of The Search even greater when international "selling." The business community has for Solutions environmental issues are involved. to be "sold" or convinced that The environmental issues on which we The remainder of the twentieth pollution-control devices will not ruin focus our attention are a shifting target. century is likely to be a time of their profitability. Plant engineers have Environmental issues almost never "learning by doing" in the area of to sell the EPA on the idea that they totally disappear from public environmental policy development. sometimes have superior ideas and discussion, but they change in the There certainly is no monopoly on techniques for achieving environmental degree of importance attached to them. truth, and there is a lot of room for goals. Labor unions have to be sold on For example, the issues of acid rain and experimentation. The type of pollutant the idea that pollution controls will not toxic waste disposal have risen in being dealt with will determine the result in the exportation of jobs. And importance in the last few years relative policy flexibility available to us. Some the public has to be sold on the to such issues as energy production and pollutants are so deadly that zero importance of the whole process to its potential natural resource limits to emissions must be the standard. The long-term welfare. Selling has always economic growth. Since pollution takes vast majority of pollutants, however, been a critical ingredient in the political many forms, from the chronic problems allow for substantial flexibility and and economic processes of democratic of carbon dioxide to the acute problems experimentation. capitalism. It is one aspect of American of dioxin and heavy metals, an In most cases, the wisest policies will society with which those in the enormous range of complex policies be those that limit the levels of nonprofit sector often feel must be established. And, much room emissions or tax them but leave the uncomfortable, but it is an aspect of our for conflict obviously exists between the means of control up to individual firms. system that policy-makers at all levels business and environmental This will encourage innovation and take must not ignore if they wish to see their communities in their attempts to advantage of the creativity and incentive policies succeed. establish pollution guidelines. systems of the marketplace. More Undoubtedly, the next few years will Since there is no absolutely correct or flexible, localized decision-making is see a great wave of innovation in indisputable standard for most forms of the direction in which policy is moving environmental policies at all levels. pollution, environmental policy in the mid-1980s. ·New means of measurement will be decisions will ultimately be political developed, nev11 technologies of decisions. This reality has brought Success Depends conservation and materials flow will environmental issues into the political on Public Support emerge, new environmentally benign campaigns of individual candidates and It is common to think of environmental products will be created, and new and political parties. In turn, politicization policy as an area in which government cleaner production techniques will has leant itself lo compromise, as will make most of the decisions, but appear. Hopefully, the inertia and candidates, parties, lobbyists, and this is certainly not the case. The vast dynamics of change that are so evident private individuals seek to find majority of pollution control decisions today will not be restricted by an solutions to environmental problems. are made by thousands, perhaps even inflexible regulatory structure. o A key challenge in policy-making millions, of business-people, engineers, involves selecting policy instruments consumers, and other private that give the best combination of individuals who, on a day-to-day basis, (Dr. Gilbreath is Associate Dean the effective control at the lowest possible pull the levers, inspect the filters, tune of Hankamer School Business at Baylor cost. Should governmental bodies levy the engines, and handle the chemicals of University in Waco, Texas, and a pollution taxes, set physical limits on and materials that make the difference member of the Board of Directors of the emissions, establish markets in between a clean or polluted Federal Reserve Bank Dallas.) pollution rights, require environmental environment. of audits of firms, or institute other Laws, regulations, and guidelines (Copyright © 1988. BUSINESS Magazine. College policies to control pollution? The fact is matter, but there will never be a large of Business Administration. Georgia State enough environmental police force to University. Atlanta. Georgia. Reprinted by that we are still in the infant stages of permission.) designing policy tools for achieving our ensure environmental protection in an environmental goals. Each new problem economy and society as decentralized requires a pioneering effort in policy and individualistic as the United States. making. For environmental protection to work, there must be a widespread ethic or belief in its importance and a feeling that the rules and guidelines are reasonable, necessary, and not economically crippling to individuals or firms. If government policies are too stringent or too far ahead of public opinion, cheating and non-observance will render them meaningless. If they

20 EPA JOURNAL A View From lnco ~~~~~~~~ by W. R. 0. Aitken

W.R. 0. Aitken. Executive Vice The ational Task Force is an Inca's smelter stack at Sudbury, President of International Nickel Co. expression of this consensus. It was Ontario, was built in the 1970s HS (In ca Limited). served as Vice Chc1irmon Canada's response to the report of the an interim measure to d1spl rse of Canada's Na tional Task Force on the sulfur d1ox1de emissions while World Commiss ion on Environment an d newer control tech11o lo91ps W<'re Environment and the Economy. The Development (WCEDJ, established in being developed At 1,250 feet 1t 1s following article was exerpted from a 1983 by the United Nations "to propose the tallest smelter st,1 cl> 111 the speech he delivered to the World long-term environmental strategies for world. lnco photo Resources Institute on April 29, J 988, in achieving sustainable development by Washington, DC. the year 2000 and beyond." Membership on the National Task Force consisted of seven environmental hil e the environment is clearly a ministers, seven representatives from not to repeat them. But we need to put W matter of great public importance industry, a representative of the Eco logy the history of environmental in the United States, it is of Action Centre, and th e Vi ce President degradation behind us. recogni zi ng that overwhelming importance in Canada. for Research of the University of British regulations are in place to deal with That fac t is the backdrop fo r the work Columbia. those problems. so that we can mo,·e and th inking of Canada's lational Task Like WCED we fe lt the need to beyond "react and cure" methods. Force on the Environment and the which are necessarily adversari al. to Economy. "anticipate and prevent'' systems \\'hich An October 1987 opinion survey are cooperati ve and constructi \'e. reported that 80 percent of Canadians We talked about what was We tal ked about what was meant by are concerned about the impact of meant by "conservation," a "conserva ti on," a concept that to pollution on human health and safety. concept that to industrialists industrial ists sounds suspiciously liken and 70 percent are concerned about the sounds suspiciously like a "shut down. " TIP posit ion that the Task impact on wildlife. A remarkable 87 "shut down." Force ultimately took \\'DS that n percent are disturbed by lack of acti on, conservation stra tegy is a set of and 88 percent believe that an principles for development, designed to environmental cleanup is wi thin our establish common ground. We found it ensure that the consumption of technical knowhow. While 92 percent resources today will neither cleny future bel ieve that corporate executi ves should by moving to the view that, in order to attai n sustainable economic growth, we generati ons the prospect of maintaining be held personally responsible for or improving their standard of living, polluting the environment, 78 percent must have decisive political actio n to manage and conserve environmental nor denv those less fo rtu nate today in are w illing to pay for the cl eanu p the un d~ve l oped world the opportunity through higher prices or higher taxes. resources and, by the same token, to succeed in conserving the environ ment to im prove their lot. Lo ng-term This is not the preoccupation of a economic grovvth depends upon a small group of acti vists but a national we must have sustainable economic growth. Our decision was to look healthy environment, we said, and the consensus, embracing persons of all maintenance of a healthy environment political persuasions and fr om al l wa lks forward. We didn't want to forget th e of life. errors of the past. We are determined

JULY/AUGUST 1988 21 requires continued development. The methods of determining Return On By the time the world came to two are inseparable. Investment (ROI) do not work in understand that the environment could What do these beautiful words mean relation to the environment. For be exhausted and destroyed, lnco had in practice? What a conservation example, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) already begun to turn the corner. During strategy means to Inca-and this view ROI renders insignificant benefits the 1950s, we developed our oxygen seems to have been accepted by the arising more than five or six years out, "flash furnace" smelting technology, Task Force-is: Don't exploit the but environmental impact goes on for which greatly improved our capacity to resources at a rate which exceeds your generations. In the free enterprise world, capture sulfur dioxide. We also ability to develop another or develop a invented a means of magnetically substitute product. The fundamental separating pyrrhotite, a high-sulfur iron message is: Don't compromise the Inco believes it is in our mineral, which was rejected before it sustainability of the host environment, reached the smelter. Sulfuric acid the air, the water, and terrestrial interest to pursue sound operations were greatly expanded in the resources. environmental practices. 1960s, even though the fertilizer From philosophy, the National Task business, its main outlet, was not at all Force moved on to concrete economic, and we began an extensive recommendations. In the governmental we compete for investment capital, and program of reforestation and of planting area, vve recommended that integration unless we provide returns that satisfy grass and grain on eroded mine tailings. of the environment and the economy investors, we don't get it. So we need to Our tall stack was constructed during should be a regular agenda item at find better ways to analyze and evaluate this period to replace three smaller Canada's First Minister co,1ferences, no environmental risks and impacts. existing Sudbury stacks so as to ensure less important than tax reform and free We need carrots as well as sticks. I minimum, harmless ground-level trade. Major government economic don't much care for contaminant charge concentrations of sulfur dioxide. It development documents should be schemes and tradeable turned Sudbury into one of the "clean required to demonstrate that they are emission/discharge rights. To me, they air" communities of Ontario. Though it both economically and environmentally smack of buying the right to pollute. We was the latest technology at the time sustainable. Formal mechanisms should also hear about such devices as and was a decided step forward in our be established to hold development performance deposits. In our view, comprehensive program to reduce the ministers accountable for the thought also needs to be given to environmental impact of Inca's environmental soundness of their investment tax credits, credits for operations, the superstack also became a projects and environmental ministers improving on environmental standards, target of environmental activists and a accountable for the economic impact of reduced interest bonds, and other such symbol of growing concern about their proposals. Governmental funding incentives. airborne transportation of pollutants and programs should be conditioned on We need to upgrade en.vironmental acid rain. meeting environmental standards. education at the elementary and junior The symbolism has obscured the fact Governmental processes for evaluation high school levels and to include that Inca's total emissions have been of economic development projects courses in environmental economics at reduced by some 70 percent since the should include socio-economic and the high school and college high point in the mid-1960s. That environmental analysis. undergraduate levels. represents the largest tonnage reduction On the industry side, we These recommendations were by far of any organization in North recommended that both the Business accepted at the First Ministers' meeting America. By 1994, we plan to reduce Council on National Issues, which in December 1987, and the Business emissions by a further 60 percent, consists of the chief executive officers of Council on National Issues has written which would bring total sulfur Canada's 150 largest businesses, and the the Prime Minister endorsing the containment to over 90 percent. During Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which National Task Force's report and this decade alone, our company has includes many smaller companies, recommendations. spent $120 million on its sulfur establish environmenUeconomy task Some members of the environmental abatement program, and we are forces. We urged that industry community may regard Inca's continuing to press ahead on our associations endorse, support, and participation in this effort with commitment to reduce sulfur dioxide promote environmental assessment and suspicion. The waste landscape emissions to 265 kilotonnes per year by that individual companies adopt clear surrounding our operations in Sudbury 1994 from the current level of 685 environmental policies, including and the Inco superstack are familiar kilotonnes. We will get there. annual reviews of environmental environmental nightmares. Practices lnco believes it is in our interest to performance by corporate boards of dating back to the tum of the century pursue sound environmental practices. directors. We recommended that may well have justified the image of the We are convinced that it is cheaper, companies behave outside Canada as Sudbury region as "the backside of the easier, and better in the long run to they are required to behave inside moon" or "Pittsburgh without the build clean plants than to have to clean Canada. In Inca's case, I was able to tell orchestra," although I would point out, them up later under governmental edict. the group, when we established a mine the technology used even then was We want to run a sound and successful and smelter in Indonesia during the state-of-the-art for that period. Heavy business for our employees, for our early 1970s, although there were no lumbering by others to construct shareholders, and for our environmental regulations affecting us, railways and to rebuild Chicago after customers-today and tomorrow. And we designed to Ontario standards. the great fire had denuded Sudbury's we \Vant to leave both a livable We called attention to the need for hills, and eliminating sulfur from our environment and a sound economy to improvements in analytical ores to get at the nickel killed what few our children and grandchildren. o n1ethodologies. In the area of trees and vegetation that remained. cost-benefit analysis, traditional Erosion completed the process.

22 EPA JOURNAL Seeking A Global Ethic by Gro Harlem Brundtland

orty to 70 thousand years ago, capacity to lay waste parts of our biosphere. ow. as this century draws Fhumankind, starting to use simple habitat. At the start of this century. to a close, the activities of a greatly tools, took up its struggle with the however, neither human numbers nor increased human population are biosphere. Two centuries ago, with the human technology had the po,,.ver to resulting in major, unintended changes advent of the industrial revolution, radically alter global systems. It was not in the biosphere. humankind gained the upper hand in until we gained access to vast energy The relationship between humankind that struggle. resources that we acquired the and the biosphere is like the recurring Since early times we have had the irrevocable power to destroy the theme of a symphony: basically it does not change, even though the tone and instruments may do so. Today, the environment and development have emerged as a major chall enge on the international agenda, rivalled in importance only by \'ital issue of security and disarmament. Twenty years ago we had a much simpler view of development. Indeed it was optimistic. High rates of growth and employment and lov; rates of inflation were predominant features of the post-war economic reCO\'ery. r\nd peoples who had endured centuries of domination were gaining self-confidence. establishing their own identities a· free and sovereign nations. The international institutions we created expanded the scope and scale of their activities. and new institutions were established, espec ially in the United Nations system. In the Charier, we committed oursch·cs to saving subsequent generations from the scourge of \•\ ar, which has brought so much untold suffering to mankind. But in the earlv sevenlios it da11·1ied upon us that deV'elopment had an environmental p rice. The 1() 72 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment was one response to a grovving concern that humnn ncti\·ities were destroying important ecological recycled life support systems. Existing institutions had not proved c:apable of dealing 1>vi th the by-products of our economic activities. Global conferences on ll'ater supply, food, women, human seltlcmont. new and renewable energy ro~m urces, and population all offere c..l hope of improved international cooperati on on major issues. Yet a sense of frustration and inadequacy prevailed. This was the background agai nst which the World Commission on Environ ment and Oe\·elopment was Panama's lush tropical rain forest. In the last 40 years, about established by the General J\ssembly of half of the earth's tropical forests have been felled . Mac Chapin the United Nations in 1983. The call photo, Inter-American Foundation, AID . from lhe General Assembly was an

JULY.AUGUST 1988 23 preservation of the environment can be cost-effective components of development policies in all countries and should not be considered to be irreconcilable with development itself. Sustainable development as defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in its reµort "Our Common Future" is a concept of growth that can be sustained through the next century. Today we have the knowledge and the capacity to adapt to the limitations imposed by nature. Wi ll the improved relations between East and West release the human and financial resources needed to address our common challenges? Do the events of 1988, when it was decided to dismantle the I F missiles, w hen the Soviet Union finally decided to withdraw from Afghanistan, when President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev strolled through Red Square together, signify new opportunities in the history of humankind 7 Will we be able to deal with the vital issues of environment and development in a real climate of change? Pn1ts of Calcutta exemplify poverty and congestion in India. Faced with a population explosion that threatens to wipe out A new global ethic needs to be economic gains, India has given high priority to a massive developed which recognizes that there family planning program. In developing countries, population are limits to what we can do to the pressures, poverty, and environmental degradation are environment, even if the formal rules i nterrclatf~ cl problems. AID photo. and regulati ons have not yet been adopted. Envi ronmental concerns must urgent one. The Commission was given struggle to service debts and maintain become an integral part of a broa d, global mandate- to lake a fresh necessary income levels. Adjustm ents decision-making at all levels. At the look al tho inlerrrelnted issues of are cal led for in developing and company level, we see a new awareness. e 11 v ironm1~ nt and development, and to developed countries alike, but they wil l Environmental concerns should be formulate concrete recommendati ons for huve to be adjustments with a humun integrated into company policy. Many action based on shared perceptions of face. Otherwise, poor people, poor executives are beginning to see that long-term environmental issues. countries, and their natural resources environmentally benign technology will We found many success stori es in wi ll be the victims of a \Norld economy give them a co mpetitive edge. different parts of the world. In fan t threatened by serious imbalunces. The time has come to move forward mortality is fall ing, human life What is needed is more growth. towards a true revival of multilateral ex pectancy is increasing, and access to Growth is necessury to eradicate cooperation on issues relati ng to the education and eq unl ity of opportunity poverty, and growth alone can create environment and development. The fo r lhe sexes arc improving in most th e capacity to solve environmental international financial institutions are countries. Global food producti on is problems. But this growth must not be a vital to sustainable development. They in creasing fasler lhan the world repetition of the development patterns must integrate environmental concerns population, even if fi gures for this year of the past. We can not continue to burn fi rmly into their policies, and they must SP.c m to be less encouraging. But stil l. foss il fuel as if the resources were take drastic action to achieve debt rel ief nearly 800 million people live in infinite. We can not trea t the and social progress. The present surplus absolute poverty, and their numbers arc atmosphere, soils. water, and oceans as countries have a particula r growing. In tht! cfovelopi ng countries, sinks for the by-p roducts of human responsibility for increasing their povert y is u main cause- and eff ect- of nctivities. Growth must enhance the support to the international institutions environmental degradati o n. Jn the environment rather than degrade it. equipped for leading roles in promoting developed co untries. unsusta inable and Growth must be distributed in an sustainable development. excessive consumption patterns are eq uit able manner among and within Global issues require global solutions. among th e main pollutants. countries. The time has come to take a giant leap It is c:lna r that the present To achi eve these goals, a new globa l forward in the upgrading of civilization. intmnational economic svstern works ethic is needed which is based on 0 against the interests of many developing equity, accountability, and human (Brundtland is Prime Min ister of countries. Adverse external conditions solidarity- solidarity with present and No rway and Chairman of the World fo ro! developing countries lo future ge nerations- rath er than on the Commission on Environment and overcxploit natural resources as they tyranny of the im mediate. Development.) The alleviation of poverty and

24 EPA JOURNAL An Editorial

by John Heritage

s it time to broaden the focus of living together, more respectfully, more Ienvironmental protection? Should we sensitively, as corporations, as cities concentrate not just on the big E of and towns, as individuals. The government pollution control programs, environmental effort \'\1as born with this but think as well of the little e-the dream. ls it all that different from the whole environment in which we live dream of Martin Luther King, Jr? Is the and strive together? environmental protection effort that has Why is this question important now? developed from the outpouring of The answer comes from the heart. And public concern in the early 1970s now it comes from the mind. thinking as broadly as it should? While some might argue that there are There is a second reason for raising exceptions, EPA's clean-up efforts have the question about a big "E" and a little largely been colorblind. Reducing lead "e" now. The front pages of the in gasoline is as helpful to the health of newspapers and the nightly news ghetto residents as it is to people who broadcasts on television feature live in the suburbs. The federally harrowing reports of a deteriorating backed drive to clean up hazardous international environment. waste sites is as beneficial to the poor as Chlorofluorocarbons stripping the to others. The lungs of inner city people atmosphere of its health-protecting benefit as much from the national push constituents. A Greenhouse Effect that to stop ozone pollution as do the lungs poses threats to crops, climate, and sea of residents on the fringes of coasts. Acid rain that carries its metropolitan areas. devastation over the borders of states, But is something amiss? Many of the regions, and nations. Chernobyl-type people who live in our inner cities are accidents with effects that span large suffering a savage assault on their portions of the globe. mental health and well-being because of Have these modern environmental an environment of poverty, joblessness, problems gotten beyond the reach of the crime, poor education, and deteriorating big "E"-the clean-up regulation in the housing. How much good are the Federal Register, or the provisions of a billions of dollars of modern Clean Air Act passed 18 years ago? environmental clean-up programs doing From the mind, are the institutional to help these people deal with the capabilities of this nation and other environment that is crippling their nations broad enough to grapple lives'? From the heart, shouldn't the effectively with these planet-threatening quality of life of the American inner city issues? be a major concern of the nation's To this observer, the most moving environmental effort? Shouldn't the speech at the U.N. Conference on the mental health and well-being of these Environment in Stockholm in 1972 was people be high on the list of priorities by Indira Ghandi, then Prime Minister for a decent, healthy American of India. Her thrust was not toward a big environment? "E"-pollution control-but toward a The environmental protection drive dream of a human race united in a wasn't meant to be simply government struggle to save civilization and live in pollution control programs-the big "E." dignity and mutual respect, as The environmental movement that concerned about the poverty of the blossomed in the early 1970s was Third World as with the wastes of socially oriented and broad-based. It industrial societies. Not the big "E," but involved tens of millions of people of the little "e," the environment which all ages, incomes, and parts of the everybody shares in common, and an country. Its objective, as often environmental movement concerned articulated by its leaders, was people with human attitudes and values as living in dignity and harmony with each much as with natural conditions. other and with the planet. Gandhi's theme continues up to In short, the modern environmental today, if we listen for it. In this issue of movement has a message of hope. It is a EPA Journal, the Prime Minister of hope that people can do a better job of Norway writes that "global issues

JULY/AUGUST 1988 25 require global solutions. The time has come to take a giant leap fonvard in the upgrading of civilization." Is this a job for the big "£" as we know it, the effort to clean up rivers and air and be safe from pesticides and toxic industrial chemicals? Or is it more, much more: Institutions in every nation that are concerned with the survival and the quality of the world environment, the little "e" which we must pass on from generation to generation? A skeptic says: "If you broaden the objective from pollution control, if you open the door to mental health and well-being in the inner city and to the values and attitudes of the human race, where is the end?" It may be that there Environmental Education and the Inner City is no end, only a goal, one that we can strive for. but never completely achieve: n spite of concerns about the about the urban ecology (like a Decency, compassion, hope. It may be Iimportance of environmental class walk around the block that every cause must, fundamentally, awareness in the inner city, at looking for environmental have this aim. Not simply because it is present there are relatively few problems). For high schoolers, right, but because, on a planet with programs aimed at creating such more sophisticated activities, like great benefits, but also, great risks, it is awareness or encouraging minority debates on acid rain, are used. realistic. students to seek professional According to the Center, Some observers may say, "When you careers related to 10,000-20,000 Milwaukee school translate these goals of a healthier, safe environmentalism and natural children use the materials inner city and a livable planet into resource protection. But the annually, perhaps another government action, you'll have a $10 number of such programs is slowly 50,000-60,000 elsewhere. A survey trillion debt." The answer may be that it growing. Here are some examples: found that 89 percent of the is not what government can do alone, teachers who had received the but what all the participants in the little curriculum materials were using ·'e" can do together, from household to them. school, from community to corporate • Milwaukee, Wisconsin-The • Boston, Massachusetts-Perhaps boardroom. This was the spirit in the Schlitz Audubon Center on Lake the largest such program in birth of the environmental movement-a Michigan, just north of this existence is run by the Thompson spirit of togetherness, of common industrial city, found field trips by Island Education Center on an themes, and common efforts. Thal was inner-city youngsters were exciting island off South Boston. The the idea: That life is a quilt of billions of for them, but largely irrelevant; the 15-year old project, which the lives and thousands of institutions. It kids' attitude: very nice, but what Center believes may have already moves and grows as one, not as one does it mean to me? We don't even reached 100,000 children, is program, or one agency, but as one with have trees on our street. The designed to help the Boston public many units, small and big. Government Center recognized that schools teach about ecosystems of has a role, but it does not provide a environmental awareness must be both the island itself and various single, simple answer. Hope and created where the youngsters live, Boston neighborhoods. The initiative spring from many voices, from not in rural surroundings that are Center's special Harbor the great diversity of existence. "unreal" to them. They developed Environments program brings The Journal welcomes the responses curriculum guides and students from predominantly of its readers to the questions presented materials-"Living Lightly in the white and black schools together here. We may not have the space to City" and "Living Lightly on the for four-week summertime study print all of the comments, but we hope Planet." For lower grades, these programs on the island, where that we can stimulate a dialogue which guides begin with simple both academic and ecological will continue on these pages and approaches to children's feelings studies are shared. The project also elsewhere. provides materials used in Following this editorial is a box after-hours projects during the presenting some examples of what regular school year, with special something as tame-sounding as emphasis on the ongoing cleanup environmental education might achieve of Boston harbor, one of the in helping the youth of inner cities. nation's most polluted bodies of Awareness, which journalism can water. State and private funding promote and teachers can build, can be support the Center's activities. a beginning. o

(1-leritage is Editor of EPA Journal.)

26 EPA JOURNAL • Washington, DC -What can • New York City-For 13 years, • Washington, DC-Since 1983, one teacher accomplish? At mathematical physicist Mario the Human Environment Center virtually all-black Ballou High Salvadori has conducted a program has provided minority School here, environmental in New York City schools that is environmental science internships science teacher Carl Keels has designed to sensitize students that enable 10 to 25 Washington taught youngsters to relate to the (K-12) to the "built environment" metropolitan area students to environment around them-they in which they live. In the past two spend their summers working have studied home and school years, the New York City Board of under the tutelage of voluntary noise levels, asbestos flaking from Education has formally sanctioned mentors at various federal and school basement pipes, solar the program, installing it in a local environmental and natural heating, Washington's sewage Bronx middle school, where 150 resources agencies. This year's disposal system, and other subjects "at risk" urban, black, and program, for example, finds in addition to formal programs in Hispanic students were taught students assigned to the Patuxent biology and ecology. The students math, science, and other subjects Wildlife Research Center, the also visit environmental agencies. with a "built environment" Urban Ecology Center, and the Keel's classes have won EPA 's emphasis. Other program National Arboretum. Other President's Environmental Youth components include architectural agencies where they have worked A ward and have also been filmed planning, landscaping, and city include EPA, the Smithsonian by the Agency. planning. Earlier this year, all 150 Institutions, the Interstate • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-In of these students, more than half Commission on the Potomac River the vanguard of EPA's of whom were expected to be Basin, and the DC Department of Adopt-A-School (or Partners in dropouts, graduated and went on Public Works. The program's goal Education] program, Region 3 to high school. is to encourage minority students to seek professional careers in employees have adopted three • New Mexico-A number of schools. One of these is heavily minority colleges and environmental fields, where minority-attended Abraham universities-black, Hispanic, and minorities have long been Lincoln High School in northeast Native American-offer under-represented. The Center also Philadelphia. Now in its third specialized programs aimed at has programs at the college level, year, the program involves about encouraging an interest and and is currently expanding to 600 students in environmental possible careers in professions include law and pre-law students activities', including testing nearby related to natural resources and in the hope that they will Pennypacker Creek for poll utan ts the environment. New Mexico ultimately work with and cleaning up the stream, having Highlands University, for example, environmental agencies or groups. visits by EPA staff, including the offers both associate and bachelors regional administrator, to discuss degrees in environmental science. acid rain, air and water pollution, Considerable emphasis is given to waste disposal, and other subjects solving pollution problems. About with environmental science 60 percent of the students are classes, taking tours of Agency Mexican-Americans. [Also Tuskegee Superfund response facilities, and Institute, in Alabama, has a holding an annual Environmental well-known pre-forestry program Day. Participation has doubled in that is drawing a growing number just two years. The other schools of black students into the field of have been adopted by the Region's forestry-related resource Black and Hispanic employment management.) offices. Other regions and headquarters plan similar projects.

JULY/AUGUST 1988 27 Environmental Literacy Test

ublic opinion poll data indicate that 6. V\lhich of these is a major source of 14. Which of these answers comes PAmericans are, generally speaking. air pollution in homes'? close to the amount of garbage created highly concerned about environmental a. building materials and furnishings annually by the average American? problems, and certainly public opinion b. electrical heating and cooking a. 10 pounds plays a key role in the process of appliances. b. 100 pounds determining environmental priorities c. tobacco smoke c. 1,000 pounds and policies. Clearly, then, it is d. none of the above important for the public to be d. none of the above adequately informed on environmental 7. Ozone is beneficial to our 15. What do we do with all the issues. environment at high altitudes, yet garbage \•ve create? To assist Journal readers in assessing harmful at low altitudes. a. dispose of it in landfills their own understanding of current D True D False b. burn it in incinerators environmental issues, the following 20 c. recycle it questions are offered as a kind of 8. If dioxin is such a serious public "environmental literacy test." Readers health threat, why doesn't EPA just ban d. all of the above it? are invited to take the test by simply 16. A ground-water aquifer is most circling the proper answer for each a. It is a key material in the like: production of vital consumer question. Answers are given on page 37. a. an underground Jake products. (Questions and answers prepared by b. an underground river b. Industries that use dioxin are able Arthur Kaines, Regulatory Integration to exert a powerful political c. an underground sponge Division, in EPA's Office of Policy, influence on Congress. d. none of the above Planning, and Evaluation.) c. EPA is unable to ban dioxin 17. Which of the following best 1. Which of the following phenomena because it is an unwanted describes an estuary? by-product of many industrial is believed to be associated with the a. a large inland water body activities. greenhouse effect? b. an ancient river bed d. None of the above. a. global warming c. the confluence of fresh water and b. melting of the polar icecaps 9. The federal government provides salt water bodies c. sea level rise the majority of funding for d. none of the above d. all of the above implementing environmental programs. D True D False 18. Estuaries are important because 2. Which of the following gases is they: believed to cause the greenhouse effect'? 10. In what way can people be a. are major sources of drinking a. oxygen exposed to lead in the environment? water b. carbon monoxide a. in their drinking water b. are vital marine habitats c. carbon dioxide b. in dust from lead paint in their c. normally occur near large homes d. all of the above population centers c. in lead-contaminated soils d. all of the above 3. Today, 18 years after the passage of d. all of the above the Clean Air Act, nearly all major cities 19. Although the pollutants causing in the United States are in compliance 11. VVhat adverse health effects have acid rain are generated mainly in the with national air quality standards. been associated with human exposure to Midwest, what region of the United D True D False lead? States has experienced the worst effects a. anemia from acid rain'? 4. Which of the following b. learning disabilities in children a. the Northwest environmental problems has EPA found to be the most threatening to public c. hypertension in adult males b. the Northeast health? d. all of the above c. the Southeast d. the Southwest a. hazardous waste sites 12. Nationally, which of the following b. radon in homes is the biggest polluter of our air'? 20. In the past, which of these groups c. toxic chemicals in drinking water a. the chemical industry has enjoyed cost savings from d. leaking underground storage tanks b. automobiles inadequate pollution controls? c. hazardous waste incinerators a. industry 's. Which of the following d. none are big polluters. b. the American consumer environmental problems is the c. federal. state, and local American public most concerned about? 13. VVhich of the following is the governments source of radon in homes? a. hazardous waste sites d. all of the above b. radon in homes a. ultraviolet radiation c. contaminants in drinking water b. defective home heating systems d. leaking underground storage tanks c. uranium in naturally occurring rock formations d. none of the above

28 EPA JOURNAL

Environmental Education: Past and Present by Jack Lewis

rom the very earliest days of Fenvironmental awareness in the United States, mankind has been seen as the key to nature's preservation- or destruction. At first the plea was to the sensitive individual, to awaken to the beauty and fragility of nature. But as the decades passed, and U.S. population and industrial might burgeoned, the need for broad-based education entered more and more into discussions of how to curb increasingly obvious environmental decay. The first traces of the earlier theme an be found in the writings of the great naturalists and moral philosophers who championed the environmental ethic in the 19th and early 20th centuries: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, George Perkins Marsh, John Muir, John Burroughs, and Aldo Leopold. These writers sought through their influence on the reading public to change society, one reader at a time, but often more at a spiritual than a pragmatic level. Needless to say, visible results were slow to surface, and then only among the educated elite. In 1950, Ansel Adams, the renowned nature photographer, marked a transition to a new frame of mind when he advocated systematic education of the general public, not just isolated sermons by "St. Georges of conservation" to isolated audiences of

Previous page:"Surf and Rock : Monterey County Coast, California, the already converted: "The dragons of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, 1951 ." Photograph by Ansel Adams. demand have been kept at snarling published in 1962, was the most Courtesy of the tru tees of The Ansel distance by the St. Georges of celebrated of this new breed of books Adams Publishing Rights Trust. All rights reserved. conservation, but the menace remains. and articles- both technical and Only education can enlighten our extremely idealistic- that suddenly The philosophy of Adams, an early people-education, and its appeared in rapid succession. These proponent of environmental accompanying interpretation, and the pioneering investigative studies were education, is reflected in this seeking of resonances of understanding packed with scientific findings about statement from his autobiography. "I in the contemplation of nature." pesticide contamination, water have come to the conclusion that to It was not until the 1960s that a more pollution, smog, and other be complacent is to be ineffective, and to be tolerant of obvious error or scientific tone entered writing, thinking, environmental problems-the most in1u t1ce 1s unforgivable. Perhaps and debate about the environment. Also alarming of which were quickly there is something amiss with th heard at this point was a growing trumpeted to the general public by genes of Homo sapiens that does not chorus of pleas for environmental newspapers and television. innately command us to protect our education, both to train specialists and Scientists from the industrial sector home, Earth, as we instinctively protect ourselves." influence society at large. countered these claims with diametrically opposite conclusions of

30 EPA JOURNAL As a species, redwoods date back millions of years, and individual redwoods can live as long as 2,000 years. These trees are protected in the Redwood National Park, California, but others are being cut for timber. Fred Mang, Jr, photo, at1onal Park Service. ended with passage of the Clean Air Act and the founding of EPA. Two landmarks in environmental education Citizens all over the United also occurred in 1970: States were already using their eyes, noses, and ears to • On April 22, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered all over the score their own "report card" United States for "Earth Day" speeches, on the environment. informal " teach-ins," and peaceful acts of protest. Mass action to deal ''"i th massive problems: that was the order of educating citizens about the day. Gathered in the open air. under environmental quality and beautiful spring skies, citizens '"'ere ecological balance are therefore offered instant education on a host of necessary. topics at rallies reminiscent of counter-culture "happenings." The Department of Health. Education. Saturation media coverage emphasized and Welfare (HEW), faced with a an atmosphere of idealism and daunting administrative challenge, enthusiasm that was not to dissipate chose to downplay its role in until the advent of the energy crisis in communitv education and to focus it s 1973. efforts on reaching students through existing educational institutions: in • On October 30, President ixon other words, to promote formal signed into law the Environmental programs of environmental education Education Act. Thi law, extremelv leading to conventional academic ambitious on paper at least, was t~ degrees. EPA. on the other hand, was environmental education what Earth more inclined to become im·ol\'ed in Day was to consciousness raising. Like projects aimed at the citizenry at large: Earth Day, however. it proved to be the Agenc_ was geared up for such something of a false dawn. Through work beca use it was al this very time most of the 1970s, federal support of setting up "public participation" environmental education proceeded on programs required by everal of its own w hat has been described as a statutes. HO\·ve er. there was no clear "scattershot" basis, under a variety of line of demarcation. HEW reached statutory authorities; all too often, once communities, just as EPA did schools, federal funding ended, so did the state sometimes in direct cooperation with programs it was intended to subsidize each other. only until other funding could be found. To reach both constitu ncies. EPA's Nevertheless, the rationale for the Office of Public Affairs created Environmental Education Act is worth their own. Furthermore, they cautioned pamphlets and filmstrips suitabl e for quoting at length, if only as a reflection that "ecology" _was the youngest of the use in "community education" outreach of the '·gung-ho" atmosphere of 1970: sciences, one that would need years to programs. The office also commissioned mature, both through research and The Congress of the United States the highly acclaimed Doc11merica series education of trained specialists. fi nds that the deterioration of the of environmental photographs and a But the public was in no mood for quality of the ation's host of other materials that were debate, delay, or compromise. Citizens environment and of its ecological disseminated to the print and electronic all over the United States were already balance ... is in part due lo poor media-America's mass educators par using their eyes, noses, and ears to score understanding of the Nation's excellence. their own "report card" on the environment nnd of the need for The public schools were also on environment. There were plenty of ecological balance; that presently EPA's agenda. The Agency, with some failing grades, and urgent messages to there do not exist adequate help from HEW, launched one Washington calling for immediate resources for educating and especially well-received project in 1971. action. informing ci ti zens in these areas, A massive mailing went out to every Action came with n rush in 1970, a and that concerted efforts in high school in the United States year that began with the passage of the announcing what were then known as ational Environmental Policy Act and the President' Environmental Merit

JULY/AUGUST 1988 31 Enjoying a day at Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Mike Brisson photo.

experts in the health sciences, biology, engineering, chemistry, and physics have gravitated toward the environmental aspects of those disciplines. After furthering the Agency's specific short- and long-term research needs, these scientist­ professors were able to pass along new forms of knowledge to their students. Simultaneous with these efforts at EPA, HEW's Office of Environmental Education was making significant strides of its own. Its funding levels were higher than at EPA: from 1971 to 1981, HEW expended an average of $3 million a year for a wide variety of environmental education projects. Heavier expenditures, at HEW as at EPA, tended to be clustered at the beginning of the 1970s and to taper off somewhat as the decade advanced. Activities directly under the authority of the Environmental Education Act were usually development programs in public schools and community interest groups. These, however, represented only part of the overall equation at HEW. At least six other HEW statutes Awards (now the President's In addition, EPA, with funding from proved to be appropriations sources for Environmental Youth Awards). There the Department of Labor's Manpower environmental education projects. By far was such a tremendous response that Development and Training Act, made the most important of these was the applications were soon sought from pioneering advances in the area of Elementary and Secondary School junior high and elementary students as technical training for federal as well as Education Act of 1970. well as boy and gi rl scouts. state and local officials. At the Agency's One Elementary and Secondary Direct action was the theme of early research centers in Cincinnati and in School Act project is particularly Merit /\ward projects: students took to Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, worthy of mention, both for one roadsides and fi elds to plant trees; one scientists and engineers learned state-of­ enormous success it spawned and for 16-year-old in ew Jersey the-art techniques for the control of the fairly typical failings to which it single-handedly succeeded in ga ining water and air pollution. At a later date, was otherwise vulnerable. From 1971 to approval for a burning ordinance in his fire departments and local government 1974, three groups of states were given community. officials were instructed in the best $150,000 each to develop environmental EP/\ a lso set up a special task force to methods for controlling hazardous waste curricula in the public schools. The assist HEW vv ith more traditional forms emergencies. New York and North Carolina clusters of environmental education. The task Another aspect of EPA's involvement of states allowed their programs to lapse force helped llEW review appli cations in environmental education should not when fe deral money dried up. The story from 100 u niversities for approximately be overlooked. Ever since its was quite different in California. $10 million in financial aid grants to establishment in 1970, EPA has been The group of 13 western states headed students in M./\. and Ph.D. programs fostering the development of the by California- known as the Western related to the environment. It also environmental sciences at educational Regional Environmental Education designed a highly successful two-year institutions by providing research grants Council- took hold in a very big way. environmental studies curriculum for to university scientists. A large part of Continued on next poge use at the undergraduate level in EPA's research is done "in-house," but a coll eges and junior colleges. Some work sizable portion has always been was also devoted to the development of undertaken by outside experts. As a a high school curriculum. result of contact with EPA, academic

32 EPA JOURNAL What's Happening in the States

This brief report highlights what educational packages on the some of the states are doing to environment for use in elementary advance the cause of and secondary schools. - environmental education. Contact • New York: Ne\v York requires your state education agency for its secondary schools to offer complete details about what is environmental courses as electives. happening in your area. • Ohio: Ohio requires its schools to offer courses in natural science; • Arizona: The Arizona these courses must teach the Department of Water Resources concept of conserving natural has a Water Education Resource resources. Ohio ·s Department of Directory that lists videotapes, Natural Resources has set u p an films, and slideshows on An interesting new theme has Adopt-A-School p rogram through been emerging in American environmental issues, suggests tour which it provides specific possibilities and guest speakers, programs to adopted schools. environmental education: the and includes a guide to handouts concept of "curriculum and other teaching resources. • Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania is thus far the only state that infusion. " • California: California's requires an environmental course Department of Education has of all high school students. perhaps the most extensive Permanent sources of state revenue were environmental education programs • Rhode Island: Rhode Island is found. and alliances forged with private in the nation. Just a few examples currently developing an organizations such as the American are selected here from a wide environmental education Forest lnsti tute. Se\'er al highly praised range of offerings: the California curriculum that will be introduced course modules de\'eloped by this Outdoor School Administrators, an into the public schools as part of a council-Project Learning Tree and association that targets its funds at newly formed Governor's Literacy Project \'VILD-are nO\\' being used by enhancing outdoor school Program. educator in 39 states as well as a programs; the Class Project, an • Virginia: Concern over the growing number of countries throughout activity-oriented conservation Chesapeake Bay bas led to several the world. education program sponsored by innovative projects. The " Bay 1 o discussion of environmental the National Wildlife Federation; Team" teacher project, funded by education in the 1970s would be and Environmental Education Chesapeake Bay Initiatives and the complete without some mention of the Fairs that bring educators into Council on the Environment, work undtJrtaken b\' other federal contact with government, business, brings visiting teachers to agencies: most notably. the Tennessee and private conservation groups classrooms around the state. Valley Authorit:>' (TVr\) and the that can share with them ideas and Another program. conducted by Department of the Interior. T\' A set up a materials for courses. the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, highly praised E1wironmental Ed ucation • Delaware: Delaware has gives students and teachers a Program at a 170.000-acre Kentucky site tentative plans to make chance to visit the Bay. The knmvn as "Land Between the La kes." environmental education Virginia Resource-Use Education There teachers were offered special mandatory in all grades. Plans are Council sponsors environmental training, then ncouraged to ret urn with also being made to offer courses for teachers at four student groups. environmental education to adults. universities during the summer Interior's P< rk Service sponsored a term. Nationa.l En\'iro11mc ntal EJucation • Hawaii: Hawaii's Department of Development Project amid tlw beauty of Education has put together a • Washington: The State of the national parks. while the same thematic, interdisciplinary Washington requires its secondary department's Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Education Program schools to offer environmental went even further in the direction of for use in its public schools. courses as electives. The state's developing cm·iro11rnental education Department of Ecology has issued programs for school and communi ty • Indiana:· Indiana requires its Environmental Education groups. secondary schools to offer Guidelines and set up a special Coordinating al l these federal effo rts environmental courses as electives. course, ''A-Way w ith Waste," to was a Subcommittee on Environmental • Louisiana: Louisiana's famil iarize students with waste E

JUL YIAUGUST 1988 33 Moonrise over Lake Michigan. Mike Brisson photo.

Department of Health and Human For instance, EPA's Region 3, Services) and became the Department of headquartered in Philadephia, set up a Education in 1980. Center for Environmental Learning in Federal involvement in 1986. The center has sponsored many environmental education tapered off extremely popular meetings, forums, during the early years of the Reagan seminars, and conferences; these have Administrntion, which emphasized the been attended by-among others­ primacy of state and local government businessmen, local government leaders, in all educational matters. The health officials, and environmental Environmental Education Act was groups. allowed to fade out in 1981 when it was The Agency's Region 8, headquartered subsumed along with a variety of other in Denver, has set up a Youth Speaker's laws under an umbrella statute, the Bureau that brings EPA professionals Education Consolidation Improvement into the classroom to speak on a variety Act. This law instituted so-called "block of environmental topics. Region 8 has grants," appropriations to cover a also put together a Resource Materials multitude of different program needs. Index so area educators can more easily Whether or not to use any identify and obtain EPA materials "block-granted" funds for environmental appropriate for use in the classroom. education was left up to each individual stale, with no record-keeping requirement and therefore no data as lo which did. Perhaps th.e realization has The federal government, not just at finally taken hold th.at in th.e current president, Ed McCrea, attributes the Department of Education but at EPA long run, environmental this at least partially to a felt need and elsewhere, was releasing its grip on education could prove to be among the professionals to reinforce the environmental education. By 1983 even th.e best investment of all. vibrancy and visibility of the discipline the Subcommittee on Environmental during a period of slackened s upport at Education was in danger of dying out the federal level. after several years without an Executive Meanwhile, the Alliance for Director. But in 1984 it was given a In addition, two non-governmental Environmental Education has been busy fresh Presidential mandate at the urging organizations are emerging as major forming regional networks of colleges of William 0. Ruckelshaus, who had forces in the sphere of environmental and universities for what is intended to returned lo serve a second term as education: the orth American be a cohesive and well-coordinated EPJ\'s Administrator. Association for Environmental national network. Thirty institutions of In April 1985, Ruckelshaus' successor, Education; and the Alliance for higher learning have already agreed to Lee M. Thomas, sought to re-activate Environmental Education, which has 34 pre-service and i11-service training for EPJ\'s involvement in the process by affi liate organizations ranging from the teachers of environmental subjects; the instructing each of the Agency's 10 National Wildlife Federation to the development of programs relevant to regional administrators to appoint a United Auto Workers. local institutions; community outreach Coordinator for Environmental The orth American Association for programs; and environmental research. Education. These coordinators are Environmental Edu cation, founded Other interesting developments have program personnel recruited to perform shortly after EPA itself, has as members been underway during the 1980s. just in their new functions on a part-lime basis. nearly a thousand environmental the past few years, an interesting new Their achievements have been both educators in the United States and theme has been emerging in Ameri can impressive and varied. Canada. Interest in the organization's environmental education: the concept of annual meeting and professional "curriculum infusion." Advocates of publications has been growing curriculum infusion are urging public substantially in the past few years. Its school teachers to "infuse" environmental subject matter and environmentalist values into their

34 EPA JOURNAL From these figures, it appears clear that environmental education, though still a "second-order issue," has far more than a toehold in America's public schools, and current trends indicate that it is here to stay. Admittedly. this is a turbulent time in American education. Intense concern over the slippage of the U.S. economy in foreign markets would seem to favor traditional "meat-and­ potatoes" course offerings. And budget shortages at all levels of government do not leave m uch room for humanistic experiments. But the American public, even in the most recent polls (see article on page 10) shows surprisingly strong support fo r environmental program . Perhaps the realization has finally taken hold that, in the long run, environmental education could prove to be the best investment of all. For as America's " St. Georges of conservation" long ago cautioned, man the en emy of regular syllabus, be it for Social Studies varying forms, to be sure." [For a brief nature must learn to be her friend- or or Mathematics. This "holistic" summary of state activities now learn to suffer the consequences. o approach , though reminiscent of Earth underway, see box on page 33.) Day, has a very practical purpose in the To get a more exact fix on nationwide late 1980s: to expedite the spread of trends, the ERIC study polled all 50 environmental education in an age state education agencies; 40 responded. (Lewis is an Assistant Editor of EPA when there is often insufficient funding Of these, 44.7 percent indicated that 81 journal.) for more intensive and specialized to 100 percent of their state's instruction. elementary schools included The 1987 "Environmental Education environmental educati on in some [nformation Report" that documents the manner. However, only five states widespread use of " infusion" techniques reported that the subject was taught as a draws some conclusions about the separate course in elementa ry schools trends that explain their present-day rather than ''infused" into other course popularity. The authors of the report­ offerings. As for secondary schools, 31.6 researchers at the Science. Mathe matics, percent of the sta te agencies reported and Environmental Ed ucation that environmental education was Clearinghouse of the Educational offered in some for m at 81 to 100 Resources Information Center (ERIC), in percent of high schools. More than cooperation with colleagues at the one-fourth of all respondents (11 states Center for Science and Mathematics out of 40) reported that environmental Ed ucation at Ohio State University­ education now enjoys the status of a conclude that "it ... appears that !the] separate course offering in their state's environment is, from a national secondary schools. perspecti ve, a second-order issue in the schools as well as in the political arena, though there are clearly many state and local s ituati ons where it thrives- in

JULY IAUGUST 1988 35 Barbara Ward, in her foreword to Erik Peckholm's Down to Earth, consists of Environmental Education: "a few thin meters of soil, a few miles up into the sky, and a similar depth into The Future the oceans [that] encompasses virtually the whole [environment] in which we by John Paulk and other living things can survive." and Lynn Hodges It's a tiny sliver of space "where everything lives together." ot a difficult concept! This environmental education will also recognize that man If you ore thinking a year ahead, sow a Frequently, an examination of issues has inserted economic systems into the seed. If you are thinking ten years from a common-sense perspective seamless web of life. These systems of ahead, plant a tree. If you ore thinking reveals that a reasonable solution is in trade, barter, exchange, and competition one hundred years ahead, educate the the grasp and control of both parties. become undesirable only when they tear people. - Chinese poet, 500 B.C. Often it can be achieved with little loss the seamless web and reduce the ability of pride, minimal "blood-letting," and of the biosphere to support life. without enormous legal costs. Both Environmental education will teach that parties must once again learn the art of the energies of both natural and ith questions about the greenhouse compromise. human-made systems will be honored. W effect and depletion of the ozone At the heart of most environmental Further, it will insist that layer very much on the public mind, the issues are elements that favor the environmental problems be resolved in authors present a near-future scenario in interests of both the corporate sector ways that create or preserve a which solutions to pressing and the environmentalists. The sustainable balance, encouraging only environmental problems are found corporate perspective has profit environmentally sound economic without resort to litigation. We could be motivations. It values the free enterprise development. From youth, part way there alread;;. system as the "American way" and environmental education will train Future needs and strategies to meet seeks to provide jobs and a healthy individuals in analysis, negotiation, and them have challenged societies for economy. The environmental problem-solving. Traditional disciplines centuries. Long-term needs are perspective values healthy of language, math, science, art, especially challenging, and nowadays surroundings. Clean air, clean water, geography, and social studies wi ll be changes are occurring faster and faster. unspoiled land, and wise use of the structured to develop awareness, Our ideas about future needs change earth's resources are also the "American knowledge, and skills needed to deal daily, and when people look "one way." Both groups are well aware that with environmental issues. Students hundred years ahead." they are often without a strong economy and jobs- or will be prepared to deal with future overwhelmed by the possibilities and without clean air and water, unspoiled risks, conflicts, and alternatives. alternative futures. land, and wise use of resources- there Key "decision-makers" in the The future always holds a risk of is a dimness to the future. Both environmental education scenario are disaster. Minimizing the risks of such conditions are needed to promote a already among us. Some are still in disasters, particularly those that would sustainable base of resources and primary schools; others are at advanced affect our basic life-support systems­ sustainable economic growth. The levels, Most are developing a global our air, our water. our ability to grow common ground of sustainability must perspective, both about the environment food, our climat is of concern be recognized by the competing and about economics. Most see basic throughout the environmental and interests and must be accommodated. economic principles as compatible with economic sectors of our society. The corporate manager must basic environmental principles and are With only sophisticated guesses about champion and seek solutions to adept at solving interrelated problems. the future to guide us, one strategy environmental problems through But the range of environmental remains as valid today as in 500 B.C. partnerships with the environmental education remains limited. Expansion is "Educate the people'' continues to be a community. Environmental institutions necessary and will not be difficult to valid way to respond to rapid change and organizations should be utilized in achieve. and future risk. A relatively new field problem-solving. The environmental More schools need to use called "environmental education" has organizations must accept and environmental education as a part of become a promising means to focus on encourage the profit motive, which is their regular studies to energize the the future. Its goal is to empower the source of jobs and capital. curriculum, to teach basic skills, and to individuals and organizations to deal Environmentalists must include basic lay the foundations for our future. In with change, to minimize environmental economics in their vision of the future. addition, opportunities for the risks, and to promote economic growth Let's examine an environmental out-of-school citizens need to be and development. scenario that might provide a future expanded. Current decision-makers, Far too often we hear about conflicts beyond the courts, or even without the from both the environmental and between the corporate world and the courts. ·It will take a massive swallowing economic communities, need to have "environmentalists." The unfortunate of pride on both sides, but it is palatable the chance to be environmentally consequences of this continuing battle because it is essential. For lack of a educated. They can put their newly include unresolved problems, lengthy better term, let's call the future method learned skills to immediate use, solving legal contests which fuel the "we'll-get­ of developing this unique understanding today's conflicts. you-next-time" syndrome, and "environmental education." It will The nation's leading professional expenditure of limited funds for conflict consist of education about the organizations and educational rather than resolution. biosphere. The biosphere, according to institutions, including colleges,

36 EPA JOURNAL ------universities, and junior colleges, need to should be a part of professional ability of groups to use environmental reinforce environmental education with development opportunities throughout education for their own benefits and the their students and members. These government. ability of groups to cooperate in support groups and institutions with their Finally. all of these groups should of these efforts are major unknowns, powerful research capacity and ability seek opportunities to work together. both in our society and in the global to tra in leaders and teachers possess Neither environmental quality nor community. Our ability to quickly unify enormous potential for networking. economic development derives any in seeking answers to environm ental T h e nation's business sector needs to benefit from being fragmented. and economic unknowns will in large apply its managerial skills in forging a Alliances, part nerships. coalitions, and measure determine our immediate strong alliance for sustainable economic problem-directed teamwork can forge future. o development. The economic benefits of stronger ties among traditional good environmental management need adversaries and result in faster, to be s trongly vocalized in the business longer-lasting, and more efficient (Paulk is Chief, Skills and Education world. resolution of conflicts. Development Branch, Tennessee Valley Our political leadership needs to set Education empowers individuals and Authority (TVA). Hodges is Program the pace within the various levels of organizations to deal with the rapid Manager. Environmental Educatio n governme nt to use education to changes and risks inherent in the future. Program, TV A.) minimize the need for more regulation Economic and environmental conflicts and to en courage compliance with are a mong the most challenging existing mandates. Education for problems we face. Environmental government employees and lawmakers education focuses on this need. The

Answers to Environmental Literacy Test

1. The answer is d. T hese 6. The answer is c. Tobacco 11. The answer is d . r\ 11 of the 17. The nn ·11·c r is c. r\n phenomena are believed to be smoke is acknowledged to be a choices represent adverse estuarv is the confluence of a causa lly related. The major source of air pollution in human health e ffects that ha\·e river and a salt water bodv. greenhouse effect causes global homes w here at least one been associated with lead ome wcll-kno,1·11 examples of warming. Gradually rising smoker Ii ves and smokes. exposure through estuaries are the Chesilpec1ke temperatures may be expected epidemiological studies. Ba ~ · . the Puget Sound. and San 7. The statement is true. At to cause some melting of the Francisco Bay. high altitudes ozone acts as a 12. The answer is b. polar ice caps, w hich, in turn, shield against harmful Nationallv. of the choices 18. The nns\\'er is b. Estuaries causes sea level rise. ultraviolet radiation from the given, automobil es are result 11·hen a ri\·er d isgorges 2. The answer is c. Of the sun. At ground leve l, ozone acknowledged to be the biggest into a alt \\'ater bociv. The choices given, only carbon can cause respiratory ailments polluter of our air. ri\·er supplies nutrie~ \ s from dioxide is a greenhouse gas. in people and adverse effects 13. The answer is c. Radon is the land to marin life. The 3. This statement is false. In on p lant life. formed bv the radioactive estum\· thus creates a \'ital habitai for marine a11 imals in fact, just the opposite is true: 8. The answer is c. Dioxin is deca\' of ~ranium in natural!\· need of those 1wtric11 ts. today, most major cities are not an unwanted by-product of occu~ri n g rock formations. . in compliance with n ational 19. The a nswer is h. The most industria l activities. The best 14. The answer is c. T he air quality standards. known examples are its United States has a population seri ous efkcts of acid min 4. The answer is b. In the chemical formation in paper of about 240 million people hG \'£1 thus far been observed in study "Unfinished Business: A manufacturing and in the and generates about 140 the i\'ortheast Un ited States. Comparative Assessment of incineration of municipal mill ion tons of garbage 20. The answer is d. ln a Environmental Problems.'' EPA waste. annually. The average is 1.1 67 narrow sense. all h;we onjO\•ed staff a nd managers identified 9. This statement is fa lse. pounds (or roughly 1.000 cost sa\·ings from i11ad equall1 r.adon in homes as the most Federal fu nds now account fo r poun Is) per person. pollution c:o ntrnls. Industry threatening public health less than half of most state has sm·pd c1s a t:onscquenc;e of problem of the choices given environmental program 15. The a ns111er is d. While lower prod ucl ion costs; snmu for this question. budgets. The federal sha re is landfilling is still by far the of thnsu savings h;ive been decreasing as state programs most common was te passed on to consumers in the 5. The answer is a. According 1rn111agemcnt practice. both to a recent Roper Pol I, 65 grow while federal gran ts to form of loll'cr prices 011 goods state governments remain inc i1wra tion and recycling are a nd S()l'\'ices. Covurnme nts percent of the American public used by some communities. felt that active hazardous waste constant or are reduced. h<11•e saved from lower costs in the production of pu blic goods sites were a "very serious" 10. The answer is d. All of the 16. The answer is c. An aquifer a 11 d services. such as environme ntal problem. 1one choices are known routes or is a soil formation capable of munic ipa l garbage and sewage of the other cho ices for this human exposure lo lead. absorbing and storing water. It question was r<1led as very therefore functions like a d isposal. In a broader sense. serious by as large a sponge. however. nil of these cost percentage. Radon in homes savings came at the expense of was rated very serious by only a cle<111 environment- a cost 21 percent. that our societv as a whole mus t now bea~.

JULY/AUGUST 1988 37 What They're Learning: Guthrie Center, Iowa

by Belva Peterson

The President's Environmental Youth ur school district used most of an done with the students in kindergarten Awards program is designed to 0 apple orchard to build an and sixth grade. What were some things recognize the achievements of young elementary school, but part was fenced they would want in an outdoor people in schools, summer camps, and out because it wasn 't needed. These six classroom? These ideas were taken to youth organizati ons for projects that acres grew wild for about 25 years. Only the committee and goals were set for the produce environmental benefits or a few brave teachers would venture up first year, second year, and beyond. At enhance community interest and there with their classes. There were no this time the fl yer was filled out and in volvement in environmental paths and it was really wild. The fifth­ sent in to EPA. activities. It offers young people, and sixth-grade science teacher and I The students began to work with individually or collectively, an would talk about how great it would be guidance from teachers and parents. opportunity to become an to make a really viable place out of this, Trails were cut, and in some places environmental force within their with paths, so it could be used all the railroad ties were put in to keep paths community. Each year, winners of th e time. from eroding. Wood chips given by REC national awards, one from each of A housing development was building and by Iowa Power and Light were used EPA's 10 regions, receive an up on the north side of our town, right on the trails. These chips were carried expense-paid trip to Washington, DC, to across from our orchard. I got word that in small pails, big pails, and participate in the annual National the school was thinking of selling off wheelbarrows. ext on our plan of Awards Ceremony. Following are this piece of land. I couldn't let that action was the arboretum, a garden of articles on two of la st year's happen. I went to our principal, tel ling trees. With help from the SCS office, a award-winning projects, involving him how we had been using it and how plan was laid out for an arboretum on students from Iowa and New York. important it was to the students and the the east side of the Outdoor Classroom. school. He went to the school board, Three rows of trees had to be cut. The while I talked to a friend on the Soi l sixth graders, with the help of parents Conservation Service (SCS) County and teachers, cut the trees. The students Conservation Board. He thought we decided that the wood could be sold, so needed to get a sign up in the old it was cut up and corded by the orchard, naming it a classroom as soon students. Many grapevines were fou nd as we could. in cutting the trails and trees. The It just happened that I had a parent students came up w ith the idea of who was a builder-contractor. He would making wreaths. They made wreaths of donate the lumber and build the sign. all sizes. Since it was the last of Then to get it painted. The art teacher November, our school secretary had some h igh school students who decorated them and many were sold for could do that, but no paint. Again, the Christmas gifts. This brought us to the County Conservation Board came big project. through, an d another parent had some The kids wanted a lookout tower. One tall poles. The Rural Electric Coop parent donated some oak logs for the (REC) put the sign up in the spring of building of our tower. A trip was 1984. The commitment was made; the planned to a saw mill to watch the logs school wouldn't sell the orchard. become boards. The kindergarteners and In the fall of 1984, an EPA flyer fo und sixth graders enjoyed the trip and its way into my school mailbox. That learned a lot. With the help of fathers, was when the dream of an Outdoor the poles were put in place. Then with Classroom began to take shape. I'm not the help of our grade school pri ncipal sure, but I think I ran to the science and the sixth graders, the tower went teacher's room, flyer in hand, yelling up. "We're going to do this!" After reading Spring came, and with it the first big the fl yer many times, we decided on our planting in our arboretum. Trees and plan of action. A steering committee of shrubs were donated by the Iowa State conservation-minded parents and Nursery and a nursery-owner friend fri ends was set up. Brainstorming was nearby. Our friend from the nursery

38 EPA JOURNAL What They're Learning: Brooklyn, New York

by Melvin Marcus

Now it was time to plan the Open ot long ago, ew York State put my House to show everyone what we had Nschool on the "must-improve-or­ done and what we had learned. About else" plan. To foster innovative and this time we got a letter telling us we motivating programs. certain funds were had been approved for the President's set up for the establishment of these Environmental Youth Award, and Mr. programs. So the high and mighty Ronald Ritter, Director of EPA Region 7 reached out to the old-time teacher with Congressional and Intergovernmental the strange idea to help get them off the Liaison, was coming from Kansas City hook. I was told, in effect: Your dream to present the awards to the students. can be realized with half the money you The students decided that that should request as long as it's done on your own be the day of our Open House. Big plans time. were made; we asked the Governor to The above scenario occurred two and come. Few of us thought he would a half years ago in a junior high school really, but he did. He helped plant an in Brooklyn, ew York. The school is in oak tree and cut a ribbon to open our a poor economic area, and the student tower. That was a great day! The sixth population has a high absentee rate and graders and the kindergarteners gave is always near the bottom of c ity guided tours through the classroom. school in reading and math score . That closed our first year. It was a good My plan was relatively simple. year and everything really fell in place. Children of this age love animals. and I And as we are doing this year, we wanted to get them interested enough to watered trees all summer. read and write about them. I wanted to The second year we had to maintain have the children seated among the and trim our chip trails, wrap trees, animals and plants so they would be clean birdhouses, and repaint our sign. motivated enough to learn about The new sixth graders and habitats and ecosystems and maybe care kindergarteners took on all the jobs, enough so they would appr ciate and even building the swinging bridge. In not harm their en ironmenl. This is the the spring, with the help of the County main difference bet\>veen nw Conservation Board, we planted prairie environment program and o1hers. The grasses on the hillside between the kids are in the same room and seated classroom and the school playground. among the animals. Thev don't visit On Arbor Day, we planted more trees. habitats and animals. Tl~ey live among The students who were lucky enough them. to be in kindergarten and sixth grade As l stood in the empty sewing room that first year really experienced what it on the fifth floor staring out the windo\"' Iowa Governor Terry E. was like to take an over-grown area and at the roof. I could feel the e es of the Branstad checked out the view turn it into something that could be high and mighty watching every move I from the lookout tower built by used and saved for the students yet made. It is one thing to have ideas in Guthrie Center elementary lo come. It was an experience those your head for 25 year . It's another to school students as part of their students are not going lo forget. They pull them out and make them a reality. outdoor classroom. News Gazette photo. found out what nature really is all about Why was I undertaking such a difficult and how caring is the first step in project when I should have been helped us decide w hat trees we should saving it. o thinking about retirement? Was this put in our arboretum. The thing really going to work. or would it kindergarteners and the sixth graders (Peterson is kindergarten teacher at be another project to be placed on the planted all the plants on two rainy days. Guthrie Center Elementary Community scrap heap in a year or two? But we still weren't finished. We had School, Guthrie Center, Iowa.) I started by covering a wall with two bird houses to put up, signs to be 8- by 13-foot murals depicting peaceful routed, and wildflowers lo plant. mountai ns a nd river scenes. l needed

JULY/AUGUST 1988 39 Rabbits, turtles, lizards, snakes, frogs, and birds Ive in terrariums around a Brooklyn, New York, sc oolroom. Teacher Melvin Marcus and his student Enc Montez were instrumental in turning the classroom into a living science laboratory New York Dally News photo

As the second year of my project came to an end, I closed the door of my lab and stared once more onto the roof. I realized, after all the effort and the time put in, that someone did care. No, it wasn't the high and mighty from the District Office. It was the kids in the building who entered my room during period changes to see the animals or ask the "Zoo Teacher" about the care of their pet. It was the kids who asked to see reference books. It was the teachers who came up on their unassigned periods to see what the kids were talking about and what "Dr. Doody" was up to now. Who cares? I thought. What about the kids I had in regular science classes that have 10 point higher averages in my environmental science class? The reading and math scores in my school have gone way up this year. Maybe, just maybe, my program had a little to do with it. help to build cages, to clean, to care for rejected by publishers because of What about the look on the face of an animals. Volunteer students came to restricted audiences. My dream seemed inner-city kindergarten kid with a school early lo help. They came on their to be souring. I felt no one of five-foot rat snake wrapped around his lunch periods: girls, guys, teachers. importance cared. neck while his teacher runs out of the They all came. They all contributed. The following year we added animals room? What about kids who touch and By the end of the first year the room and plants, and then we won the EPA hold animals for the first time and was rounding into form. We planted Region 2 President's Environmental realize snakes are not slimy? What trees in barrels on the roof. We raised Youth Award. The winner, Eric Montez, about kids who bring me pictures of the rabbits and hamsters and gave them to came in at 6:20 each morning to help rabbits and hamsters I gave them? These deserving students, \Nith their parents' me feed and care for the Ii ving things in are the important people. These are the permission. We built cages and had my room. The trip to Washington and benefactors of my ideas, and I can tell iguanas, cockatiels, and tortoises living the warmth of the people at EPA left a from knowing them that the time and together. We set up a wading pool with lifetime impression on a slum kid from effort were worth it. o turtles and goldfish. Around the Brooklyn no one ever cared about. It perimeter of the room we set up also impressed his teacher. who grew 55-gallon tanks. each with its own up in the same slum. Winning a ecosystem de picting a swamp, a jungle, national award should have been the (Marcus is science teacher at John D. and a desert. crown jewel of my project. However, the Wells Junior High School J umber 50, Although my dream was coming to morel improved the room the more Brooklyn, New York.) life, frustration e ntered the picture. o frustrated I became. I had to wait one in the Di strict Office seemed to months to collect the money I had laid care. I sent pictures of my room, but the out. The custodian wouldn't enter the high and mighty wouldn't come. room to clean. It took a year to get him El eme ntary school children came to to empty the garbage. The President of visit the room. It "'as a great place for the United States sent a congratulatory the teacher to relax while I entertained letter on winning the President's Youth and taught for an hour on my free time. Award, but my District Superintendent !Jut the book I wrote for the course was never visited the room.

40 EPA JOURNAL Is It Cool To Worry?

by John Falk

n the late 1960s considerable public Iattention was directed at a broad set of issues related to deterioration of the environment. The results of this public concern were the enactment in the early 1970s of major national, state, and local environmental legislation, and the establishment of regulatory agencies to enforce that legislation. Ideas and attitudes had been translated into social change-at least at one level. How much of the environmental ethic that underlies these laws and organizations has really found its way into the general social structure of the population'! In particular, what can we infer about the attitudes of today's children? How Illustration by Irene Brady. From Pei•p1ng m the Shtl! A Whooping Crane is Hatchi:d, b aware are the children born since 1975 Faith McNulty. Reprinted with permission of Harper & Row Junior Books. of the interdependencies of hum an and non-human systems? Do they think environmental attitudes by viewing eight. All of the major publishers of about pollution and depletions in children through the social mirrors of juvenile titles seem to ha\'e at least one natural resources? If so, where are these our time: the popular media. Children such book, particularly books on animal values and ideas corning from? are profoundly infl uenced by the "babies." A few of these, li ke the One place to look for the curriculum of their everyday lives-the recently published Longmcado,,· Press dissemination of environmenta l ideas books, popular music, and television series, contain information on the and ethics would, of course, be the they consume. environmental status of the organism schools. Although environmental Do children's books, which have they feature, but most do not. education enjoyed a brief vogue as a always involved non-human animals, Sitting side by side on the shelf were "core" part of the curriculum, the "Back reflect a change in the way these three "animal babv" books. A to Basics" movement of th e middle to organisms are presented? Does popular comparison provides an insight into the late 1970s pretty much wiped out the music include themes, or champion values of the times when they were bulk of environmental programs, causes consistent with an environmental published: 1963, 1977, antl 1988. 111 particularly at the elementary school ethic? Does the television children 1963, cartoon-like illustrations depict level. watch deal with environmental is ues as familiar animals s uch as cows, kittens. As important as school is for the well as the social and quasi-political chicks, colts, piglets. bunnies. monkeys, teaching of ideas and values, it is by no issues traditionally depicted? These are and elephants. The book begins and means the only, or perhaps even the places we can look for an understanding ends with the words: "Bubv animals most important place for such learning of how pervasively those environmental come big and s mal l. They ~ire v 'ry to occur. While a large amount of a events of 20 years ago have, or have not, young, so they like to be petted and child's time is spent in school, the become implanted in our society. snuggled ... gently." The implied majority of his time is spent outside of message: these animals arP. cutP. antl the classroom. Resear h has shown that Books exist for us humans to enjoy as long as experiences outside of school, Dinosaurs, wildlife, crabs, estuaries, we treat them kindly. In 1977, the particularly those that occur in the animal homes, even animal doctors fi ll familiar animals such as pigs and hor es home, account for much of the learning the pages of the children's books at the are joined by a variety of other animals and most of the attitudes children local mall's bookstore. Books on nature such as wild turkeys. fl amingos, acquire. In fact, the average American or biological themes seem to be very alligators, anteaters, bison, hippos, and child, by the age of 18, will have spent much in vogue at the moment; they koala bears. Li fe-like drawings show the more hours watching te.levision than represent a large percentage of the titles animals in their natural habitat. The sitting in a classroom. With this in available to consumers of books for text, no longer overtly child-centered, mind, we can gain some perspective on children between the ages of three and includes the name and a few facts about

JULY/AUGUST 1988 41 each organism. In the 1988 volume, the it was "uncool" to be worried, or to the rivers. The hero or heroine saves the illustrations retain a 1977 style of express any concern beyond fashion day by protecting the helpless animals accuracy, but the flavor of the book is statements and one's love life. Then, as and "cleaning up" the environment. once again anthropocentric. Gone are now, eight and 10 year olds were Although simplistic, it is at least one most of the exotic creatures, leaving the eagerly soaking in the lyrics of a music sign of positive change in what is old standard foals, lambs, puppies, intended for their older siblings. The emerging as an othervvise dismal rabbits, and kittens. The text returns to rock star of the pre-teen set, Debbie scenario. the 1963 emphasis on animal sounds Gibson, George Michael, White Snake, In conclusion, looking at the shelves and concludes with: "Animal babies are Def Leopard, Madonna, and Michael of bookstores, listening to the radio, or big or small, fuzzy or smooth, short or Jackson, sing songs with social messages watching television reveals a complex tall." Gone is reference to petting and as deep as their libidos. picture of where we are nearly 20 years fondling, but the same basic message is Exceptions can be found. Artists like after the founding of EPA. Without a implied: animal babies are cute and atalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs, doubt, there is evidence that cuddly. Sting, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, environmental themes have crept into The books available for older readers. Phil Collins of Genesis, and Karl popular children's media. The children ages nine to 13, are a different Wallinger of World Party write and sing environmental activity of the last two story. Scientific themes are prevalent. songs with an environmental ethic. For decades has found expression in but books on natural history, ecology, example, Sting recently donated his popular notions of good and evil, right and environment are rare. Most of the time to sing at benefits for rain forest and wrong. Still, the trends of today books deal with issues of growing up in preservation; both Genesis and The suggest a reversion to attitudes and America, which, if these books are any Pretenders had Billboard hits with behaviors that pre-date the indication, does not require concern songs having environmental messages environmental movement. Accordingly, about environmental issues. Among the and World Party's 1986 album Private the dominant themes expressed in most popular books for this age group Revolution was comprised almost popular media are rarely the global, or are cartoon books such as Garfield and entirely of environmentalist themes. even national, themes of interconnecting The Far Side. Still, as David Einstein points out, all of and interacting biomes, but more likely Environmental information has crept these artists primarily appeal to an older the "closer to home" themes of love, into a few books. One popular series for audience, the audience that came of age family, and friends. The times do not early adolescent boys is the Time in the 1960s and 1970s when it was lend themselves well to larger concerns; Machine, published by Bantam, which common, and even important, to use it is not cool to worry. Maybe next year! cons ists of adventure-oriented, multiple­ pop music as a vehicle for conveying D ending stories set in various times social messages. before the present. All of the books come with warnings not to kill any Television (Dr. Falk, formerly Associate Director person or animal during time travel Bill Carter, TV critic for the Baltimore because of the changes in history for Education, Smithsonian Sun, said, "Environmental issues are the Environmental Research Center, is (presumably natural as well as human) kind of safe subject that family-oriented that wi JI result. A cou pie of the books currently President of Science Learning, TV likes to use. However, at the Inc., of Annapolis, Maryland. ) deal with time travel back to prehistoric moment I can't think of a specific times. In these books, a considerable episode that dealt with any of these mnount of text is devoted to discussions issues." The only show one 10-year-old of the natural history of the animals and I talked to could recall that dealt with the ecological conditions of the lime. an environmental issue was a rerun of With a few limited exceptions, other "The Brady Bunch" (originally evidence of environmental ideas is produced in the early 1970s). ln general, difficult to find in books for older today's prime-time television for young juveniles. children (e.g., "The Cosby Show." "Alf," "Who's the Boss?" and "Head of the Music Class") is not dealing with As David Einstein, the program manager environmental issues anv more than are of a DC area rock station put it, today's popular music o~ books. In "Today's pop music for the young kids general, the same basic reversion to is flash, no substance. It is tissue paper "simpler concerns of a simpler time" music." Much like the reversion in seems to prevail. children's literature, so too there is a As with books and music, there are trend in popular music to turn back the exceptions. Ironically, the exception for clock. Aaron Latham in a recent article television is cartoons. Cartoons have in the \!Vashingfon Post stated: "It is as always been about good and evil and though the entire younger generation the triumph of the former over the had crowded into that silver-winged De­ latter. Today's cartoons use Lorean time-machine car and raced back environmental concerns as an example to the future. The future being the late of a black-and-white issue; frequently 1950s and early 1960s." Then, as now. they depict the villain as somehow taking advantage of the poor forest creatures, using up some precious natural resources, or in some way "blackening" the skies or "browning"

42 EPA JOURNAL Environmental Almanac message of good cheer passed from Good Ne\Ns On The Potomac birder to birder: Ducks were coming back to the Potomac1 In great numbers. by Lola Oberm an There were h u ndreds of canvasbacks, scau p, ruddies. teal-just like the good old days. And where were they? Feeding happily among the hydrilla · .' l Bufflehead. Drawing by Patricia J. Moore. beds! Far from being a menace. hydrill a, along with na tive aquatic "egetation that / ~ ~ was making a comeback. gave proof of ~ --::~ the renewed health of the river. A - ~~ ------~~~ significant element in this succe s storv ~- ~ ..:------was the .upgradin° of sewage treatment birder's lot is not a happy one, a t Al l of these, besid es the mallards a nd at the Blue Plains wastewater treatment Aleas t not tota ll y. It may sound like a pintails familiar to m e from childhood, plan t V\'hich erves the metropolitan carefree w ay of life , moving fro m one enlivened the Potomac in w inter. They \>\lashinoton area. emptying 300 million place to another, following the birds in were an endless source of pleasure. gallon of effluent daily into the all seasons. But following the bir ds has Regretfully we \Na tched them depart in Potomac. Improved treatment had m ade us wiser-and sadder. s pr ing; eagerl y we greeted their return reduced phosphate and nitrogen le\'els We have seen bird populations in the fall. and put more oxygen into the water. diminish. We have seen sp ecies vanish They returned in ever smaller The river, once thick with sludge, now from th e ir accustom ed haunts a nd numbers. Suddenly. everyone was ran clear and clean. Once again it could birding " hot-spots" disappear. almost saying, "\!\/ here are the ducks?" and su pport vegetation that. in turn, overnight, to ma ke way for huma n th ere was a haunting fear that things su pports other life. Ducks flocked t habitat would never be the same. feed on the mollusks, insect, larvae. and We listened in the past to old-timers The figures justified our fears. Birders crustaceans harbored by the plants or on who san g mournful refra in s of "G ne keep records, and our checklists told the the plant them sel\'es. are the days" and " I rem ember w hen ." story. Numbers tall ied on the an nual Birders flocked to the scene, rejoicing and we d istrusted their m em ories. We Ch ristmas Bird Count took a p lunge. in the abundance and variety of ducks. suspected that birds \N ere never reall y Species that had been abundant became But it was cautious rejoicing. Wiser that n umerous in the good old days. rare: some d isappeared entirely. no w, we knew this was only a part of Then su dden ly we were o ld-timers, The Potomac, once a perfect habitat the total p icture. 1 ationwide, duck remembering .. .. for w aterfowl. had become, in the words populations were in sharp decline. We l reme mber when l first discovered of environ mentalists, "an ecological bad seen the d ramatic reversa l of a d ucks on the Potom ac River, a desert." no lo nger capable of su pporting trend, here on the Potoma . 1\ nd what wonderful assortment of ducks that I the animal and vegetable life that had had happened here could happen had never seen when I was growing u p made it a t hing of beauty. lt was not elsewhere. Not by magic. but by in the Midwest. But I had seen their only unattractive to bird life; it was concentrated effort, guided by th e pictures on little cards that came as hazardous to h uman health. Som eth ing knowledge that what's good for d ucks is prizes in boxes of Arm & Hammer had to be done .... also good for people. o baking soda, and I had learned the ir I remember the hvdri l la scare of th e magical names. Buffleheacls .. . earl y '80s. 1-l~ · dri l l a,· the green monster, (Oberman is a bird watcher in th e goldeneyes .. . scaup .. . red heads ... we read and saw. was getting a \Vashinaton, DC. areo ond a wr·iter 011 mergansers . I knew they had to exist stranglehold on the Poto mac. choki ng na ture s ubjects. She hos published a somewh ere beyond the world of baking it s shoreli ne, im peding boat traffic. Just book, The Pleasures of \Natching Birds.) soda boxes, an d when at last I saw them when the ri ver was getting cleaner. on the Potomac, it was like a fa iry tale showing signs of renewed life, this alien Editor's note: J\ccorcfing to the U.S. Fish come true. aquatic weed. which was introduced & Wildlife Serl'ice in Annapolis, It was pure d elight lo watch the accidentally. was spread ing rapid ly and Mory/and. hydril lo is one of scverol bouncy li ttle buffl ehead s ride the rapids posing a new th real. 1\ la rms were different kinds o.f underwuter plants al Little Falls, then fly back to the sounded. Something had to be done .... Uwt perform a nundw r of i111 porto11t starting po int and ride dow n again just l:lu t before anything ra dical could be ecologicol f unctions. in c luding for the fun of it , like c hildren 0 11 a done. another message went out, a pro1' iding fo od fo r ll'C1!t ~ 1 Jow1. playground slide. No suc h perfo rmance Fortunotely, soy stofJ nt the Fish & for the sedate can vasbacks. Those we 'v\/ildlife Office, the hycl rillo i11Fosio11 fo u nd in great regal fl ocks fa rther has not prol'e11 to be th e terrible scourge downriver, at Belle Haven and Dyke th ot some initiolly feored it would be in Marsh. Scau p w ere there too, hundreds the Potomac Ri ver. Hydrilla did not of the m , and r ing- necks and w igeon, all toke over a nd clog the Potomac, os has in peacea ble congregatio ns. T here were occu rred in o number of Floriclo's Jokes raft s of the endearing little rudely cl ucks . and conals, alth ough there have been li ke bathtu b toys, w ith turquo ise bil ls some localized com ploints of fouled and u pturned ta ils. Sometimes there boa t propell ers. tangled fishing tackle, were hooded mergansers, \Nit h profiles ond plon t-clogged boo t slips. too fan tastic to be beli eved . Ruddy Duck. Drawing by Patri cia J . Moore

JULY/AUGUST 1988 43 On Another Subject: Agricultural Workers and Pesticides

Introduction

EPA has recently proposed new worker The current proposal expands the • Decontamination provisions protection regulations that revise and scope of the 1974 regulations so that, in requiring employers to provide potable expand existing standards governing the addition to field laborers, the proposed water [and. in some coses, eye wash protection of agricultural workers from new requirements cover workers dispensers) soap, and disposable towels pesticide exposure under the Federal involved in any aspect of the pesticide for workers who may be exposed to Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide application process and all workers pesticides during tasks related to Act [FIFRA). Since 1974, when EPA engaged in agricultural tasks on the pesticide application or re-entry of established its original farmworker premises of forms, forests, nurseries, treated fields. protection standards under FIFRA, and greenhouses. Altogether, this • Training requirements for pesticide significant numbers of pesticide includes roughly 2.3 million hired handlers and early re-entry workers. poisonings have continued to occur due agricultural workers nationwide. to occupational exposure among The proposal also revises existing • Blood testing to monitor agricultural workers. This information, requirements and contains a number of orgonophosphote exposure among considered together with an apparent new provisions intended to strengthen commercial pesticide handlers. need for clarifications on issues such as the protection of workers and help • Emergency provisions requiring responsibility, triggered the Agency's clarify the respective responsibilities of employers to provide transportation to initiative to improve the standards. owners, supervisors, workers, labor medical assistance, and information to In 1985, EPA began a "regulatory contractors, and pesticide application workers who may hove been poisoned. negotiation," involving the contractors. For example, the 1974 collaboration of the various parties regulations set specific "re-entry The formal public comment period on affected by a rulemaking action, to intervals" {inten1als of time after EPA's proposed new regulations closes develop a detailed proposal to better pesticide application required to /apse October 6, 1988. The Agency is seeking protect agricultural workers from before workers may enter as much public input on this proposal pesticides. A committee of 25 members pesticide-treated areas without special as possible. To help focus the debate, was formed, representing industry, protection) of either 48 or 24 hours for EPA Journal hos asked two participants pesticide user groups, farmworkers, just 12 individual pesticides. The in the deliberations of the original state officials, and federal agencies. current proposal includes 48- or Advisory Committee on Worker However, some representatives 24-hour re-entry intervals for many Protection Standards for Agricultural withdrew in 1986 without a committee additional pesticides, particularly the Pesticides to comment briefly on the consensus; EPA then completed the organophosphate and carbamate proposed new rules: Claudia Fuquay of preparation of the proposed standards pesticide compounds now widely used the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable recently released for public comment. in agriculture. The 1974 regulations Association and Dr. Morion Moses. a established a basic protective clothing physician who hos been actively requirement for any worker who hod to involved in farm safety and re-enter treated fields before a re-entry occupational health issues. Their period had expired. The current summary comments follow: proposal specifies particular items of personal protective equipment based on a combination of factors including the type of task being performed, the circumstances of potential exposure. and the toxicity classification of the pesticide. EPA's proposal also broadens notification requirements applicable to all workers who will be working in or near a pesticide-treated area and puts forward a number of requirements that ore entirely new. Among other things, these include:

44 EPA JOURNAL Marion Moses

PA has c learly decided to take the Epath of least resistance by proposing w eak regu lations that are acceptable and "least burdensome" to farmi ng and agrichemical interests, rather than the strong protections needed by workers in agricu lture. In its minimalist approach, the agency has fai led to live up to its responsibility to agricultural workers, w ho-since they are the most ill-served of all workers by their governme nt- are most in need of strong protective standards. Agency offic ia ls respons ible for drafting these regulations a ppear to know very little, or choose to ignore, the actuality of field practices in agriculture throughout the United States and the true situation faced by vvorkers for hire in regard to their toxic exposures. Instead of strong, clear, decisive language, a nd requirements for firm action, the Agency has weakened the proposed standards with many exceptions and compromises. A particularly egregious example is the dangerous concept of "early re-entry workers," which is an invitation to violate the regulations and has no place in these standards. The regulati ons are especially weak in regard to field workers and in the sections on edu cation, training, notification, posting, a nd re-entry intervals. Workers need specific information, not dilute, generic Golden Delicious apples being harvested in Yakima Valley, Washington. Doug Wilson photo, USDA nostrums- it is not appropriate to downplay hazard and trivialize risk-especially those related to chronic burden to the already compromised protections EP1\ has proposed. ThL~ ti tle effects, which are not even addressed in worker by making worker culpabilit y a of the regu lations is a mis11 0 11 wr ;11 1d the standards. potential component of assessing s hould be cul led grower protect io n EPA has fai led to apply even the full penalties can only result in worker standards. The workers deserve better power of the existi ng, albeit weak reprisals and intimidation, \.vit h the real and EPA can do better. o sta tu te (FIFR/\), alread y w ithin its possibility of placing the worker in ma ndate. And shi fting the regulatory potentia lly more hazardous conditions (Dr. Moses is a prnc tic ing physician than exist even now. specializing in environrnen toi 0 11 d Such weak an d timid s tandards, occupat ional medicine.) coupled with historic and knovv n severe problems of enforcement in this Continued on next poge industry powerfull y resistant to change, cannot and will n ot result in the

JUL Y,ALJGUST 1988 45 Claudia Fuquay

e believe the general tone and W direction of the proposed regulations are workable. Many of the proposed require men ts are already part of good grower practices. Our greatest concern is liability. We are pleased that the regulations do place some responsibility on the worker to follow safety instru ctions as given. However, the question of liability is still ambiguous in some areas and we believe the language should be more explicit. If a worker has been informed of the haza rds as requ ired by these regulations, hut ignores re-entry intervals or removes safety clothes or ignores some other safety warning, th en the grower should not be hel d li abl e for any health problem tha t could possibly result from the worker's actions. The regulation also should clarify that the grower does have the rig/i t tu terminate a worker who refuses to fol low approved safety precautions. Perhaps even more important , the regulations should allow pre-hire physicals and permit a grower to deny employment to workers who pose a risk beca use of previous exposure by other employers. Another issue that rea ll y must be ;1 ddressed concerns liability when safety req uirements are not fo llowed. There Compliance with these regulations Harvesting string beans is still a are circumstances when the owner is will raise costs substantially. not only job for stoop labor. not the grower, w hen the owner hires for protective clothing, enclosed cabs. someone lo manage th e farm. In these and education and training, but also for instances, if the owner can prove that increased administrative demands. It .is he made al l the necessary resources crucial to ensure th e healt h and safet y avn ilable to the manager in order to of workers, many of whom are owners mer.I proper safety rnq uirements, then and family members. But the he should not be held li able. Or, if the ownr.r or manager contracts with a firm government should ev.i;l luate how these additional costs can be spread among all for pesticide applications, then that Americans. Otherwise. U.S. agriculture compm1y should be liable fo r any w ill take another step backward in the problems resulting from misapplication. world marketplace and produce imports wi ll in crease further. o

(Fuquoy is Director of Congressionol Rela tions j'or the United f resh Fruit and Vege table Associofi on.J

46 EPA JOURNAL Appointments

Victo r J. Kimm, a career Also promoted fro m within Kenneth F. Dawsey has been Scott A . Hajost. w ho e manager \

JULY/AUGUST 1988 47 The Presidential Awards

Don R. Clay Dr Thomas R. Hauser C. Morgan Kinghorn, Jr.

ifteen of EPA's Senior and engineering posts at the Commissioner of Education. FExecutive Service (SES) Consumer Products Safety Kinghorn joined EPA in employees have been Commission and was Deputy June 1980, as Budget honored with 1988 Assistant Commissioner for Director, became Comptroller Presidential Rank awards for Planning and Evaluation at in 1983, and assumed his their long and exceptional the Food and Drug present post in October 1986. service with the federal Administration. He is directly responsible for government. The awards are Dr. Hauser entered the providing the executive in two categories: environmental field in 1955, support for all the Agency's Distinguished Executive Rank with the Public Health programs. and Meritorious Executive Service air pollution Recognized with Rank. program. He moved to EPA at Meritorious Executive Rank Recipients of the its inception, when the Awards are Ronald Brand. Distinguished Executive Rank Na tional Air Pollution Director, Office of are EPA employees Don R. Control Administration Underground Storage Tanks Clay, Acting Assistant became part of the Agency. in OSWER; Eileen P. Administrator for the Office He joined the Environmental Claussen, Director of Program of Air and Rndiation , Dr. Monitoring Systems Development, Air, and Thomas R. 1lau ser, recently Laboratory at Research Radiation; Gerald A. Emison, retired Director of EPA's Risk Triangle Park as Deputy Dire tor, Air Quality Reduction Engineering Director. He became director Planning and Standards, Laboratory in Cincinnati, of the Cincinnati facility RTP; Edward]. Hanley, Ohio, anci C. Morgan (then called the Hazardous Director, Office of Kinghorn, Jr., Deput , Waste Engineering Information and Resources Assistant Administrator for Laboratory) in 1977, Management, OARM; Administration and remaining there until his William M. Henderson, Resources Management. retirement, except for a Director, Office of Human Clay is a career period in the fal l of 1985 Resources Management, administrator with a decade when he served as Acting OARM; Barbara Metzger, of service and a solid record Deputy Assistant Director, Environmental of management at three Administrator of the Office of Services Division, Region 2; federal agencies. Prior to his Research and Development in Martha G. Prothro, Director, recent promotion, he served Washington, DC. Permits Division, OW; David as Deputy Assistant Kinghorn joined the federal F. Ryan, Comptroller, OARM ; Administrator for the Office government in 1969 as athaniel Scurry, Director, of Air and Radiation, and special assistant to the Office of Civil Rights, OARM: from 1981 to 1986 as Director Minister-Director of the U.S. Charles H. Sutfin, Director, of the EPA Office of Toxic AID office in India. Since Water Management Division, Substances. Through his then he served as a Budget Region 5; Edwin F. efforts, th e Agency has made Examiner in the ational Tinsworth, Director, significant progress in Security Division of the Registration Division, OPP; developing national strategies Office of Management and and Gerald H. Yamada, for dealing with ozone Budget (OMB) and later as Deputy General Counsel, non-nttainment, slratospheric OMB Acting Branch Chief Office of the Administrator. o ozone depletion, indoor air. and Senior Budget Examiner and radon. in 0 IB 's Environment Prior lo joining EP1\ , Clc1y Branch. He was also a special held nH111age111ent , pl

48 EPA JOURNAL M ontana beckons. Rosebud Lake in the Bear Tooth W ilderness makes an idyllic vacation spot, the kind o f place we cherish as a ret r-eat am idst natural riches. Montana Chamber of Commerce photo.

Back Cover: Autumn arrives. Photo by James Douglass, W oodfin Camp, Inc.