Are Governments doing enough for environmental protection?

[Justin]

Chemical hazards are our focus at work and we seem to have real problems with the lack of general appreciation of the public of how hazardous the environment is becoming because of industrial manufacturing processes that are resulting in air and water pollution, making the world basically an unsafe place by degrees. I'm very concerned personally that the world is not doing enough to slow this deterioration. In fact, it may even be too late to save our planet. What do you think?

 

[Pauline]

Agreed Justin. Where I am in Manilla, pollution is very bad. And we don't have enough regulations to make things better. I think our Government could do much more, but so should the people. Wish they could get rid of plastic containers.

 

[wifitoplist]

In my country Government is taking good steps against pollution. Providing plants, flowers free of cost. Banning harmful gas factories.

 

[PeaceSigns]

Not at all - I think they're turning a blind eye right now because the economy is down. So they're saying the earth can take another hit, but meanwhile the weather is getting really bad and there's all these natural disasters that are happening because we're pillaging the earth.

 

[Maximus]

I don't think so. Probably not going to be up to Governments to save the environment either. They tend to make a mess of everything any way.

 

[Genesis]

Good point. Must say I can't forget the beach at Koh Samui in Thailand where it was littered with glass and debris. Who wants to go into the sea with that risk, not to mention watching those ferries in the distance and wondering what junk people on board the ferries are chucking into the water. Massive education is obviously needed to make people more aware and responsible of what they are doing to the environment.

 

[Pablo]

I don't think so. Probably not going to be up to Governments to save the environment either. They tend to make a mess of everything any way.

Completely agreed Maximus. I notice it in Hungary as well. The Government talks a lot but nothing of real substance ever happens with those kind of speeches.

 

[usmc0311stc]

Some governments aren't doing good at all. However, many government do too much.

In a modern free market economy, the government's responsibility is purely to write the tax/business law so that it's in a company's financial best interest to not pollute.

In a purely free market economy, the government's role to to make the law so that all products and services are accuracy and correctly labeled. The consumer's responsibility is to only buy/give money to the products, services, and/or companies who's activities they support and not those they don't. That way companies who do bad things the customers don't like will go out of business and thereby end the bad practices.

 

[windwalker]

It will take a concerted effort of government and individuals to make change.
Governments already know what they are doing wrong and what they can do to stop it.
They also know it won't be popular with large corporations either so they won't do anything until they are made to.

Individuals know it is wrong to throw broken glass on beaches, some do it for sheer meanness, others out of ignorance, thinking that a little bit won't make a difference.

Even our children litter and pollute because they see adults doing the same thing.

If we are to make a change, we have to educate individuals and show them how much a tiny bit matters, and then we have to get all of those individuals to start voting do nothing politicians out of office.

If we can do those two things , we will be headed on a great start to making a change in our planet.


With Respect,

Jim

 

[doingtest]

What they are doing is simple, they make sure that they get more money, buy social peace and make rich people richer.

Let the nature decide about itself and I believe that when the nature says its word, it'll be devastating.

 

[Lycos]

No. Governments are not doing anything much. But then we probably should not leave this for Governments to sort out. Biggest polluter in my opinion however is the overpopulation of the world and overconsumption of resources, like plastic foods with all of the plastic wrappers. Got to be a way to boycott those.

 

[weilrich]

In the United States, as in many other countries, environmental protection has a history of problems. The Environmental Protection Agency arose because of the awful problems of water and air pollution. Regulatory agencies tend to follow a policy of catch up: they wait until an offense is terrible enough to affect the public, and then attempt to regulate the offenders into compliance. Over the long term, this tends to work because the penalties for non-compliance can be very severe - enough to drive a company out of business. However, the time between the offending act and the consequence can be very long, in terms of a human life. Decades is not unusual. Shortening that time may not be effective in many cases because of the tendency of the wrong-doers to hide evidence, lie about their transgressions, and do just about everything possible to obstruct investigations.

 

[Genesis]

Got to be a way to boycott those.

Right. But that gets us back to the Governments' inability to stand up to industry. Politicians just don't know how to stand strong, since these industries seem to play a big role in their election campaigns.

 

[Lycos]

All of the political systems are about the same, especially those of the free world. Dependent on the industry for financial support and unable to be firm with industry as that would mean the equivalent of killing themselves politically.

 

[dhunt16]

In the United States, as in many other countries, environmental protection has a history of problems. The Environmental Protection Agency arose because of the awful problems of water and air pollution. Regulatory agencies tend to follow a policy of catch up: they wait until an offense is terrible enough to affect the public, and then attempt to regulate the offenders into compliance. Over the long term, this tends to work because the penalties for non-compliance can be very severe - enough to drive a company out of business. However, the time between the offending act and the consequence can be very long, in terms of a human life. Decades is not unusual. Shortening that time may not be effective in many cases because of the tendency of the wrong-doers to hide evidence, lie about their transgressions, and do just about everything possible to obstruct investigations.

To the government every problem is a nail because they only have the hammers that are supplied by lobbyists at a price.

d