In order to lead the world in fixing the environment, we have to realize that industry, Wall Street, and rich science-deniers have the upper hand currently. And if you are wondering what upper hand they have, it’s all about handouts to politicians to keep their interests in control, make profit now and never, ever, take a long-term, pro-humanity view.
Roger Smith, then head of GM, made a statement back in the ‘80s that he felt the CAFÉ (fuel economy regulations) should be suspended for the good of the economy. I talked with him at the U.N. and pointed out that his view was shortsighted. I asked him, “Who do you think you are going to sell cars to in 50 years when the environment is destroyed?” His response was simple, “That’s not our problem right now.” Ted Turner was not amused at the same luncheon.
However, I have a guaranteed solution to the problem with big business preventing environment protection regulations. Simply put, every do-gooder organization, from the Sierra Club to the Environmental Defense Fund, the Nature Conservancy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, American Rivers and the Trust for Public Land, and then throw in every renewable energy company from General Electric Co., Iberdrola SA, Constellation Energy Corp., NextEra Energy, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Jinko Solar Holding Co. Ltd., Canadian Solar Inc., and all the way to Brookfield Renewable Corp. and tell them all to fire every employee, stop every campaign, borrow as much money as they can from banks and spend it all on bribing — oops, sorry — paying politicians to endorse the most radical pro-environmental laws possible.
Wonder if it will work? Well, currently the anti-environmental industrialists and petroleum companies spend 14 times more on funding politicians with cash than the entire operating budgets of the pro-environmental folks. Simply put, we have to outspend them and wrest financial control of the politicians they currently have absolute power over. If we outspend them, controlling politicians, even for one or two terms, laws could be put in place that would, quickly right this sinking environmental ship we’re all in.
Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, now lives in New Mexico.
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
