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Re: Acid Rain

        But Wright, those lakes in the Adirondacks weren't always sterile!
They were loaded with organisms, including amphibians.  Now amphibians,
considered "sentinel species" by biologists are virtually extinct in a great
many northeastern lakes.  I can personally attest that some I fished in as a
boy are quite different now.  Acid rain is not the only factor, I'm sure,
just as there are many natural contributors to greenhouse gasses (like
volcanos), but I don't see how failing to control emissions of sulfides and
hydrocarbons from industry helps in any way at all.  History shows us
unequivecally that business will always do what's easiest and cheapest, not
best, unless forced to change.  Industries like retail sales and clothing
manufacture are readily affected by consumer pressure in classic Adam Smith
capitalist fashion.  But consumer pressures cannot force chemical or
metalurgical companies to change much because they are largely faceless
background makers of the ingredients for all the myriad things society uses
from screwdrivers to trucks to baby lotion to soda bottles.  Only government
can regulate such industries.  I happen to vote for people willing to try
and force some responsibility on such companies other than to their
stockholders.  We enjoy the safest food in the world and safe medicines, for
example, because of government regulations- NOT because of business
conscience.  Our problem as a nation is that people will reject proven
medicine in favor of "natural herbs"  (I am a kung-fu master and use Chinese
herbs- proven by thousands of years of use- which are quite different from
the modern stuff sold at GNC!  I do not reject herbs per say- only
commercially promoted, self-dosing herbs) because of TV commercials.  They
consult psychics and astrologers- ala a certain recent president much
beloved by the religious right who conveniently overlook this blasphemous
vice!  A great many Americans, as you point out, lack the education to make
reasonable judgements about complex environmental matters.  So if the
government shouldn't look out for them, who do you suppose should.  I don't
think businesses are going to spend a penny on conservation of human
habitat, let alone killie habitat, unless forced!

Jay Moylan

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