Hatrack River Forum: Environmental Success Stories?

This is topic Environmental Success Stories? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Celtic Flame (Member # 5556) on :

I don't know any! [Cry]

I have to find some for school...does anyone here know of a time when we actually did good for the environment???

Posted by AmkaProblemka (Member # 6495) on :

Consider our history. It used to be acceptable in the United States to pump sewage into rivers and the ocean. Worse than sewage (which is more or less biodegradable), people would pump the toxic waste left over from manufacturing processes into the waters.

Whenever you see smoke coming out of the exhaust of a car, you know something is wrong with the engine. But that used to be normal. All cars had visible exhaust and the smog they produced was the worst offendor. Now, we are able to make cars that emit cleaner air than they intake and that is the emissions standard for California.

Most of our successes come from lessons hard learned. The grey wolf was nearly extinct, but it has come back through human efforts.

Do a little research and you'll find plenty, I'm sure. I know in my lifetime things are better than they were. Except for one thing... sorry to go back to negative but this has been bothering me:

The US is in love with disposable. We'll pay extra to be able to throw something away after one use: these toilet bowl cleaners being the most recent problem. Throw away wipes, throw away dinner trays, send a small battery in a box 12 x 12 x 8 full of packing peanuts. Sell a video game (one CD and a small leaflet) in a box bigger than a hardback book, this then covered in plastic. Why? Just sell it like you sell music on CDs. If it is a good game, people will buy it.

My point is that we have become wasteful in ways that actually take effort to invent. It is rather sad.

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

The bald eagle is a fairly publicized success story; though I would include that as a success of the Endangered Species Act.

-Bok

Posted by HollowEarth (Member # 2586) on :

condors too (i think).

Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :

After a quick google, here's what I found. Hope that helps.

Edit: Damn. That link worked a second ago. I just searched Environmental Success Stories and it was the first site.

[ May 13, 2004, 08:06 PM: Message edited by: Valentine014 ]