Pollution is Waste

Joel Schwartz, in yesterday’s Wash­ing­ton Post, demands that we “Get real on air pol­lu­tion.”

Like most Con­ser­v­a­tives’ “cost-benefit” analy­ses of things they don’t like – global warm­ing, mass tran­sit, gay mar­riage – Mr. Schwartz’s analy­ses demon­strates a lack of vision and a lim­ited view of the world.

While it may be true that air pollution’s effect over­all on pub­lic health is minis­cule, if not nonex­is­tant, it’s simple-minded to say that the EPA’s “tun­nel vision” when it comes to reg­u­lat­ing such pol­lu­tion is wrongheaded.

Pol­lu­tion is waste. If we value effi­ciency and con­ser­va­tion of resources, we should fight pol­lu­tion. Not to men­tion the aes­thetic val­ues inher­ent in lim­it­ing air pol­lu­tion. And the indus­try and inno­va­tion engen­dered through the require­ments of pol­lu­tion reduction.

Fact is, if we put stricter con­trols on pol­lu­tion, we would have greater progress in the search for non-fossil-fuel energy sources and more empha­sis on sus­tain­able design and living.