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Ever since the birth of the environmental movement thirty years ago, scientists have issued warnings about the environmental damage caused by the way we live. Some problems - like pollution of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River - are much improved. Others, like air pollution, have gotten worse, leading to a growing international concern about the effects of global warming. While most Americans agree that policing our environment is important, critics say environmentalists sometimes go too far with their prophecies of doom, overriding economic and social concerns of people for the sake of endangered species or threatened ecosystems.
Today there is a growing movement to view environmental protection from a more solutions-based approach. In place of whistle-blowing, many environmentalists are now seeking ways to make the way we live now more sustainable, so that future generations won't inherit the problems of the past. While it began as a grassroots effort led by scientists and environmental activists, this new move toward sustainability has the force of both government and big business behind it. The U.S. Department of Energy is now one of the biggest U.S. supporters of renewable energy research and development. Companies like Nike and Ford are discovering that more sustainable business practices save money as well as future environmental damage. But the new ideas have been slow to catch on. One reason is cost. While it may make sense for private homeowners to spend more money for high-efficiency windows that will eventually pay for themselves in energy savings, businesses have generally had little incentive to invest big money for long-term gain. And banks are slow to make venture capital available for cutting-edge projects without a proven track record. Implementing strategies for sustainability is another challenge. Educating local governments and community members takes time and effort. Getting decision-makers to work together on regional, long-range planning is even tougher, especially in states where home rule is the political norm. Yet it can and is being done in cities across America. Today Chattanooga, Tennessee - once home to some of the nation's worst air pollution - operates the country's first system of electric shuttle buses, a system that's been studied and copied worldwide. The private company the city hired to make the electric buses is now the world's largest supplier. Chattanooga wins in two ways: with cleaner air and a stronger economy. Is the prospect of sustainability just a pie-in-the-sky issue or a new design for living that makes sense now and in the future? We invite you to explore the following collection of stories and links that examine some of these ideas and their outcomes. Related 90.3 WCPN Feature Stories:
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