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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1995)
EARTH DAY Author provides readers upbeat outlook on environment’s future (APjAftiv 25 years of Earth Day warnings from envi ronmentalists about pending ecological doom, author Gregg Easterbrook has a refreshingly different me*, sage for those who care about the planet Cheer up On April 22. rfs expected that millions of Americans will celebrate Earth Day's silver anniversary by plant ing trees, cleaning up beaches and attending ral lies It's also expected that thousands of commentators will use the day to reflect on a quarter-century of green activism and the challenges ahead. Easterbrook has emerged as a prominent voice m the latter endeavor. A contributing editor to Newsweek, he has written a book called A Moment On The Earth The Coming Age ot Environmental Optimism The 745-page book, extensively researched ami doggedly upbeat, reviews more than three decades ot environmental doom-saying, from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring in 1962 to current alarms about global warming. In nearly all cases. Easterbrook writes, things have turned out much better than predicted by what he calls the "environmental orthodoxy " Easterbrook makes some sweeping predictions ot his own — that pollution in the Western world will end "almost painlessly" within our lifetimes, that most envi ronmental catastrophes, such as runaway global warming, are almost certain to be avoided. For support, he cites many environmental success stories —Air U S. smog has declined by about a third since 1970, even though 85 percent more vehicles are now on the road Airborne levels of lead have declined 98 percent, annual emissions ot carbon monoxide are down 24 percent, and sulfur dioxide, the chief cause of acid rain, is down 30 percent — Water. In 1972, only a third ot all U S bodies ot water were sate lor tishing and swimming Today, almost two-thirds are sate. —Recycling. From humble beginnings, recycling has become big business Nationwide, more than 22 percent ot all municipal solid waste is recovered tor recycling or composting. Easterbrook's book, scheduled for release April 20 by Viking, already has received considerable atten tion. Excerpts have appeared m mapr newspapers, and Easterbrook summarized his mam points in a 3,000-word piece tor The New Yorker magazine. Easterbrook said he wrote the book because good news is suppressed by both sides ot the environmental debate Liberal environmentalists don't like good news because it hurts their agenda of creating the appear ance of a crisis in need ot immediate action, he said Conservative opponents, meanwhile, don't want to admit that environmental laws actually work But they do work, Easterbrook has concluded "Not only is the Western worid getting better, it's taking place spectacularly fast by natural standards,” he said in a telephone interview from his home in Arlington. Va “I think the public will support future environmen tal initiatives much more readily it they're convinced that the programs are working and conditions are good If you constantly scare people to death, it you constantly tell them things are falling apart — and things never fall apart — then you lose credibility " I. . ..—---I ‘Not only is the Western world getting heller, it's taking place spectacularly fast by natural standards Gretix l asttrbmak. author happens almost aulomaltcally He calls it "organic so# adaptation sex reacting just .is nature would to sett-correct a resource imbalance " But those closer to the struggle say the sell-cor rectoon rarefy comes easily Indeed, they note that the alarmist rhetoric F astertxook cntici/es is wti.it helped achieve most at the environment*!! progress he pr.us es Earth Day in 1970 ratlaKl public support against entrenched industrial powers, s.ud Denis Hayes, an organizer of that original celebration and now three tor of a Seattle-based environmental foundation "We were almost unstoppable lor a lew years," Denis Hayes said "That didn't last For the last 20 years, it has been a struggle every inch of the way to gel good Mis passed ." He is decidedly less cheerful than Easterbrook “In 25 years, we've made some terrific strides m cleaning up the air and water and removing tones." Hayes Mid But there are serious issues out there that need attention." U S environmentalists who say they might have welcomed Eastnrbrook's celebratory tone last year are now bracing tor battles with Republican con gressmen who want to weaken environmental laws And struggles in American politics are small pota toes compared to global environmental challenges While Easterbrook points out that the United States now treats virtually 100 percent oI its sewage, others look to the Third World, where only 2 percent is treat ed. Hayes worries about the loss ol biological diverse ty through habitat destruction, and says progress toward heading off global warming by reducing car bon dioxide emissions has been "a huge disap pointment." For more discouraging news, consider world pop ulation, which drives many environmental problems Since 1970, global population has grown from 3 7 billion to 5.7 billion, and it continues to increase by about 90 million people a year By Ihe lime you finish reading this article, there will be about 1.700 more mouths to feed on the planet than when you began Developed nations have cut thoir growth rates, tot they're still growing nonetheless "The rates can go down and people think we don't have to worry anymore But the base numbers are still huge," said Susan Weber, executive director ol Zero Population Growth. "In terms ol environmental impact, we re still Ho. t — and everyone wants to be like us," she said Easterbrook says optimism should not become complacency, and he worries that anti-envtronmen talists will pluck passages from his book out ol con text to argue against environmental protections • Great Food • Relaxing Atmosphere • Attofdabie Prices 19th & Agate • 683-6661 Southern Italy is just around the comer Spinach ricotta calzone $4.95 Manicotti $7.75 Linguine with clam sauce $7.50 New York Style Pizza I lomernade breads & desserts » ' — * c 9Sfapoli restaurant 6t bakery Join us for dinner 686 E. 13th at Hilyard 485-4552 Open nil 10pm Mon. Thu. Midnight Fri.-Sat. 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