We should all be frightened by the recent article in the NY Times on Saturday; G.O.P. Pushes to Deregulate Environment at State Level. If these politicians think we can grow our way out of this economic downturn by further destroying the very life support systems that allow us to continue to live beyond our means then they are tragically mistaken.

The shortsighted economic gains by a very few will surely come back to haunt all of our children and grandchildren in unimaginable ways. Our natural resources provide fresh air, clean water and healthy soil. They moderate climate, provide flood protection and assimilate nutrients.  What our politicians continue to struggle with is that economy is directly related to ecology. I am not calling for more environmental regulations and I am not suggesting that there may be existing regulations that don’t make much sense; what I am saying is that we need politicians that are true leaders, not lemmings.

Further Reading

Meet Water Resources Engineer Kayla Brown
New Mexico Must Become a Catcher of Rain
Ripple Effects
Get to know Water Resources Engineer Jake Radeff
Meet Conservation Biologist Nolan Schillerstrom

More From This Author

Keith Bowers WVU Commencement Speech
Landscape Restoration in North Korea
Restoration as a Conservation Tool
Human Systems
Let’s end the use of peat moss in ecological restoration and green infrastructure projects