Often times the costly option in the short term saves a lot of loss in the future, but decisions involving this scheme of things are often the hardest to make, especially if the short term may seem disastrous. This is the problem with many policy issues, and the issue of air pollution and climate change is not an exception to this.
I am one very familiar with the arguments for cleaner energy and moving away from fossil fuels, coal and oil. I understand from a science background the crisis of our soaring carbon dioxide composition of our atmosphere and the detrimental predicted effects of such: destruction of habitats, rising sea levels, more intense storms. I also knew about the link between air pollution and lung cancers and other maladies at a more local level. However, I will admit to not having all that deeply considered the impact that closing polluting factories or replacing those factories with more expensive environmentally friendlier ones, or switching fuel types might have on workers and low income people if this includes a rise in prices for electricity. What may be good for the planet may cost many people an incredible amount.
It is easy to say that perhaps investing in clean energy, because it is so critical to the health of the planet as a whole and to communities, should be complemented with supporting those who relied on those jobs before and those who may not have as much money to spend on electric bills. Coming up with the funds for that is a lot, lot harder. It was noted in the readings that renewable energy and natural gas as energy sources have become more popular on their own and carbon dioxide emissions have fallen on their own (although not uniformly), but it is also important to have the government make sure it stays that way for the safety of the people and the land they reside on. It is easy to say that those whose jobs were rooted in coal and oil should simply switch over to those in renewable energy technologies, but it many parts of the country I’m not sure it is that simple.
That being said the issue of dollar signs and politics should not cost people their health and the future of their planet, although it is a country’s responsibility to care for all of its citizens. If there are programs and people in place to help the states transition over to cleaner energy, and that does not seem to be enough, perhaps another incentive, one more tangible, needs to be introduced in order to motivate states and conservatives less willing to let old energies go to become more amenable to a change. I’ll admit to having no idea what that incentive might be.
