Today is the 44th Earth Day, first promoted by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, and endorsed by President Richard Nixon.
The environmental movement has had its successes under Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
At the same time, the environmentalists have had major setbacks under Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, particularly under Reagan and the second Bush, the two worst environmental Presidents of the last century, while Carter and Nixon stand out as the best environmental Presidents after Theodore Roosevelt.
The corporate world has been responsible for much of the damage to our environment since the Industrial Age, with their mad dash for profits and lack of concern for the health and safety of the people in the areas they produced steel, mined coal, drilled oil, and the myriad of other industrial activities that produced a massive wealth ending up in the hands of a small oligarchy. They exploited their workers and took advantage of consumers, along with destruction of the environment, and without any apologies. And they still have massive influence with both parties, and any ability to deal with the issue of environmental damage is always counteracted by the financial resources of corporations out to prevent any major changes in policy and regulation.
So while progress has been made over these years since 1970, there is still a massive battle for the future of the nation’s environmental health over the long term. Environmentalists cannot let up their battles on Capitol Hill and in the courts!
“…with their mad dash for profits… produced a massive wealth ending up in the hands of a small oligarchy. They exploited their workers and took advantage of consumers..” Written like a true comrade ….
You are being ridiculous, Juan! Is what I said NOT the case, NOT true? You KNOW it is TRUE! But you have no problem accepting massive wealth of two percent and the impoverishment of the middle class and the poor, and you should be ashamed of yourself! And of course, to hell with the environment, right! 🙁
Hello Professor,
From my science background I want to take this time to pass on a good example of “Cause & Effect†on this Earth Day.
Cause:
Texas Governor Perry on April 9, 2013 in a speech professes an invitation to industry to Texas and run your business with “Less Regulation.†I quote, “People are fleeing high tax, high regulatory states to come and be a part of what some people refer to as the “Texas Miracle.â€
Effect:
Eight days later the town of West, Texas is blown off the map by a poorly regulated fertilizer factory. Many people died.
Nothing else needs to said…..
Thanks again, Engineer of Knowledge, for your sensible views on issues!
@Ron: Where did I say that I was against the idea that mankind has the stewardship of the planet and thus must take care of the environment? All I am pointing out is that you seem to think that there used to exist some kind of paradise on earth before the advent of individual freedom and the natural economic system of man, free market capitalism in the 18th-19th century. You forget were those workers came from. Free market capitalism did not invent poverty, it inherited it and has been the only system successful in eliminated it. Now I am not saying there were not any abuses, but there have been abusive men since the dawn of history. It is not a privilege of free market capitalism. Another day we can discuss the origin of the phrase “Robber Barons” and the myth created.
Hello Professor,
I wanted to follow up with an aspect on this posting. Business does well when regulations and enforcement prevents fraud, costly accidents to workers, and consumers, and dangerous polution contamination, and yes even explosions.
What Perry and the extreme right advocate is not good for anything except extraction of wealth into the special interest pockets of a few. The results are it leaves everyone else holding the bag…. or burying their dead. I have see this same aspects and results in the Coal Mines of West Virginia as a child and it still goes on even today outside of Charlston, WV.
Failure to enforce the regulations already on the books of the kind Perry and the right espouses transfers without our consent the cost of doing business to all of us in the private sector as citizens.
It is part of the right wing epic failure in economic policy, public safety policy, environmental policy, labor policy and public health policy.
Again, you hit the mark, Engineer of Knowledge! Thanks so much!
Hello Juan,
I have wanted to pass on that I have spent time in Buenos Aires with the U.S. Navy during the years when the Military Junta was in control. 1974 -76.
It has now been referred to as the time of the “Lost Children†who just came up missing after being arrested for speaking out against the repression of those who were in control. Of course they are finding many in mass graves behind the (Federales) police stations.
I don’t know if you were born yet or not?
Engineer: I was already born and not in Argentina, but in Los Angeles, California. I did live for a whole year in 1975 during the democratic government ,the year before the coup which took place March 1976. So if you were there between 74-76, the military was not yet in control. I clearly remember how the left wing terrorist put bombs almost daily in Buenos Aires , and killed cops and military personnel.
Engineer: By the way, how do you know what caused the explosion in Texas? Do you know someone that works there? Or are you jumping to conclusions like the some on the left in the media did with the Boston bombing? Because as far as I know, no one knows the cause yet.
Well said Engineer. 🙂
Hello Juan,
I was in South America in the years of 74 through 76. Argentina would have been in 76 but was back to be part of “Operation Sail†the bi-centennial in New York Harbor for the July 4th celebrations. You are correct the terrorist put bombs almost daily in Buenos Aires.
I had an American friend who was California Mexican. He had long hair and a beard at the time. He was sitting in a plaza bistro drinking a glass of wine when a gun fight broke out between rebels and the police. Because he looked much like those on the radical left.
To answer your question:
A good educated aspect is that Nitrogen fertilizer production is tied directly to natural gas and there is also the lack of dust particle control that is very volatile.
This is the same factors that cause many Coal Mines to explode. My grandfather who was a miner told many times how coal dust could go up as quick as gun power.
You will also hear of grain silos exploding due to the same lack of control with the dust particles. This will also go up very quickly.
So to easily answer your question, there are many safe guards that are put into place to make sure explosions do not happen. When they are ignored, they explode. If this were not the case, all fertilizer plants would be exploding.
Wish I could say more but my battery is dying on my laptop.