The Most Urgent Environmental Problem
Submitted by itismyopinion on Sat, 12/01/2007 - 6:03pm
On November 9 I posted a poll on Blue NC asking "What is the most urgent environment problem facing North Carolina?" I promised to give my opinion later. It is now later.
The choices in the poll were:
Global warming and lack of water,
Water pollution,
Loss of farm land, and
Air pollution.
The results were very close (they can be seen, and you can vote, using the link on the bottom of the left column). All four of these environmental problems are very serious and must be addressed by members of the public and by elected officials.
It is my opinion that the most significant environment problem is the loss of natural land-farm land and forest-to development. The significance is that this cannot be reversed. If we pollute the air or water, and then stop the pollution, the air and water eventually will be cleaned up. However, once a farm or forest is destroyed to build a shopping center or subdivision, the natural land is lost.
it is my opinion
John Shaw
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The long view
Anti-planning zealots on the right have reshaped public debate so that the long-term good is irrelevant, while near term profits and "property rights" trump everything.
You're taking the long-view, which I completely support. I think we are in a small minority.
Property rights+developer money
We have the property rights zealots who think that everyone should be able to do anything with their property, regardless of the effects on others (traffic, etc.). Then we have the funding from the developers who will spend a fortune to control the government. Look at their fight against the transfer tax, both in the General Assembly and in the 16 counties that voted on the tax. Developers, homebuilders, and Realtors spent a fortune.
It will be an uphill fight. More later.