February 7, 2001


 
I'm thinking more and more that most environmental problems are design problems. I've given up on hoping that the population will suddenly become enlightened and see the errors of their wasteful and destructive ways. 

No, people are short-sighted and stupid. 
Myself included.

For example, most everyone knows that if water comes into contact with fecal matter, that water will become contaminated with dangerous bacteria. And yet we all poo into water using our nice ceramic toilets. That's because the threat of bad smell is more pressing to us than bacterial contamination. 

We need environmental products that are designed for our inherently stupid ways. In fact, we could design solutions that take advantage of our short-sighted ways.

An example: folks largely don't care about car emissions - even though they consciously are aware of global warming, air pollution, smog, and the evils of the oil industry. 

They also don't care because car emissions are transparent in colour and largely stink-free. I say, let's force car manufactures (or gasoline manufactures) to make the necessary changes so that car exhaust becomes really really obnoxiously stinky and a really putrid colour. Then car manufactures will have a *real* motivation to reduce their cars emissions. 

Imagine how fast the improvements would be made to water purification plants if intake pipes were placed downstream of outtake pipes. Or, how fast scrubbers and other anti-pollution devices would be installed if smoke-stack heights were reduced so much so that pollution created could no longer travel to other countries, provinces or states, and instead stay at ground level.

It is for these reasons that I consider myself not a "Green" environmentalist, but a "Viridian" one.


 
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