Does Environmentalism Create Any Economic Benefits?

My friend Pat Rasmussen sent me a link to the Center for Biological Diversity. Pat does some great work with temperate rainforests and works with so many groups in the Puget Sound area on forestry, sustainability and environmental issues. It’s an honor to know Pat.

The link contains the NYT story about how the Clean Air Act will yield 2 trillion in benefits. It’s also saving lives. Does government regulation work? Yes, it does. Is it necessary? I say yes, though I know that Monsanto, BP, and Enron say it is a waste of precious public dollars and that we can trust the market place. Each of us will need to make some decisions. One thing we can count on is that automated pod people will show up in the comments suggesting that Monsanto et al have done so much for us.

Environmental activism and civil disobedience has costs. And while the benefits of environmentalism accrue to all, the costs apply to individuals.

Here is a link/suggestion from the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace list serv this morning that informed that Tim DeChristopher was found guilty this past week and faces up to 10 years in jail for making a fake bid in an oil and gas auction.

Will Potter at Green is the New Red has the DeChristopher story.