Earth Day Predictions from 1970

Axtremus

There has been substantial environmental protections laws and regulations passed by various governments since 1970, lots of technological innovations invented and proliferated to help the environment, lots of education and awareness concerning environmental protection instilled in the people. It's not too bad if you consider the context that many "predictions" from the 1970 were qualified with "if we do nothing." We have done a lot to hold back global environmental catastrophes, just that we still need to do much more to not only hold the line, but hopefully to also improve the environment for our progenies.

Doctor Phibes

I remember traveling through Trafford Park in Manchester in or around 1970, and you literally couldn't see because there was so much green, sulfurous smog in the air. It was absolutely horrendous, which is why I can remember it - I was only 6. It ain't like that now.

In 1952, 12000 Londoners died, and 150,000 were hospitalized due to the smog primarily caused by burning coal. It ain't like that now.

Fucking stupid environmentalists, eh?

mark

I will never understand the outrage of people against environmental concerns and actions.

Improviso

I'd explain it to you, but it's going to cost you 13,000 carbon credits.

Cash, check or card credit?

Mik

It’s like anything else that can be carried too far. You have to strike a balance.

mark

@Mik Yes of course but it seems some just don't give a shit. Seriously, I made a point to someone IRL that cruise ships were not really that good for the planet and they looked at me like I was insane. They really love taking cruises, you see. They actually screamed at me "who cares about the planet!!!"

Um, I do.

Copper

That list, or one like it, gives you a license to ignore Earth Day type people.

Does this hurt the environment?

Probably not much. It probably even helps prevent overreaction.

Mik

@mark said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

@Mik Yes of course but it seems some just don't give a shit. Seriously, I made a point to someone IRL that cruise ships were not really that good for the planet and they looked at me like I was insane. They really love taking cruises, you see. They actually screamed at me "who cares about the planet!!!"

Um, I do.

Yes, and so do I. But on the other hand I know folks that are militantly environmentalist, the flip side of the coin you tossed out there. as i said - we have to strike a balance.

kluurs

Things I never expected to see in my lifetime....

fall of the Berlin Wall
end of Soviet Union
plentiful oil
cleaner air and water
anything like a smart phone

One should always remember the motto of the Royal Society, 'Nullius in verba' is taken to mean 'take nobody's word for it'.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@Mik said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

Yes, and so do I. But on the other hand I know folks that are militantly environmentalist, the flip side of the coin you tossed out there. as i said - we have to strike a balance.

That was, sort of, my point.

“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.”
• George Wald, Harvard Biologist

That would have been 1985 or 2000.

“Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years.”
• Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

That would have been 1980..

“It is already too late to avoid mass starvation.”
• Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day

Whoopsie.

And several others. All of these "scientists" who demanded radical action to prevent global cooling, mass starvation, etc have been wrong - spectacularly wrong. It's not to demean the (God I hate this word) stewardship that we must exercise over our home, it's only to point out that from I time I remember well, the scientists were saying we're doomed.

jon-nyc

“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.”
• George Wald, Harvard Biologist

It took about 45 years but I'll still give him credit.

taiwan_girl

I am guessing that the people quoted in teh opening post were on the one side of the discussion, so it is not surprising that what they would say would be considered extreme.

I am guessing that somewhere, someplace, there are quotes of people in 1970 who were against Earth Day and probably had quotes like:

"Pollution never killed anyone"
"I eat fish from the Cleveland Lake and never had any problems"
"There is not any need for Clean Water Act"
"If you dont want to deal with the smog, then dont move to the city"
etc
etc

I agree with Mik that there has to be a balance, but I probably more agree with Mark at the disregard for some people regarding the environment.

What surprises me is that now, the environment seems to be a Democrat vs. Republic issue. If I have read correctly my history, it never was really that before. Most of the major US environment laws passed in the past were supported by both parties. It makes me wonder if they would have been passed today.

Yo

Jolly

@taiwan_girl said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

I am guessing that the people quoted in teh opening post were on the one side of the discussion, so it is not surprising that what they would say would be considered extreme.

I am guessing that somewhere, someplace, there are quotes of people in 1970 who were against Earth Day and probably had quotes like:

"Pollution never killed anyone"
"I eat fish from the Cleveland Lake and never had any problems"
"There is not any need for Clean Water Act"
"If you dont want to deal with the smog, then dont move to the city"
etc
etc

I agree with Mik that there has to be a balance, but I probably more agree with Mark at the disregard for some people regarding the environment.

What surprises me is that now, the environment seems to be a Democrat vs. Republic issue. If I have read correctly my history, it never was really that before. Most of the major US environment laws passed in the past were supported by both parties. It makes me wonder if they would have been passed today.

Yo

You're absolutely right. Republicans get up every morning, make their children drink sewer sludge and take the little darlings to school in a yellow atmospheric cast of SO2...

taiwan_girl

@Jolly

I think you take me out of context!

But..... do you disagree that environmental issues seem to have become a Democrat vs. Republic issue over the last 15-20 years?

Jolly

@taiwan_girl said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

@Jolly

I think you take me out of context!

But..... do you disagree that environmental issues seem to have become a Democrat vs. Republic issue over the last 15-20 years?

I think that some elements of the Democrat Party have staked out positions so "green" as to be ludicrous.

I think the current situation, and our inability to manufacture some essential building blocks of industry due to environmental laws, needs to be rethought, with an evaluation of cost/benefit of all factors.

taiwan_girl

@Jolly

But Jolly, it goes both ways. There are those on both sides who have positions so far to one side.

I am sure there are people on the republic side (and maybe democrat side) who would prefer to eliminate any environmental laws and assume that the market place will put things in teh direction they are supposed to go.

Horace

wherever you find sanctimony in a political position, you will find the left has staked it out and taken it to an extreme.

Larry

@taiwan_girl said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

I am guessing that the people quoted in teh opening post were on the one side of the discussion, so it is not surprising that what they would say would be considered extreme.

I am guessing that somewhere, someplace, there are quotes of people in 1970 who were against Earth Day and probably had quotes like:

"Pollution never killed anyone"
"I eat fish from the Cleveland Lake and never had any problems"
"There is not any need for Clean Water Act"
"If you dont want to deal with the smog, then dont move to the city"
etc
etc

I agree with Mik that there has to be a balance, but I probably more agree with Mark at the disregard for some people regarding the environment.

What surprises me is that now, the environment seems to be a Democrat vs. Republic issue. If I have read correctly my history, it never was really that before. Most of the major US environment laws passed in the past were supported by both parties. It makes me wonder if they would have been passed today.

Yo

Actually no, no one said anything like that at all.

Larry

@taiwan_girl said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

@Jolly

But Jolly, it goes both ways. There are those on both sides who have positions so far to one side.

I am sure there are people on the republic side (and maybe democrat side) who would prefer to eliminate any environmental laws and assume that the market place will put things in teh direction they are supposed to go.

No, I've not heard of a single person who thought all environmental laws should be eliminated.

Jolly

@taiwan_girl said in Earth Day Predictions from 1970:

@Jolly

But Jolly, it goes both ways. There are those on both sides who have positions so far to one side.

I am sure there are people on the republic side (and maybe democrat side) who would prefer to eliminate any environmental laws and assume that the market place will put things in teh direction they are supposed to go.

When you always ride the middle rail, all you get is a sore butt.

The New Coffee Room

Earth Day Predictions from 1970