History teaches us that public pressure, policy changes and industry innovation can solve even the most daunting environmental threats such as DDT, lead pollution or acid rain. It posits that this can be done with responses to the climate crisis — offering reassurance and guidance over how we might tackle it.
Lessons from Past Victories
The problem of climate change may seem insurmountable but we have faced similar environmental challenges in the past so let us now take heart from our many successes.
This applies to a malaria- and crop-saving pesticide, DDT, which was foam-at-the-mouth grenade material a few decades back. Nevertheless, it quickly emerged that DDT also led to a high rate of bioaccumulation and weakened the eggshells of top predators such as eagle populations.
Despite resistance from the chemical industry, public backlash and irrefutable scientific evidence eventually forced a nationwide prohibition of DDT in 1972. This resurgence was so effective in repopulating the bald eagle that it showed that even the most entrenched of environmental issues can be overcome if concerted action is taken.
Reducing Harmful Pollutants
Lead exposure offers another example. Paints, plumbing, and gasoline all used lead freely, exposing humans in large numbers to risks of serious ill health, particularly child victims. The geochemist Clair Patterson is a remarkable example of this: He famously fought off industry to eventually help eradicate lead from much of its commercial use.
Similarly the acid rain problem, which is a consequence of sulfur dioxide emissions, was addressed globally and in the US by passage of the Clean Air Act. By the 40-year mark, sulfur dioxide levels in the US had fallen by approximately 95%, a demonstration of various policy changes and industry solutions.
As this data demonstrates, when the public demands action and policymakers enact strong regulations, industries innovate to develop and replace safer alternatives. It can use the same formula which has been used for Climate change calls.
Conclusion
It has shown us how to deal with the challenge that climate change represents, as examples of overcoming DDT, lead pollution and acid rain clearly illustrate. Public Pressure — Clean Energy Policies — Industry Innovation: Together, we can turn what seems an impossible challenge to the real solution and claim a happier planet for mankind.
