more than just a dream

1
COMMENT More than just a dream N ot long ago, I had one of those epic dreams that seem to go on and on, shifting from place to place in scenes that seem to come and go with no apparent theme. I was at the center of the dream but more as a leading actor in a puppet show than as a free man. In one scene I was talking to a famous entertainer who just showed up at a gathering of people from the university. When I told him who I was and what I do, he looked at me with great intensity and asked what we all were doing about energy conservation and global warming—his tone was clearly challenging. I mentioned education as the key and said that we were putting togetiier a new program to work collabora- tively with business, communities, and government to try to solve diese and other problems. Noticing that he seemed skeptical, I said, "You don't trust business, do you?" He raised his head, which had been lowered as I was speaking, and turned his eyes toward me. Then, with deep conviction, he quieuy replied, "They are the sinners." Although this happened in a dream, it could also have happened in any number of the many meetings that I attend in the course of my work. There remain many people in our society who feel that business is primarily responsible for pollution, for increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, for loss of habitat, fish kills, and other environmental problems. They feel that busi- ness is managed by characters not unlike those in the movie China Town: individuals who work in sinister ways to dupe the public, fool the regulators, and generally do what they wish with no regard for the consequences to the commons. Unfortunately, if one reads the newspapers or listens to the news on TV or radio, there appears to be some truth to these accusations. Almost monthly, we hear of fines imposed because of illegal waste dumping, unre- ported emissions, or another spill someplace in the world. Many of my friends feel that the war between business and environmentalists is still being waged and that business must be subjugated. Coincidentally, I have had several conversations re- cently about electronic trading—the practice of trading on the stock exchanges through the personal computer. All of the people I know who practice e-trading feel that it reflects a fundamental change in the way capital will be accumulated in our society, and that it portends a shift in power from a few power brokers to individuals. It is also clear that what is driving the buy-or-sell deci- sions of these individuals is neither altruism nor concern for the common good. Instead, they are motivated by the quest for short-term profit, often based on a minor per- centage change in the value of stock over a period of a few hours. Furthermore, it is evident that through their individual decisions, they are rewarding companies that show short-term profits, are ignoring those who have sta- ble price-to-earnings ratios, and are sending a powerful message to business. The connection between my dream and e-trading may not be profound to those who contemplate business daily, but to me at least, the message is both clear and penetrating. Individual decisions can and do make real differences in what happens, no matter what powerful people in business, media, or nongovernmental organiza- tions do or believe. This is the continuing lesson of his- tory, and it will prevail. If we have to be reminded, it is not business that is the problem, it is we who consume, waste, and use natural resources in increasing amounts. It is we who respond to manipulative advertising, ignore our civic responsibilities, accept mediocrity in our schools, and neglect to give our children the values that they need. It is we who demand high profits from compa- nies to enrich our mutual funds. We are the sinners. This message is not depressing to me, however. It is empowering. It says that we are in control; that we can make a difference. It also means that we are partners with business, that the EPA is not the enemy but our agent, and that together we can formulate a new regime for the future based on sustainable principles. That ulti- mately, lofty values will prevail through the education and nurturing of our children. A dream? I don't think so. William H. Glaze, Editor ([email protected]) © 1999 American Chemical Society SEPTEMBER 1, 1999 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS • 3 4 5 A

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Page 1: More than just a dream

COMMENT

More than just a dream

Not long ago, I had one of those epic dreams that seem to go on and on, shifting from place to place in scenes that seem to come and go with no apparent theme. I was at the center of the dream but more as a leading actor in a puppet

show than as a free man. In one scene I was talking to a famous entertainer who just showed up at a gathering of people from the university. When I told him who I was and what I do, he looked at me with great intensity and asked what we all were doing about energy conservation and global warming—his tone was clearly challenging.

I mentioned education as the key and said that we were putting togetiier a new program to work collabora­tively with business, communities, and government to try to solve diese and other problems. Noticing that he seemed skeptical, I said, "You don't trust business, do you?"

He raised his head, which had been lowered as I was speaking, and turned his eyes toward me. Then, with deep conviction, he quieuy replied, "They are the sinners."

Although this happened in a dream, it could also have happened in any number of the many meetings that I attend in the course of my work. There remain many people in our society who feel that business is primarily responsible for pollution, for increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, for loss of habitat, fish kills, and other environmental problems. They feel that busi­ness is managed by characters not unlike those in the movie China Town: individuals who work in sinister ways to dupe the public, fool the regulators, and generally do what they wish with no regard for the consequences to the commons.

Unfortunately, if one reads the newspapers or listens to the news on TV or radio, there appears to be some truth to these accusations. Almost monthly, we hear of fines imposed because of illegal waste dumping, unre­ported emissions, or another spill someplace in the world. Many of my friends feel that the war between business and environmentalists is still being waged and that business must be subjugated.

Coincidentally, I have had several conversations re­cently about electronic trading—the practice of trading on the stock exchanges through the personal computer. All of the people I know who practice e-trading feel that

it reflects a fundamental change in the way capital will be accumulated in our society, and that it portends a shift in power from a few power brokers to individuals.

It is also clear that what is driving the buy-or-sell deci­sions of these individuals is neither altruism nor concern for the common good. Instead, they are motivated by the quest for short-term profit, often based on a minor per­centage change in the value of stock over a period of a few hours. Furthermore, it is evident that through their individual decisions, they are rewarding companies that show short-term profits, are ignoring those who have sta­ble price-to-earnings ratios, and are sending a powerful message to business.

The connection between my dream and e-trading may not be profound to those who contemplate business daily, but to me at least, the message is both clear and penetrating. Individual decisions can and do make real differences in what happens, no matter what powerful people in business, media, or nongovernmental organiza­tions do or believe. This is the continuing lesson of his­tory, and it will prevail. If we have to be reminded, it is not business that is the problem, it is we who consume, waste, and use natural resources in increasing amounts. It is we who respond to manipulative advertising, ignore our civic responsibilities, accept mediocrity in our schools, and neglect to give our children the values that they need. It is we who demand high profits from compa­nies to enrich our mutual funds. We are the sinners.

This message is not depressing to me, however. It is empowering. It says that we are in control; that we can make a difference. It also means that we are partners with business, that the EPA is not the enemy but our agent, and that together we can formulate a new regime for the future based on sustainable principles. That ulti­mately, lofty values will prevail through the education and nurturing of our children.

A dream? I don't think so.

William H. Glaze, Editor ([email protected])

© 1999 American Chemical Society SEPTEMBER 1, 1999 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS • 3 4 5 A