Sometimes, we need reminders of what these special energy interests are about! There are systems by which large polluting firms create toxic waste, such as CO2 gas and yet still escape the full costs and consequences for other forms of toxic waste and sickness creating by-products of their activities.
We should question the political processes of the wood, oil, gas, coal, and nuclear industries, those energy producers that have amassed enormous wealth over the last century. In each case, the effect of these industries has been energy, but also an enormous amount of pollution and toxic waste. It has taken these industries several generations to accept that they are major cost creators in the form of negative externalities that the public has to bear and the 'free' market does nothing to address. If a large portion of the past profits of these energy producers had been set aside for the damage they have caused our environment and the health of humanity, we would be a much safer, healthier and cleaner world. Instead, we are being pushed into a new generation of side-stepping the real costs of these energy forms.
At one time, earth had a surplus of wood resources .... no longer. Where there once were forests, we now have vast open areas that require huge amounts of fertilizers to sustain agricultural production. The fertilizers and pesticides seep into our water and we get polluted water and people get sick. Who pays for the bad water and the sickness from fertilizers and pesticides. We do! And, who mostly gets the profits from production using these technologies; farmers, retailers, and big business. But, who pays for clean water and sorts out the health issues from pollution of the environment. We do... not big business! Who has to clean up the filth in lakes and streams?
Big business produces products that are intensively energy using and pollution creating. Economic growth is based on a partial view of what it takes to live comfortably. The partial view does not take into account the human costs arising in the form of disease and pollution. We have seen what tobacco has done to the health of people, and we assessed that responsibility, but we still produce tobacco and the health costs of human disease arising from tobacco use continues. Yes! The commercial markets may be free, but they are not accountable, and they do not account for the total costs to communities of the products bought and sold.
