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In under one century we have created a wonderful way of life in the industrial world built largely on the massive use of fossil fuels. This is the first trend. It is amazing to think that in one century we have put 500 to 600 million vehicles on the world’s roads and have built an entire transportation network and all of our energy production out of it. In 25 years, we have tripled our carbon dioxide emissions. Likewise, in just 50 or so years, we have formed the synthetic–organic chemical industry, an industry whose operations are skyrocketing around the world. In the United States, we have created an extraordinary amount of toxic waste that flows into our economy every year. Inform was one of the first organizations to examine this issue. For the past 25 years, environmentalists and government have focused on the creation of waste from industrial plants. The waste problem, while serious, is measured in billions of pounds. The amount of toxic materials, however, is some six trillion pounds. These toxins—which flow into our products, into industrial facilities, and into pharmaceuticals—create dangers, ones not restricted to waste. Over the last 25 years, this flow—along with the emissions of the fossil fuel— has fundamentally altered the world we live in. Everything from global climate change to ground water contamination, can be traced back quite easily to the use of fossil fuel and synthetic–organic chemicals. These substances have created the way of life we have. And it’s the way of life to which the developing world aspires. More People and Fewer Resources The second trend is the growth of population. In one century, we have almost quadrupled the number of people on the planet. That creates a problem. In one hour about 10,000 babies are born; that means 250,000 a day or 95 million new people a year are added to the planet. It’s a stunning number, especially when four-fifths do not have and want what we have. The third trend is the rate at which we are consuming resources. And it is we, the industrial world, who are the massive consumers—of timber, fuel, paper. The real downside of the garbage problem isn’t finding a place to put it or even a place to convert it. It’s the massive squandering of resources. If we burn it, we aggravate the carbon dioxide emissions problem. And Everybody Knows About it… The fourth trend is mass communication. There was a time when people didn’t know about our lifestyles and how we have achieved them. But, now, through mass communication, everybody knows we are doing it and the way we live is much more the way to which many others aspire. When I have met with oil companies, they have said, “We understand that we need to move from oil-derived fuel to natural gas to hydrogen. And in the next 15 years we plan to really start making the transition.” And my response, a natural question, is, “In 15 years there will be a billion more people on the face of the Earth. Does that affect your thinking? Does that affect your timing?” The interesting thing is that so far it hasn’t. A year after the Kyoto Summit on global warming, the United States still doesn’t want to move on curbing carbon emissions until the developing world moves. This is the case, even though it is the United States which is the number one generator of carbon dioxide emissions in the world. We generate nine times per capita the rate of the number two country, which is China. So for us to go to Kyoto and say, “We’re not going to do it until you do it,” gives one pause. The Personal Challenge of Sustainability That’s where I see the sustainability challenge. Inform doesn’t lobby or litigate. We provide in-depth, well-researched, and responsible investigations of businesses’ practices, chemical plants, vehicle technologies and other aspects of the industrial world with one thing in mind: How do you eliminate the problem at the source? How do you provide the goods and services for a society in a way that does not destroy abundant resources and human health? In some ways this question is based on a very simple idea: How do we live so that we don’t destroy the nest and make the world much less wonderful for the next generation? The world can go on: it can do without us and it can do without other species. But if we want to have the same quality of life we have now and a livable, healthy world, we have to pay attention—and pay more attention more as there are more people. Joanna Underwood is the President of Inform, a non-profit organization that identifies practical ways of living and doing business that are environmentally sustainable. For more information on the organization and how you can help, contact: Inform Inc., 120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005-4001. Tel.: 212-361-2400. Fax: 212-361-2412. Website: www.informinc.org
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