CJ 370 Exam 3
So why not "recycle"?
"Recycling" to other countries 'Pros' and 'Cons' of recycling 50-90% of items in containers for export that are marked for "recycling" are not recyclable This leaves the country of import with the responsibility of disposing of these items
Why not export?
"The lower disposal costs in developing countries generally stem from low or nonexistent environmental standards, less stringent laws, and an absence of public opposition due to a lack of information concerning the dangers involved.... ...Given these considerations, the economic logic for exporting hazardous waste to developing countries is indisputable."
EPA "Audit Policy"
"The purpose of this Policy is to enhance protection of human health and the environment by encouraging regulated entities to voluntarily discover, promptly disclose and expeditiously correct violations of Federal environmental requirements. Incentives that EPA makes available for those who meet the terms of the Audit Policy include the elimination or substantial reduction (75-100%) of the gravity component of civil penalties and a determination not to recommend criminal prosecution of the disclosing entity. The Policy also restates EPA's long-standing practice of not requesting copies of regulated entities' voluntary audit reports to trigger Federal enforcement investigations." In December of 2015, the EPA announced that it is modernizing the Audit Policy by creating a "centralized web-based "eDisclosure" portal to receive and automatically process self-disclosed civil violations of environmental law." Under the new system, "large and small businesses will be able to resolve quickly some of their more routine types of disclosures."
Political economy of the environment
...The term "political economy" has come to take on a variety of meanings. For our purposes, 'political economy' refers to the collective or political processes through which public economic (and legislative) decisions are made. More specifically, we're considering environmental legislative decisions that are often tied to the political economy How is environmental legislation "made"? 1. Congress writes a bill 2. The president approves or vetoes 3. The act is codified in the United States Code What parties are involved in this process? Are there any other "players" in this process? In order to make the laws work on a daily basis Congress authorizes government agencies to create regulations
Environmental Crime & Injustice: Media Coverage of a Landmark Environmental Crime Case by Jarrell (2009)
1. What company is Jarrell focusing on here? BP 2. What environmental rules did they violate? CWA, Migratory Bird Treaty Acts 3. Were any populations harmed? If so, who? Humans, sea animals, land animals 4. How is the media involved? The media was blocked during their attempt to uncover 5. Were there any attempts at 'greenwashing'? Yes, they tired to use a chemical disperant to cover up the spill
Greenwashing in advertising
Ad examples: Dow Chemical: GM Hummer Ad: Clean Coal: Walmart Ad for Tshirts made from plastic bottles: "If every Wal-Mart shopper, all 200 million of us, bought one, it would be like recycling over half a billion plastic bottles!" ...except that now we've purchased 200 million tshirts Can you think of any examples of greenwashing? Should we be concerned about greenwashing? Why or why not?
5. Plant More Trees! (...and stop cutting them down!)
Afforestation, also known as the opposite of what's happening now (deforestation), has the potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere. ...though the report notes that the evidence to suggest this is limited. Replanting forests, sustainably managing the ones we have, and halting from cutting them down are the most cost-effective mitigation options we have, so far as forest land is concerned — In agriculture, best practices include cropland and grazing land management, along with the restoration of organic soils.
Organizations for Environmental Protection & Sustainability
African Wildlife Foundation The Center for a Livable Future Clean Water Network (alliance of over 1,000 grassroots orgs) Conservation International Earth First! (radical action org) EarthJustice Legal Defense Fund (works to strengthen env. legislation) Earthwatch Environmental Defense Greenpeace National Wildlife Federation The Nature Conservancy Rainforest Action Network Sierra Club Union of Concerned Scientists World Wildlife Fund for Nature & World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Timeline of the BP Oil Spill
April 20th, 2010: The Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 and injuring 17 April 22nd, 2010: The damaged Deepwater Horizon rig fell into the Gulf of Mexico, releasing nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the water July 15th, 2010: The well was capped, though not affirmatively sealed September 19th, 2010: The Macando well is officially declared "dead" Estimates suggests the spill was the 2nd largest in history
Recommendations
As a result, state performance remains inconsistent across the country, providing unequal environmental benefits to the public and an uneven playing field for regulated industries. By establishing stronger organizational structures, EPA can directly implement a national enforcement strategy that ensures all citizens have, and industries adhere to, a baseline level of environmental protection. "EPA could make more effective use of its $372 million in regional enforcement full-time equivalents by directing a single national workforce instead of 10 inconsistent regional enforcement programs. We recommend that EPA: establish clear national lines of authority for enforcement that include centralized authority over resources cancel outdated guidance and policies, and consolidate and clarify remaining enforcement policies establish clear benchmarks for state performance establish a clear policy describing when and how EPA will intervene in states, and procedures to move resources to intervene decisively, when appropriate, under its escalation policy"
Coordinated Clean-Up Effort
BP worked with the U.S. government to contain and clean-up the spill What other agencies were involved? Why? BP U.S. Coast Guard Private Security Contractors Department of Homeland Security Local Law Enforcement
EPA Case Studies
CAA Bio-diesel fuel Owner Tonawanda Coke Company Rodney Hailey CWA BP Wal-Mart Omega Protein
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
CSR: A form of corporate self-regulation that has been integrated into a corporate business model Started in the 1960's Incorporates CSR for: employees, community, etc. Follows national and international laws and ethical standards Has recently shifted to also incorporate environmental concerns and sustainability measures Recent critics of CSR argue that the ideal has led corporations to develop "unrealistic expectations" for their companies
Chemical Dispersants
Cause the oil to break up into 'droplets' which then sink to the bottom "...change the form of the oil, not the quantity" (p. 170) "[conceals] the amount of oil visible from the surface and on the shoreline" (p.170) "Protects" the shoreline; causes serious damage to marine life Unprecedented amount of dispersants used in BP Oil Spill (1.84 million gallons v. 5,500 for ExxonValdez spill) Corexit 9500A, Corexit 9527A According to the EPA, this is one of the most toxic (and least effective) dispersants available 57 Chemical Ingredients: 5 cancer 33 skin irritation 33 eye irritation 11 respiratory toxins or irritants 10 kidney toxins lasting heath impacts 8 toxic to aquatic organisms 5 moderate toxicity to fish
From lobbying to greenwashing
Companies/corporations not only target lawmakers, they also target consumers Advertising not only sells products, it also sells an "image" Look up: 'greenwashing' - Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA is the "steward of national environmental protection" but it primarily relies on states for initial enforcement 2011 Office of the Inspector General investigation into: whether the EPA set clear national performance benchmarks for state enforcement programs what extent EPA headquarters holds regions accountable and supports them to ensure that all state enforcement programs protect human health and the environment. Focused on: Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
"Dirty dozen"
Each year the League of Conservation Voters publishes the "Dirty Dozen," a program targeting candidates for Congress "who consistently vote against clean energy and conservation." Out of this list, GE's PAC has donated thousands of dollars to six of the "dirty dozen" (politicians linked to the most harmful environmental legislation). Additionally, GE's PAC donated to two leading deniers of global warming
A Growing Problem: "E-Waste"
Electronic Waste or "E-Waste" Computers, televisions, DVD players, cell phones, VCRs, fax machines etc. Certain components of electronic products contain materials that render them hazardous, depending on their condition and density. For example, CRTs (cathode ray tubes) from televisions and computer monitors Many of these products contain lead, cadmium, beryllium or brominated flame retardants (BFRs) About 400+ million tons of hazardous waste is produced each year About 50 million tons of this is e-waste The U.S. produces about 25 millions tons of e-waste a year (up from 12.5 million in 2002) According to the EPA: The United States produces more e-waste annually than any other country; Only 12.5% of eligible e-waste is recycled Recycling 1 million laptops can save the energy equivalent of the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year For every 1 million cell phones that are recycled, estimates suggest that roughly 35,274 lbs of copper, 772 lbs of silver, 75 lbs of gold, and 33 lbs of palladium can be recovered. Based on e-waste disposal rates, Americans throw out phones containing $60+ million in gold and silver every year. Recycling circuit boards can be more profitable than mining for ore: One ton of circuit boards is estimated to contain anywhere from 40 to 800 times more gold than one metric ton of ore. One ton of circuit boards also likely contains 30-40 times more copper than can be mined from one metric ton of ore. In order to avoid expensive costs for disposal in developed countries, most e-waste (and other hazardous waste) is often exported... ...where and why?
4. Automotive Emissions Standards
Emissions from transportation are expected to grow faster than any other sources through 2050, rising up to 71% over 2010 levels. Better urban planning can help reduce that burden Higher vehicle performance standards Switching to low-carbon fuels will need to play a role as well
Greenwashing
Essentially, corporations pass the burden of being environmentally responsible onto the consumer through: Encouraging them to recycle Making more 'environmentally friendly' products and charging more for them Making 'waste' the concern and responsibility of the consumer, rather than the corporation 'Greenwashing' can also encompass vague or potentially misleading product labels which are used entirely at the discretion of the manufacturer: "all natural" "biodegradable" "organic" "Greenwashing"
Major contributors to the climate change 'counter movement'
Estimates suggest ExxonMobil has given somewhere between $2 - 28 million to members of Congress and corporate lobbying groups that deny climate change and block efforts to fight climate change since 2007 - eight years after pledging to stop its funding of climate denial. ExxonMobile officially acknowledged climate change in 2008, yet still works to prevent legislation that regulates greenhouse gases. The Koch Brothers have given over $80 million to groups denying climate change science since 1997.
The Toxic Politics of science
Film: The Toxic Politics of Science I can't promise that these films are riveting, but they are informative
Ok... but what can I do?
Get involved! Spread the word! Speak out! Pollution Scorecard for your community: Use your education to further the education of others! Consider a career in environmental protection! (DEQ / DEP) Law Officer at a State Park / Park Ranger DNR Officer U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Michigan DEQ - Environmental Investigation Section Environmental Law
Plastic Micro-Bead Bills
H.R. 4895 (113th): Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2014 (Died) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr4895 California, Illinois, New York, & Indiana have already passed state bans Issues with Lobbying Illinois, California and Indiana's legislation contains a loophole which allows companies to make beads out of "biodegradable plastic" instead First Michigan Bill died in House Regulatory Committee in 2013; similar bills defeated in 2014 and 2015 The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, (H.R. 1321) passed in December, 2015. The House bill would phase microbeads out of consumer products across the nation over the next few years, starting with a ban on manufacturing the beads starting July 1, 2017, followed by product-specific manufacturing and sales bans in 2018 and 2019. If you use these products, they should (by now) have phased out the use of microbeads
Environmental Impact of the Olympics
Have you ever considered the environmental impact of the Olympics? What are some of the impacts from the 2014 Olympics in Sochi? What happens to Olympic venues once the Olympics are over? What have these venues done to the natural environment/ local ecological systems?
A Climate of corporate control
Historically, we have always seen corporations and private interest groups participating in national dialogue on legislation (environmental or otherwise) In fact, they have the right to do so Concerns arise when corporate interests impact human (and ecological) health Public/environmental health sacrificed for private profit "Big money buys outcomes" Campaign contributions Lobbying These practices have become so commonplace in our society, that we are less and less apt to notice it In the past, corporations have: Questioned scientific consensus on an issue Conducted their own studies with flawed methodology (and sometimes predetermined outcomes) Paid "independent" scientists to advance their "findings" Intimidated and/or attacked (physically or academically) scientific researchers Hired lobbyists to influence legislation and regulation
Media Coverage
How did BP (and, ultimately, the government) limit media coverage? Banned workers from carrying cellphones Implemented "no fly" zones over the spill Blocked public and Media access Punishable by up to a $40,000 fine and jail time
Enforcement Update
How has the EPA been doing the last couple of years? Review the 2017-2018 "Year in Review" report here: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-03/documents/year_in_review_3.5.18.pdf
The Aftermath
Human health impacts Oil can alter development and change the swimming behavior of aquatic creatures; it can also fatally disrupt the beating of fish hearts. Gulf researchers have found fish with sunken eyes and other eye abnormalities. Decline of the Gulf's population of Kemp's Ridley sea turtles. The endangered turtles were rebounding between 1990 and 2010, with nest numbers expected to reach 50,000 by 2014. Instead, last year's count was around 11,000. An unusual, ongoing die-off of dolphins, whales and porpoises in the Gulf. Since 2010, more than 1,300 of the animals have stranded themselves along the coast. After settling all federal and state claims, and paying for the clean-up, BP will pay nearly $54 billion in fines The company will pay $5.5 billion under the Clean Water Act ( the maximum penalty allowed was $13.7 billion) It is the largest payment in history under the CWA The entire settlement is the largest ever reached between the U.S. government and a corporation
GE "Ecomagination"
In May 2005 GE announced its $90 million "Ecomagination" advertising campaign. In February of 2008, "Ecomagination" ads aired during the Superbowl. The company said that revenue from 70 Ecomagination products and services would be $17 billion in 2008. GE's "Dancing Elephant": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TifeJZj7umA According to the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), GE was the 5th largest producer of chemicals with four facilities in the top 100, generating 332,336 pounds of toxic waste in 2007. In the miscellaneous manufacturing industry, GE's 'GE Osmonics' facility was the 4th highest producing facility of TRI production-related waste (at 1,919,437 lbs). General Electric is the 6th most toxic company when considering the proportionate population exposed to its pollution and the toxicity level from its production plants. According to the EPA, "From approximately 1947 to 1977, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from its capacitor manufacturing plants" at two facilities on the Hudson River. The EPA says that "The primary health risk associated with the site is the accumulation of PCBs in the human body through eating contaminated fish." The EPA has found that the cancer risk from eating fish from the Upper Hudson exceeds the EPA standard by 700 times. 2015: CAA & RCRA Violations
3. Regulate Industry
Industry accounted for 30% of GHG emissions growth between 2000 - 2010, and is responsible for 28% of global energy use and currently is the source of more emissions than the transport or building sectors. "Wide-scale upgrading, replacement and deployment of best available technologies" could reduce that energy intensity by up to 25% The economic case for reducing emissions is sound: "many emission-reduction options are cost-effective, profitable and associated with multiple benefits." The barriers? 1) Lack of policy and regulations and 2) lack of experience in material and service efficiency
Corporate Self-Policing
Industry self-regulation, or "self-policing" is the process by which an organization/corporation monitors its own adherence to guidelines/laws In our case, environmental legislation such as the CAA, CWA, etc. See OPTIONAL Additional Reading on Self-Policing What are some potential benefits of this? What are some potential downfalls?
7. International Level - Cooperation!!
It's technically a U.N. report, so this part should come as no surprise: "Effective mitigation will not be achieved if individual agents advance their own interests independently." Speaking with reporters, IPCC author Robert Stavins emphasized the ideas of the global commons: While the benefits of taking action are global, the costs of doing so are local, and thus carry unequal weight. For some forms of geo-engineering, he added, the reverse is even possible: technologies can have local benefits but a net-negative impact on the rest of the world. This is a global problem that requires a global solution: We're all in this together, people.
Environmental politics
Lobbying What is this and why is it relevant? (google if you're unsure) Letter writing We (as citizens) can contact our legislators to make our opinions on legislation known Voting We can vote for those who support legislation we believe is important Starts with: an "idea" for an environmental law Often lead to: a clash of interests, ideas and values Occurs inside and outside of government Forces us to: define the "problem" and what the government should (or should not) do about it
Inequities of the RCRA in the U.S.
Many items listed as hazardous waste in international law are classified as nonhazardous or non-waste in the United States and therefore are not covered by the RCRA. "The RCRA does not address e-waste as a unique form of hazardous waste—under existing law, material(s) that is/are commonly understood to constitute e-waste is largely unregulated because it is classified as nonhazardous, or as non-waste. So in the United States, much e-waste is either exempt or excluded from environmental regulation. Waste excluded from regulation includes electronic equipment designated for reuse and materials that can be recycled into new products (for example, processed scrap metal, shredded circuit boards, and CRT glass). However, most e-waste cannot legally be placed in U.S. landfills."
Regulation of E-Waste
National legislation governing the disposal of e-waste: The U.S. lacks comprehensive e-waste regulation Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) "CRT Rule" Companies exporting for "recycling" Companies exporting for "reuse" International legislation governing e-waste: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste International environmental treaty designed to monitor and limit the movement of waste between nations Only (2) countries have not ratified the Convention - who are they? Look up: Basel "Ban" (1995) [still not 'in force'] Recycling "Loophole" - Prohibits the export of hazardous waste from a list of developed countries to developing countries.
Results of the Inquiry
No consistent national enforcement program State enforcement programs frequently do no meet national goals (nor take necessary enforcement actions) Noncompliance is high, level of enforcement is low "EPA does not consistently hold states accountable for meeting enforcement standards, has not set clear and consistent national benchmarks, and does not act effectively to curtail weak and inconsistent enforcement by states."
6. Individual Level - BE GREEN!!!
Obviously, this is going to take more than individual action. BUT... lifestyle and behavioral changes aren't to be discounted — especially if we can design policies and infrastructure that encourage us to live differently. In buildings, for example, such changes could reduce energy demand by up to 20% in the short term and by up to 50% by 2050. Changes in consumption, diet and food waste are all listed as important considerations as well
CSR and the Olympics
Olympic Sponsorship: CSR Opportunity or Greenwashing?
EPA Enforcement
One of the strongest critiques of U.S. environmental regulation is the lack of enforcement that accompanies it. The 1980's saw an increase in environmental criminal prosecution as scholars simultaneously began to debate the requirements for environmental crimes. One inconsistent aspect of environmental prosecution is sentencing— For example, appellate courts have been handing down increasingly severe sentences, but district courts have been handing down increasingly lenient sentences. These sentences, however, are by no means as severe in their penalties as they could be, as "few environmental defendants of any type go to prison." Current guidelines seem to be more equipped to sentence low culpability offenders to incarceration than high culpability violators. That is to say, those who bear less control over the violation (perhaps those acting on orders from a 'higher up' at the organization) are more likely to be sentenced than those who actually gave the order. O'Hear (2004) suggests that sentence length should be directly proportionate to level of culpability. Thoughts on this?
E-Waste in the Developing World
PBS Frontline Required Film "Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground" http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
The Political economy of environmental Crime
Political contributions Media contributions
The Development of Corporate Self-Policing
Prior to the Self-Policing Policy ...punishment Companies who reported their own violations were fined Companies who were found to have violations were fined Fostered an environment that encouraged non-compliance (or at least, did not encourage self-reporting). EPA Self-Policing Policy ("Audit Policy") "Incentives for Self-Policing: Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations" First implemented in 1995 Self Policing has been employed more often over the last two decades by policy makers "Self policing is characteristic of the general trend in regulatory policy toward market-based incentives and away from traditional enforcement."
Criminal implications - Case study
Read the article, "The Case of Executive Recycling" under the 'Additional Readings' tab. Consider the following: 1. What did Executive Recycling, Inc. do that was illegal? Shipping containers to China filled with e waste--direct violation of RCRA. Failed to file the notification of intent to export with the EPA, and failed to obtain consent of the receiving country. Illegally exporting toxic e waste 2. How were they 'profiting twice' from this enterprise? 3. Were they charged and/or convicted? In 2011, federal charges for illegally exporting toxic electronic waste. They were indicted on multiple charges including wire and mail fraud, failure to file notification of intent to export hazardous waste, exportation contrary to law, and destruction, alteration, or falsification of records And they were convicted in 2012. They were not convicted of failure to file notification. Sentencing scheduled in 2013 Executive Recycling appeared as the exporter of record in over 300 exports between 2005 and 2008. Approximately 160 of these exported cargo containers contained a total of more than 100,000 CRTs. Between 2005 - 2009, the defendants knowingly defrauded various business and government entities who wanted to dispose of their electronic waste. The business profited from these schemes under false and fraudulent pretenses. The Case of Executive Recycling, Inc. Were criminal charges filed? http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/12/21/executive-recycling-execs-guilty-of-fraud-environmental-crimes/ Sentenced to pay 4,500,000 mil fine and serve 3 years on probation. Outcomes of the case?
Corporate Environmental Crime
Remember, ... We haven't always had laws... We haven't always had enforcement agencies... Lack of deterrence... Development of regulations and enforcement in the 1970's
Lobbying in the united states
Roughly $9 billion spent annually on lobbying Some lobbyists make million-dollar salaries Should we be concerned about this? Why or why not? It is estimated that 40% of members of the U.S. Congress that leave office (or lose elections) later become lobbyists They are already familiar with the system, and they know influential lawmakers Oil & Gas Industry Contributions
The Case of Executive recycling, inc.
The Charges: CEO Brandon Richter and Vice President of Operations Tor Olson of Executive Recycling, Inc. were indicted on multiple charges, including: wire and mail fraud failure to file notification of intent to export hazardous waste exportation contrary to law destruction, alteration, or falsification of records The Conviction: Over a year after the indictment, Executive Recycling, Inc. along with defendants Richter and Olson were convicted in criminal court on December 21, 2012, of: six counts of wire fraud one count of mail fraud one count of exportation contrary to law Brandon Richter, along with Executive Recycling, Inc. as a firm, was also convicted of (U.S.C. Section 1519) destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a Federal investigation What were they NOT convicted of? 42 U.S.C. Section 6928(d)(4): Failure to file notification of intent to export hazardous waste (under the EPA and RCRA regulations) The Sentencing (July, 2013): Executive Recycling, the corporation, was sentenced to pay a $4.5 million dollar fine and serve 3 years on probation. Richter was ordered to serve 30 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release. Richter also must pay a $7,500 fine and $70,144 in restitution (as well as $142,000 in asset forfeiture). Olson was sentenced to serve 14 months UPDATE: After a jury trial in 2012 and sentencing in 2013, in July 2015 the 10th Circuit reversed all convictions against the individual defendants except for an obstruction count against Richter. Olson and Richter then subsequently pleaded guilty to wire fraud convictions (18 U.S.C. § 1343). June 2017: Richter was re-sentenced to 22 months' incarceration, followed by three years' supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $70,144 in restitution to six victims, proportional to their loss. February 2017: Olson was resentenced to six months' incarceration, followed by three years' supervised release, and required to pay a $2,500 fine plus $2,065 in restitution to the City of Boulder.
Office of Criminal Enforcement
The OCE will (should) also investigate individual employees and their corporate employers who may be culpable. "A corporation is, by law, responsible for the criminal act of its officers and employees who act within the scope of their employment and in furtherance of the purposes of the corporation. Whether the corporate officer or the employee personally commits the act, or directs, aids, or counsels other employees to do so is inconsequential to the issue of corporate culpability."
2. Build Greener Buildings / Urban Living
The buildings we live and work in account for 32% of global energy use; energy demand and the consequent emissions could increase anywhere from 50 to 150% by 2050. Approaching new construction with energy efficiency in mind, and retrofitting our old buildings by the same principles, are both necessary, and would effect massive change. Integrate things like well-placed residential and employment centers, efficient use of land and space and access to and investment in public transportation.
Green Criminology & Greenwashing
The evolution of 'Greenwashing': Corporations began reconstructing the definition of 'green,' while simultaneously failing to reconstruct their environmental impact. This 'green' façade is accomplished via expensive public relations campaigns that paint major corporations in an 'environmentally friendly' light: "In a nutshell, the corporate redefinition of the word 'green' presented the public with a mild, less radical and de-politicized environmental vision along with less drastic responses (stressing consumption rather than production issues) to environmental issues." Recall that green criminology considers social, political and economic conditions that lead to environmental crime. Research in the field of green criminology is in one way or another linked to the economy—corporate influence on environmental happenings is incredibly pervasive: "During the 1990s, World Resources Institute, National Audubon Society, Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and National Wildlife Federation received donations from corporations well known as polluters including Waste Management, Cargill, Chevron, Dow, DuPont, Ford, Motorola and Scott Paper."
Circumventing legislation
The guise of "recycling" Estimates suggest that less than 25% of shipments labeled for recycling are used for such; the rest is irreparable 'junk' (Ladou and Lovegrove 2008; Liddick 2011; Schmidt 2006) The remaining waste is often burned (releasing dangerous substances into the air) or improperly buried (releasing dangerous substances into the ground and/or local water supply)
1. Switch to Renewables / Carbon Tax
The problems brought about by the burning of fossil fuels cannot be solved with more of the same. The IPCC noted emissions were now "the highest in human history" and grew by 2.2% annually between 2000 and 2010, compared to 1.3% on average over the previous three decades. In the next two decades, according to the IPCC report, fossil fuel use will need to decline by about 20%— phasing out coal, in particular, would have a significant impact. Investment in low-carbon energy, conversely, will need to double. It suggested emissions could be substantially reduced through changes in consumption patterns - changing the ways we travel, using less energy and longer-lasting products in households as well as dietary change and less food waste
How else might we assess the impact?
Things to keep in mind: Jarrell article: Importance of media coverage? Most environmental problems and disasters are described in the news media as accidents. With constant media attention to random violent encounters and lack of exposure to the extent and severity of environmental harms, it is unlikely the public will regard environmental risks as serious Karpoff: Importance of reputational penalties v. legal penalties? Legal penalities are more important. Reputation plays a small role in discipling environmental violations
Example of environmental Legislation: Plastic Micro-beads
Tiny plastics in our products (face wash, body soap, toothpaste, etc.) that end up in the water system Because of their size, microbeads don't get filtered out by wastewater treatment plants. Instead they are discharged directly into rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Fish, turtles, and other aquatic wildlife then feed on the tiny bits of plastic, which to them are often indistinguishable from food. But rather than simply getting eaten and discharged by the animals, the microbeads become lodged in the animals' stomachs or intestines. When this happens, the animals often stop eating and die of starvation or suffer other health problems. A 2013 study found as many as 1.7 million of the tiny plastic particles per square kilometer in Lake Erie Subsequent issues with bioaccumulation and biomagnification
A Climate of Doubt
What are climate change skeptics "doing" in this film? Why/how is this relevant to politics? Why/how is this relevant to the economy? How is the media involved? How is this relevant to public opinion?
Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground
What are your initial reactions to the film? How do you recycle your e-waste? Have you ever considered where it goes when you're done with it? Do we, as consumers, have an obligation to properly use and dispose of our products? Why or why not?
Environmental Protection Agency
What authority does the EPA have in investigating environmental crime? EPA Office of Criminal Enforcement (OCE) What authority does the EPA in prosecuting environmental crime? DOJ Environmental Crimes Section (ECS) Enforcement Policy developed in the 1990's to help officers distinguish between civil and criminal infractions: 1) History of repeated violations 2) Deliberate wrongdoing 3) Falsifying or withholding information 4) Tampering with pollution monitoring devices 5) Existence of potential environmental harm The OCE will then review the case to determine: 1) If significant environmental harm occurred 2) Culpable conduct If the infraction meets some/all of these criteria, it will likely be turned over to the DOJ for prosecution
Additional Reading: BP Oil Spill: A State-Corporate Environmental Cover-Up
What is the article about? The article is about the extent of which BP went to hide the oil spill by using chemical dispersants and the federal government who aided them in their efforts. The motivation of the federal government was to contain the financial impact of the spill to the regions tourism and fishing industries, and the continued development of offshore oil leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. Article examines the government (coast guard, department of homeland security, and law enforcement) and corporate response to the oil spill. Who were the involved parties? "The federal government worked as co-combatants with BP in the fight to contain the Macondo well, hide the oil and prevent public visibility of the spill's environmental effects through various means including using chemical dispersants to dissolve the oil, as well as issuing and policing a media blackout of the Gulf Coast." (p. 167-168)
Corporate Self-Auditing v. Self-Policing
What is the difference between self-auditing and self-policing? Stretesky (2006) suggests that regulatory agencies (like the EPA) can do little to increase the self-policing of environmental violations Why is this? In addition, those known by the EPA to be "good" corporate actors are less likely to be audited by the EPA. How effective, then, is corporate self-policing?
Environmental politics
What role do science and technology play in environmental legislation? Clean technology Recycling, waste minimisation, substitution of materials, changed production processes, pollution control, and more efficient usage of resources Defining (some) of the characteristics of our environmental problems Defining (some) of the solutions for these problems Issues with Science & Technology? "Emerging" or "new" Tentative Uncertain Speculative Use of Data Can be misused and/ or misrepresented Intentionally or unintentionally The impact of lobbying A Climate of Corporate Control PBS Frontline: A Climate of Doubt (Film for Module #3)
So why not recycle in the U.S.?
While e-waste recycling is increasing in the U.S., the industry faces a number of challenges: Convincing consumers to recycle The logistics of collecting e-waste Efficiently disassembling products Safely removing hazardous substances Efficiently processing materials Recovering value from many of the e-waste constituent materials
