As a professional, technical, and scientific service provider, ESA connects the best products, services and knowledge from the environmental industry to businesses and communities nationwide.

Science, Technology, And The Environmental Revolution

Dr. Vandy Blue Spikes | Earth Science Agency

08/01/04, 12:00 AM | Solar Power | Analysis and Trends
Science


by Dr. Vandy Blue Spikes vbs@earthscienceagency.com
http://www.earthscienceagency.com/

In contrast to recent scientific reports that show that the surface of Earth is getting warmer, sea levels are rising, glaciers and ice sheets are melting, increasing numbers of species are going extinct, and air and water quality is worsening, the American environmental industry is driving positive environmental change. After a slow transition from a regulation-driven to a market-driven industry, the environmental market is getting a boost from the new "Pro-Green" attitude that is rapidly spreading across America. This shift in ideology can be attributed to three factors. First, deregulation has undermined environmental laws, but state and local governments have responded by introducing incentive programs that reward environmental stewardship. Second, recent success stories from the environmental industry have demonstrated how profitable green can be. Third, in light of recent scientific reports, we humans can no longer deny that our activities are degrading our environment.

To better understand how the environmental industry has changed, and why this is good for the environment, you should first look at the progression of what many people call the Environmental Revolution. Ever since the introduction of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969, congress has used scientific findings to develop laws that protect the environment by punishing noncompliant companies with fines and opening them up to lawsuits. Starting in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became the enforcer of this negative feedback, which fueled the environmental industry throughout the 70's and 80's. The amazing growth experienced in the previous two decades by environmental consulting and engineering companies was slowed in the late 1990's by massive deregulation efforts. Today, deregulation has reached the point where most of the country's biggest polluters can avoid paying for their disregard of public health. However, deregulation has also done something tremendously valuable for the environmental industry. Deregulation has forced this mature industry to compete in a free market business environ rather than relying on the government to put forth regulatory measures. In other words, the environmental industry has gone from being a retroactive remediation force, to a proactive sustainability force that is creating solutions using advances in science and technology. In addition, states are now seeing the value of utilizing the products and services of the new environmental industry. Almost every state now has several renewable energy incentive programs in place, which range from rebate programs to tax breaks. Many states also have similar incentive programs for transportation, recycling, and water resource programs. These changes in the environmental industry indicate that America is now more focused on preventing environmental issues, which is good for the economy and the environment.

So, what does this mean for the average citizen? It means that companies who provide environmental services and products will soon be within reach of everyone. Renewable energy homes will no longer be off-grid and far from the populated areas that need it most. Recycling efforts will no longer be limited to environmentally conscious individuals and high-income communities. Water resources will no longer be depleted and polluted leaving many Americans without a reliable source of potable water. All of these environmental issues (and others) are the focus of today's environmental industry. Those who embrace the environmental revolution will not only be helping the environment, they will be helping to pave the way for a new, more profitable economy that will continue to grow in a sustainable fashion.

Earth Science Agency, LLC
The Earth Science Agency's (ESA) mission is to facilitate the environmental revolution. As a professional, technical, and scientific service provider, ESA connects the best products, services and knowledge from the environmental industry to businesses and communities nationwide. ESA engages in diverse projects ranging from scientific consulting for government-funded research efforts; professional consulting for manufacturers, retailers, and buyers of environmental products; and technical consulting for organizations that need custom software, website, and database development. ESA's mission is to help environmental businesses grow, to increase the quality of life for Americans, and protect the environment for a sustainable future.
erWEB
 

Another important project undertaken by ESA is the development of the Environmental Resource Web (erWEB - www.erweb.org). erWEB is a comprehensive web utility that conveys current information about the Environmental Industry to all sectors of American society. In this way, erWEB is helping Americans understand and utilize the products and services of the emerging Environmental Industry. At the heart of erWEB is an intricate set of relational databases that link all components of the environmental industry with related news, facts and statistics, events, market information, and spatial data (information linked using the North American Industry Classification System, a.k.a. NAICS). This high degree of interconnectivity makes erWEB an especially valuable resource for businesses, non-profit organizations, scientific and technological research centers, and government agencies that are involved in the environmental industry.

To learn more about the Earth Science Agency and erWEB, please visit us at www.earthscienceagency.com and www.erweb.org.

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The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
08/01/04, 12:00 AM | Solar Power | Analysis and Trends
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