In 1963 there were only an estimated 417 breeding pairs of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. Without concerted, science-based environmental protection, our national bird would very likely be extinct. More than any other person, we owe that victory to Rachel Carson, the author of "Silent Spring." They accused her of being radical, disloyal, unscientific, and hysterical. But federal regulation of DDT, inspired by "Silent Spring," has been instrumental in saving the species.
When I was growing up, air in many cities in the US was becoming unbreathable (or maybe had become unbreathable). Federal regulation in the form of the Clean Air Act made our cities once again safe for living and commerce, while at the same time reducing our dependence of foreign oil supplies.
Until implementation of the clean water act, fouling our countries waterways with untreated sewage was accepted practice. In Boston, you could not swim in the harbor or the Charles River. My father-in-law commented that growing up they learned the breast stroke first, so they could push the floating turds out of their way. These waterways and many others are now swimmable and fishable due to the success of environmental regulation. This has been the source of massive increases in quality of life and has been a key part of preserving our coastal fisheries.
Leaded gasoline was responsible for about two-thirds of the toxic lead that African-American children in Cleveland ingested or inhaled during the latter two-thirds of the 20th century, and was not exceptional in this regard. Federal action eliminated the use of tetraethyl lead in gasoline in the US, and over the last 40 years interventions to reduce lead exposure may have raised the mean IQ in adults by as much 4.5 points. Imagine what a boon that increased intelligence is to our economy and our civic life.
Global reductions in ozone-depleting emissions are expected to prevent over 2 million skin cancer deaths for people in the United States born in the years 1890–2100, as well as much more dramatic reductions in cataracts and non-fatal skin cancer. As a result of international agreement and cooperation, climate projections indicate that the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels between 2050 and 2070.
The value of a market-based economy is that it allows us to make rational decisions about what we value. But that does not mean common resources we all share should be unprotected. Science, good government, and vibrant economies all play a role in ensuring equity today and preserving vital resources for tomorrow. The environmental movement can rightly claim credit for not only the five continental- and global-scale victories above that saved countless human lives, but for many more smaller victories as well.
The history of environmentalism is replete with examples of stunning success that save lives, benefit the economy, and show the risks of governments that abdicate their responsibility for the common good. Some free-market theorists would seem to have us believe that if a purchaser can be found and a seller can make a buck, the system must be good. Of course, they might acknowledge some moral limits, but history has repeatedly shown that we cannot depend on unregulated capitalism for even the simple measure of not killing its own workers. By all means, consider the costs and the benefits of environmental policy. But I still defend the need for effective regulation, and honor the efforts of innumerable public servants that have made our quality of life possible.
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