Driving While Blind
If we dare seek a future glance into the Bush Administration’s abysmal environmental policy, we need look no further than China. China is well known for lacking not only safety policies for factory workers, but also lacking sanctions and restrictions for polluters. Earlier this year we learned about toxic water near a MSG factory, causing many of the poorest agricultural neighbors forced to drink from streams and wells serious intestinal problems.
Today we hear about an explosion at a petrochemical plant and the subsequent release of a 50-mile long slick of highly toxic waste floating seaward toward some highly populated areas. Typical to any totalitarian government, lies, cover-ups and a series of “blame game” attacks follow the poison slick downriver. Not unlike the FEMA disaster of New Orleans 2005, which will likely mark one of the greatest disasters in American history, so too will this gob of petroleum by-products be seen as one of China’s most disastrous accidents.
The similarities of policy are staggering: Neither government cares about the health of its people, neither care about clean air or potable water. No thought is given to the future of generations or to what kind of world we are leaving for our children. Only economic growth (read: money) and political strength (read: military power) matter to the leaders of both China and the United States. Both nations are bent on a myopic policy of unrestrained growth unmindful of any destructive impact it may have on society, humanity or our fragile planet.
In both nations leaders are driving the force of hyper-industrialization blindly. We, the powerless people, must stand aside and watch as our future is abandoned, our children’s children pay untold costs, and our globe heats up on its way to extinction of all life. All the while we pray that we don’t get run over by the sightless drivers of our political malcontent.