We Want Zero Sum Pollution, Now

Let's try this as a working theory.
No corporation, business, institution,commercial or government enterprise or other "citizen" has the right to change the environment and ecology in pursuit of profit, unless and until their processes become "zero sum" based; that is, restoring and/or improving the air and water used in their processes to the highest quality level, with the goal of zero pollution. Recycling all waste to highest value use through re-manufacturing into other products, or ensuring downstream use by others dedicated to that purpose.

There is no inherent right for any commercial, industrial or government enterprise to be anything other than a zero-sum participant in the economy as regards pollution and the environment. If fact, they have a demonstrable duty and responsibility to affirmatively ensure that any of these operations of government or commerce operate ONLY as zero-sum participants, making sure that the quality of air, water and other materials generated through operations are BETTER after the operation of their processes.

If Citizens take the time to reason this through, they may see that giving anyone the right to pollute, or otherwise harm the ecology and environment in the pursuit of profit cannot be allowed for the sake of current and future generations. For hundreds of years government, industry and commerce have been allowed to ignore the effect of their operations on the health and welfare of others.

As long as Citizens are paying for the privilege of buying products and services, and supporting operations of commerce and government, the price will have to include making sure that participants in the economy operate under the zero-sum mandate.
To do otherwise is to further subsidize air and water pollution, food pollution, even radiation pollution.
Licenses and permits MUST include necessary agreements to "do no harm" to the ecology and environment, both internally in plant and commercial operations, and externally by making sure that all by-products are recycled to highest value, treated to equal-or-better than the intake (as in water and air) to the net effect of "Zero Sum," meaning no addition, dilution or subtraction to the environment from the materials, resources, and processes used.

That's not only reasonable, it's fair; to us, our children and our grandchildren of many future generations.

It's likely that the cost of most merchandise would go up, and despite the hue and cry of many, we should insist that goods imported meet these same criteria; that is, their manufacturing and production must also be Zero Sum to their country of origin. That would have the substantial additional benefit of spurring technology in the U.S., opening up U.S. markets for domestically produced Zero Sum goods and services, and using the level of government, state and local purchasing, plus environmental regulations ensure that the 19% of the economy generated y government and military purchases at all levels provide a real incentive to producers to participate. The U.S. already leads the world in volume of goods produced, and consumed. It seems that a little leadership, garnished with a cloak of environmental sustainability, would rapidly place the U.S. in yet another leadership position; that of responsible steward of the U.S. ecology-and by direct influence through purchasing power, on nations dependent on the U.S.

It's also reasonable to repeat the statement that, "Citizens have the right to demand that goods and services produced or consumed in the U.S., or operations of government and it's suppliers have no effect on the ecology and environment, to the effect of Zero Sum-meaning no net contribution-to air and water pollution and an improving environment over time."

The accelerated pace of development all over the world, the rate of resource usage and generation of air and water pollution, are not favorable for future generations. We can take action to mitigate manifest growing problems, or do nothing and let future generations suffer.That inaction would evidence extremely poor "citizenship" of Planet Earth. While the short term economics of this action are sure to lead to much anguish, there can be no doubt that granting business, commercial and government the right to pollute our air and water, our foods and environment, is also a continuing violation of responsibility that must be remedied. We are already paying a huge price in personal health degradation, in environmental degradation, and continuing ecological changes that are leading to a point in time that is not hopeful.

It takes just a little logic to establish the first and most important precept; neither government or business, institution or individual has the right to harm our environment.

When people say they want the world to be better for their children, here's the chance to mean it.