Earth Day (April 22) Op-Ed
By Susan Varlamoff
University of
Georgia
Few would argue that future generations don’t deserve clean air,
water and land. So why is the road to protecting our natural
resources often blocked with contentiousness?
Having worked in the environmental field in industry,
environmental groups and academe for the past 25 years, I believe
it’s because we don’t take time to listen and understand others’
viewpoints.
The good news is that two groups with differing views are now
trying to bridge the communication gap. To overcome the finger
pointing on water issues, the Association County Commissioners of
Georgia conducted an exchange program.
Y’all come
They brought rural officials to Atlanta and Atlanta officials to
south Georgia so each could see and understand the other’s
concerns. What a difference it made, said Glenn Dowling,
associate legislative director.
The Georgia Environmental Council, an association of
environmental organizations, facilitates forums on various
issues. It tries to promote understanding between the
conservation community and government, industry and others.
Environmentalists will have a chance soon to speak with farmers
about water rights, water conservation and water quality.
A new day dawned on Georgia’s environment when the governor
appointed an ecologist and scientist to direct the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division. Carol Couch leads by example
as she tours the state listening to environmentalists,
scientists, farmers and industry representatives to understand
their perspectives on issues.
High ideals
In her mission to protect and enhance Georgia’s environment,
Couch promises to be just, consider political and economic
factors and base decisions on sound science.
A sustainable society is often compared to a three-legged stool
supported by economic, environmental and social legs. If we hope
to maintain our equilibrium, we must give equal consideration to
each factor. Herein lies the problem.
Many statements I’ve heard over the years illustrate how
misinformation can damage our ability to work together to achieve
sustainability. Examples include: If only we’d listened to the
community, we might have avoided the protracted landfill battle.
Gosh, we didn’t know pesticide levels in urban watersheds exceed
levels in rural watersheds – all along, we’ve blamed farmers. And
those environmentalists will drive us out of business!
You gotta be kidding
What amazes me, too, is the uninformed perceptions people have of
government, various industries and the conservation community.
Granted, bad actors find their way into every interest group, but
as our mothers said, “You can’t judge the whole by a few.”
Farmers aren’t trying to pollute the very land they rely on to
produce food and their livelihoods. What sense would that
make?
Industry provides work so we can provide for our families and
have the time and resources to bike, hike and canoe in our parks.
Georgia’s economy needs to keep jobs within the state.
Many environmentalists are well-educated professionals who gave
up lucrative positions to keep our rivers from flowing with raw
sewage, to persuade the government to hold public hearings on
important decisions and to prohibit mining in the cherished and
irreplaceable Okefenokee Swamp. We need environmental watchdogs
to safeguard our natural resources.
Time is short
With the complexity of environmental issues, we can’t afford to
waste more time not listening to one another and opting instead
to go along with preconceived ideas and our own narrow agenda.
Time is not on our side as we face critical water shortages and
degradation of our air, streams and land in Georgia.
“A true environmentalist is a humanitarian who’s interested in
the welfare of the greater community,” said Neil Veilleux, a 4-H
educator at Jekyll Island and a Fulbright Scholar studying
environmental public policy in Germany next semester.
“I would expect that almost everyone would want to protect the
social community, and by extension the ecological community,” he
said, “for both themselves and future generations.”
(Susan Varlamoff is the public relations coordinator with the
Office of Environmental Sciences of the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
