Frameworks for Environmental Policy

There are many similar discussion points brought to our attention in Steven Cohen’s “Understanding Environmental Policy. I thoroughly enjoyed his examples of New York City’s solid waste disposal, toxic waste dumping, and simply expansion of individual lifestyles. All three have aided in the process of increases pollution and damaging our local environments. I do believe, as he outlines with the example of San Francisco’s Pay-As-You-Throw program, that there can be innovative measures taken by public entities to combat polluters. Also, I believe he hits home with a great demonstration of how we can be consumed in our own consumption of our private lifestyle, that we become “Jetsoneque”. Meaning of course we are forgetting and neglecting our natural environment due to use and expansion of technology (Cohen, Ch. 2-5).

Furthermore, Cohen emphasizes many of the key issues and historical problems that have been a part of America’s history. These include addressing the problem of pollution through a symptomatic approach rather than an interconnected way. Basically meaning we treat the symptoms of a problem without recognizing that something much larger is at fault and occurring before us. It is almost as if issues are taken in piecemeal form for the majority of the time. This can be attributed to a host of factors including those behind policy making and action implementation. I also find his distinct period labels interesting discussed in three stages; 1970s-1990 “regulating for environmental protection, 1980s-1990s “efficiency-based regulatory reform and flexibility, and lastly 1990-present “toward sustainable communities.” I am curious if there could be potential for a new stage within this series as race forward in renewable energy and technology through these next two or three decades (Cohen, Ch. 6-8).