Why are we not seeing unique and inventive environmental solutions in America?

Question

Rather than wanting to follow in the footsteps of Europe with high taxes and stiff regulations? What happened to America being the progressive nation of independent minds that the rest of the world follows? Can we ever get back to that American spirit of invention and free-thinking instead of idly watching our leaders argue to no end?

Answer 1

Crippled by consensus.

No, not THAT "consensus". The consensus of our centralized federal government.

Independent minds? Free-thinking? There is no place for that in D.C. We have invested so much power in that government, and so much of our daily lives are directly tied to the decisions coming down from Capitol Hill, like Moses bringing down tablets to instruct us how to live our lives. We are forced into a lock-step, one-size-fits-all, consumption-based lifestyle. The truly unique ideas that don't appeal to the consensus just can't get any traction.

Have you ever been in a large group of friends or family deciding where or what to eat for dinner? It's almost always chaos. Chances are not everyone will be pleased with the choice as it will likely end up being the most bland or generic menu, settling for OK instead of great.

Back in the 90s, the US was set to build the SSC in Texas, the largest collider in the world - three times larger than the collider that will open in Europe next year. There's talk of a larger collider that could be built sometime in the late 21st century. Nevermind what secrets of high energy particles could have been uncovered, perhaps some insight into fusion energy - as clean and perfect a renewable energy source as we can conceive. We had already dug a quarter of the 54 mile circumference tunnel.

The whole project killed because of political infighting - there was too much fear that not every state was going to receive economic benefit, or that some were going to get more than others. It was all very childish and petty.

When we learn to truly value our individual differences and needs instead of playing off of the power struggle, perhaps by decentralizing the federal government and empowering lean state and local governments more sensitive to the needs of its constituents...THEN we might recapture that spirit that drew its strength from diversity.

Sorry to get preachy, but I do believe in this.

Answer 2

Well, the US was the most innovative during the cold war era, but todays, lawyers firms are hiring scientists to think about future ideas and patent them even before somebody arrived with a working prototypes... So now they have built large patent banks where companies are forced to deal with in order to get access to their home made inventions, because a bunch of over paid scientists have seen something like that before... Well, this is the NEW USA... Where inventions are owned by the corporate world, and where individuals have no say in the matter!! Even now, if you want to contest a patent, the process has become so much more complicated that if you cannot financed a team of lawyers you are done...
So yes, the environment is screwed, and yes everything else is getting screwed!! All in all, this place needs to restart to ZERO or get another cold war in order to cool down the GW! ;)

Answer 3

High taxes inventive? No, high taxes limit the inventive process.

You don't see the new technologies that regulate boilers (sorry, I know you have no idea what I'm talking about. Your problem, not mine) to reduce co2 emissions and maximize fuel energy, or the scrubbers that can pull sulfur and other particulates from coal fired energy plants.

Half of all co2 is put into the air from electric generation, yet we prevent ourselves from using high tech nuclear power.

Instead, you look at the news showing puffy white clouds of water vapor coming from a factory smoke stack and believe that this is pollution.

Things are being done, new technology is being developed. Global warming is very profitable. You just don't see it, therefore to you, from your perspective, it isn't happening.

Answer 4

the new american spirit is profiteering and exploitation, it seems.

unique and inventive is equated with unproven and whimsical by many americans. instead of grains of salt, they use kool-aid when faced with something new.

the political leadership doesn't actively encourage new technologies beacuse they would eat away at the profits of the old technologies, to which they owe a debt of gratitude.

the scientific community is viewed with skepticism by BOTH sides, wondering about and fearing unspoken political and finanacial agendas. environmental spokespersons are ridiculed likewise as hypocrites, or accused of having their OWN agendas.

the grass roots movements are ridiculed by those who do not understand, or those who have much to lose by adopting the solutions you speak of.

this is a noxious atmosphere in which to breed unique environmental solutions. name calling, violent protests, and divisive politics are the obvious signs of the poison within. but as always, life will find a way. there are bright spots, and acceptance, though slow, is a gradual process. perhaps it's time for the REST of the world to have a turn in front...

Answer 5

It's happening, but the obstacles are great. The areas where we most need dramatic change are in the energy, agriculture and transportation industries, all of which are controlled by a few large corporations with a large stake in things as they are. The next generation's Microsofts will be the companies with real solutions that are starting right now in someone's garage. The best thing we can do is fight the corporations' attempts to use the government to suppress creative solutions.

Answer 6

Not that I disagree with you--quite the opposite. But there is a LOT happening in the US--and its a whole lot more innovative than tired old "solutions" like passing a bunch of taxes and regulations.

The main thrust of government policy right now is the proposal to require carmakers to increase fuel efficiency. NOT regulations to tell them how--the itea is to leave it to them to find the best ways to meet the goal. Just set the standard, and let the engineers find the best way to meet it.

And--you want real innovation. Look at the soar energy industry (fror just one example): there are a whole slew of new start-ups developing radical new technologies that will bring costs down within a few years that will make solar energy really cost-effective. And private entrepreneurs are putting $3.5 Billion in new capital into alternative enrgy this year--just in Silicon Vally, not the whole country (up from $1.5 B last year.)

The American spirit is alive and well, thank you. But in Amrica, we don't sit back and expect the government to do it for us--we do it ourselves!

Answer 7

yes, europe has higher taxes, but they are far ahead of us in environmental technology, france is 70% nuclear, europe has mass transit far superior to our own, and the EU has given far more money to the ITER project than any other (5 times more than the US).

For starters, americans are some of the most scientifically illiterate people in the first world. Our education system has gone to crap, and now europe and asia are making break throughs. This is why you see such broad support for ideas like "creationism" and "solar global warming"-only in america.

Unfortunately american children have become too lazy to get science and engineering degrees, so our time is up, enter europe and asia.

Answer 8

I live in the central part of China and apartment buildings here, for the most part, have solar hot water for individual apartments. These units are cheap, use gravity feed, easy to maintain and cheap to install.

In the USA our solar hot water systems have pumps, expensive to install, and expensive to buy.

Many times when it comes to environmental items, its not always the cutting technology that uses power to make it work, but rather the simplest and least expensive solution.

Peace

Jim

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Answer 9

unfortunately our country is focused on a lot more things than the environment....if you walk down the street and count all the peices of trash you see or drive down a road and see all the pollution around you it is obvious we have not created a society that worries not about the environment, but many other things instead....

if we dont care about it we are definitly not going to be the ones to come up with inventions to help solve the problems....i hope it changes one day....i really do

Answer 10

Doubtful judging by the number of people using this place as a ***** and sit by and watch forum. Think the US is too self obsorbed to see their way out of this attitude.