Behind the Curve
During the summer of 2019, I spent four weeks in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany leading a study abroad focused on sustainability with 12 undergraduate business students. After almost every tour and every corporate visit, my students would turn to each other, often incredulously, and ask, “Why in the world aren’t we doing this in the United States?”
Today is the 51st celebration of Earth Day. The 50th Anniversary celebrations got derailed a bit—as all things did—by the global pandemic, but the slowdown in commerce and travel did result in observably clearer skies and quieter oceans. Economies and transportation are roaring back to life, and human impacts on the environment will continue.
The United States is behind other nations when it comes to clean energy jobs and sustainability initiatives. We seek to be a global leader in many regards, but in this area, we simply are not.
What is it, you ask, that my students were wondering about? So many things.
Many of these initiatives make good sense. They save money. They save resources. They are considerate of future generations and mindful of waste and landfill space.
One simple example was a trash can with a solar-powered sensor. Instead of municipal crews picking up trash at every public rubbish bin on a regular schedule, they are informed, via sensor, when the trash can is full. Fuel is saved, and time is saved.
Want a straw? You might have to ask for one. And when given to you, it is a paper straw, capable of decomposing in a landfill in two to six weeks. By contrast, plastic straws are estimated to take 200 years to disintegrate.
Want to toss a recyclable can or bottle? Recycling is common practice and recycling stations are available in urban areas.
Live in the city but want to compost? Community compost and vermicomposting (worm bins to help with composting) are available.
Want to bike ride to work? No problem. You can take the bike lane that covers hundreds of miles of countryside, safely separated from the main road, including bike traffic lights.
Want to reduce your energy costs? Install roof-top solar panels, which were present on more than half the homes we observed in the region.
Want to charge your electric vehicle? Sure, plug in at one of thousands of public charging stations.
Want to reduce your water usage and materials costs at your factory? Innovate. Reduce waste. Source sustainable materials. Follow the example of an Atlanta-based modular carpet company Interface, whose mission is “to overcome the biggest challenge facing humanity and reverse global warming.” And that’s coming from a local resource-intensive, factory-based carpet company.
We visited a factory in the Netherlands and were so impressed with all the technological advancements to reduce waste and emissions.
We were blown away, every day, by what seemed commonplace to them but what often remains to be seen where we live. If we want to recycle, we have to schlep our stuff to the landfill. No doubt, I’m grateful for the facility, but curbside recycling would no doubt increase participation.
If we want to cycle, we have to brave the highways and city streets, hoping that a distracted motorist is not behind the wheel. If you want to charge your electric vehicle, you can’t do it here . . . yet.
So there is a tremendous opportunity. On this Earth Day, let us all think of the ways we can be good stewards of our resources, how we might educate others and how we might create a culture where we too may take these things for granted.