Environmental Trade-Offs

In the article The Truth About the Environment, Bjorn Lomborg expresses his views on environmental beliefs such as the depletion of natural resources and the burgeoning population. Society is exposed to one-sided issues. What the world knows about the environment is what they are told by environmentalists. Facts are ignored. Rationalism is disregarded. Energy supplies have always been large enough to supply the world’s needs, contradicting environmentalists’ statements that we will soon run out. Advancing technology has made possible continual discovery of new energy sources. Extraction is constrained by capital. Therefore, price increases are not due to scarcity.

America will not be overflowing with refuse within the next 10 years. “…even if the American population doubles by 2100, all the rubbish America produces through the entire 21^st century will take up (an 18 mile square), " writes Lomborg. Try to discuss this with the vast majority of people who have never bothered to research the facts. Land in the U.S. is plentiful yet many people are under the impression that without recycling we would be inundated by garbage.

Recycling is not cost effective. My roommate pays $15 a month for a recycling service. As part of this service we are required to clean each recyclable. Do you know how long it takes to scrub a peanut butter jar or wash a lotion container? Recycling is a misuse of my time and more importantly to me, a misuse of water. Steven Landsburg addresses this issue of trade-offs in Fair Play by asking, "with exactly which valuable resources are we obligated to be exceptionally frugal?" I feel that because I live in the desert more of my energy should be used to conserve water.

Bjor Lomborg poses an interesting question, “the question is whether the cure will actually be more costly than the ailment.” A better use of money according to Lomborg would be to “provide universal access to clean drinking water and sanitation”. (Lomborg, 2001, Always look on the dark side of life, para.8) This would prevent two million deaths annually. The environment needs to be managed with regards to opportunity costs. Bjorn Lomborg once held left-wing environmental views before he found data to support the opposite argument.