Healthy Economy and Environment

Safer Chemicals and Regulation Boosting Business

We often hear the pundits touting that new regulations and safer chemicals will kill jobs and undermine our already struggling economy. And yet, businesses making change are thriving. Check out the recent Forbes article, quoting Construction Specialties General Manager, Howard Wilson as he addresses green chemistry:

"'I’m a conservative Republican and in environmental circles it’s almost like who let you in the door?' Williams says. 'But safe chemistry is not a political issue, it’s a people issue.

 And when I talk about this stuff with my equally conservative friends they say, you’re right, we need to do better. We’ve all been touched by cancer, or infertility issues, or asthma—all of these issues seem to be on the rise, and I don’t think it’s because we’re devolving, I think it’s because something has happened. Even if the science out there about these chemicals is 50 percent wrong or even 75 percent wrong, which I don’t think it is, it still makes sense be on the safe side.'" (Read the whole article)

 

Last week's article in Businessweek looks at common misunderstandings about environmental regulations:  

"Supporters and opponents of the EPA’s new power plant rules agree that they will almost certainly result in dozens of coal plants shutting down and hundreds of workers being laid off. But that’s not the whole picture. Government employment figures also show that those same regulations usually wind up creating about as many jobs as they kill." (Read the whole article)

 

Building a Healthy Economy

On December 6th & 7th the Legislative Office Building was abuzz with talk of building New York's Healthy Economy and Environment.  Led by Clean and Healthy New York, this two-day conference highlighted successes in making financial sound, and environmentally- and health- protective changes in academia, schools, businesses and the public sector.  The 8th annual NYS Environmental Excellence Awards were presented as part of the conference.

The Keynote address was given by David Calligeros, Founder of Remains Lighting, which has developed an innovative factory in Brooklyn, NY.  A former Environmental Excellence Award winner, David focused on the simple decisions his company made that saved money from the start - shades and fans instead of an HVAC system for a company that uses heat-producing machinery.  

He highlighted some choices that have longer-term payoffs: A roof that's green - both because of the plants that reduce storm water run-off and because of the solar panels that provide the factory's electricity needs.  Though the pay-off term was fairly long, David said, "I basically paid for nine years of electricity up front." After that, the system will provide electricity with minimal cost.