Response 3

While discussing Los Angeles’ air quality issues, Mazmanian and Kraft detail the market-based incentives that were used, including credits for cleaner technologies and incentives for citizens to switch to less polluting vehicles. I believe that such incentives are an important part to creating change in any environmental area, since people are much more likely to change their habits if they directly and immediately benefit from it. While air quality affects the entire community, citizens are less likely to see it this way if they are required to spend more money to improve their long-term situation.

However, I believe that companies work in a different way. Large companies are more likely to be constantly analyzing the future possibilities and how to get ahead. Market based incentives may also work well for them, but sometimes they decide that it is more economically viable to not revamp their industry and change their habits. This is where it is also extremely important for the EPA and other organizations to step in and require change. This move from a demanding regulatory political style to one of more flexibility seems backwards, especially as our air quality situation worsens (in LA and around the globe). While collaboration between citizens, businesses, and political leaders is an important aspect of any legislation, it should be collaboration to determine how to meet environmental goals, not necessarily what those goals should be. It is the work of scientists to determine what is best for pubic health.

Chapter five also discussed a similar change from determining water quality issues in Wisconsin to working together to clean up the area. Collaborations between the public, elected officials, and environmental groups promoted trust and a common goal. Qualified officials determined which issues needed to be worked on and the community worked together to meet these goals. Having a sense of community lends itself well to these types of situations and citizen promotion of environmental clean ups and support of regulations makes the job much easier.

Wisconsin, however, is a different place than LA. In Wisconsin, these types of community efforts are more possible through a stronger sense of togetherness. In more rural areas, a collaboration is possible and perhaps the most effective strategy. In Los Angeles and larger cities, it is more efficient to regulate for the greater good since the high concentration of population and severe air quality issues demand quick reform. It is an extremely important point that the authors make at the end of chapter five that, “The challenge for each community, region, and state is to design and implement its own distinct blend of policies and plans that best promises to inspire, support, and nourish a transition towards sustainability.” Some areas are doing this better than others.