Economy and Environment

Now let me get this straight. The economy is slumping because people are not buying things. They are not purchasing cars or gasoline, TV sets and other appliances. They are not buying more clothes or even very expensive high-end purses. In my neighborhood even garage sales are slumping. People are not buying other people’s junk. Many people leave good things in front of their homes with signs saying “Free. Please Take.”

Presumably, what will help the economy is for people to start buying more stuff again –whether they need it or not. However, the environment is already overcrowded with junk and garbage. Acid wastes threaten water supplies. Too much automobile driving and smoking factories result in air pollution.

Yet in order to save the economy, we are urged to buy more stuff, most of which we don’t need, which in turn will continue to pollute the earth, air and water.

I suspect this dilemma comes about because companies want to make very high profits, pay investors well, provide high salaries for executives and just enough for their employees. These are not evil goals. They are just short sighted.

We need to produce better made and more fuel efficient cars, eat less but more nutritious food, better health care, rebuild the nation’s highways bridges and dams. In addition, building schools, libraries and providing better police and fire protection produce jobs.

In addition to this, we Americans need to get over our tax-a-phobia and start to pay for the things we want government to provide for us.