[GreenYes] Re: with $400 million, I think we could get darn close to ZW!

[David Biddle <Dbiddle@no.address>]

Not to be glib here, but market driven economics does the analysis for you
over time. I know that planning is better, and not going down certain roads
is preferable, but in lieu of good data and heavy consulting and research
fees, the market tells you what you need to know. Yes, yes, externalities
and subsidies muck up the equation, but still...

-- 
David Biddle, Executive Director
Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council
P.O. Box 4037
Philadelphia, PA 19118

215-247-3090 (desk)
215-432-8225 (cell)

<http://www.gpcrc.com>

Read In Business magazine to learn about sustainable
businesses in communities across North America!
Go to: <http://www.jgpress.com/inbusine.htm>

on 6/30/06 2:03 PM, Alan Muller at amuller@no.address wrote:

> At 11:38 AM 6/30/2006 -0500, Reindl, John wrote:
>> Hi Alan ~
>>  
>> Yes, I would say that, for example, transporting glass 1,000 miles for
>> glass-to-glass recycling may result in the use of more energy and the
>> emission of more pollutants to the atmosphere than alternative methods of
>> handling that material.
>>  
>> I recommend that we do analyses of what the environmental impacts are of our
>> decisions. I also recommend using an environmental valuation process to help
>> us combine the range of impacts (a pound of arsenic or mercury to the air has
>> a larger impact than a ton of carbon dioxide; environmental valuation can
>> help show the different sizes of these impacts).
>>  
>> Europe has used these methodologies to set green taxes. I suggest that we
>> also explore this approach.
>>  
>> John 
> 
> I agree that there is something to be said for this.  But I see problems also:
> (1)  Demands for this sort of analysis could be used to obstruct the
> development of "zero waste" programs by calling for all sorts of complex
> evaluations, and (2) this sort of assessment usually involves assumptions
> piled on top of assumptions.  The results often seems more sensitive to the
> assumptions than to the basic data itself.
> 
> I am influenced by the mischief that has been done by industry-driven "risk
> assessment" in environmental decision-making.
> 
> Alan
> 
> Alan Muller, Executive Director
> Green Delaware
> Box 69
> Port Penn, DE 19731 USA
> (302)834-3466
> fax (302)836-3005
> greendel@no.address
> www.greendel.org <http://www.greendel.org/>
> > 
> 







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