Environment Rules Library

We take our environment for granted. When we flip the light switch we expect the light to go on. We don’t much care why or how that happens. And most people don’t care about the intricate workings of our solid waste system of disposal and recovery, unless that system breaks down or rates skyrocket.

Without responsibility, authority will be exercised in shortsighted ways. This section of the web site identifies rules that encourage communities to adopt a longer perspective and embrace policies that are responsible to the next generation. The most enduring way to reduce pollution is to extract the maximum value from local resources. The higher the efficiency, the lower the waste, the lower the pollution.

This section identifies the rules–tax policies, regulations, ordinances, etc.– that best reflect that philosophy. Such rules encourage entrepreneurial energy and investment capital and scientific genius to maximize efficiency and the harnessing of renewable resources. Rather than a comprehensive listing of all measures that protect the environment, we list those that are the most rigorous, or innovative, or far reaching.