What can the U.S. do to help ensure environmental sustainability?

Question

what do u think?

Answer 1

First, environmental sustainability is a goal, never an achievable state.  Just like world peace, it can never totally be achieved and since noone agrees on how to measure it, you never know how close you are.

USEPA has a good page on some of their efforts which include new energy sources, protecting envioronments and other things.  The biggest way to move towards sustainability is by reducing consumption.  People in countries like the USA and EU consume too much.  But this is going to be hard to sell to people.  They want their new i-pod or i-phone every year.  They can't wear those jeans three or four years, instead of buying new ones.  They have to have makeup and hair fixings.  We have to have AC when it gets the least bit hot. Try cutting the internet off for four hours every day to save power and see what happens. Try telling a typical teenager that they would have to consume half as much stuff every year and see how far you get.  Tell soccer moms to not only give up the SUV, but that they can only drive half of what they drive today. The fact that people talk big, but only want it to apply to other people, is the biggest hurdle we have.

You ask what the US can do.  That is the wrong question.  The government can NOT do it.  It should be, what are everyday people in the US willing to give up to move towards this goal.  If they don't give it up, the government is powerless.

Answer 2

Engineering and implementing new water resource management tools.

Identifying and managing the risks posed by “emerging contaminants” whose long-term impacts could prolong health threats, administrative burdens and environmental legacy costs.

Developing innovative methods to improve and integrate cleanup planning and implementation activities at waste sites so lands can be re-opened for public use.

Building sustainable and secure energy futures