RE: Today I Was An Environmentalist
I think that with your knowledge of chemistry you could also contribute to a better understanding and a better exploitation
I used to think that it was ecologists who saved our world. Then I realized that this is done by people who improve technology and invent new technological processes. Until 2007, we had a plant for the production of chlorine, which caused chlorine leaks, gassiness of the surrounding area, people at the plant were suffering from occupational diseases. People who lived in the surrounding villages could not grow cucumbers and cherries. In 2007 we closed this plant, built a new one using new technologies and in 2010 launched it. I worked at this plant for 10 years. There is no smell of chlorine, no emissions into the atmosphere and almost no other waste.
The environment can also be saved by politicians who can adopt appropriate legislation.
The environment can be saved by economists who can create the conditions for clean technologies to be more cost-effective.
I have no idea what age you might be
I will be 37 years old this year. When the Chernobyl disaster happened, I was less than 1 year old. April 26, everyone in my country knows this date, the date of the Chernobyl reactor explosion. By the way, this happened because of complete human stupidity. If you haven't seen the 5-episode series Chernobyl from British HBO, I highly recommend watching it.
but when I was about 17 I became quite skeptic on how much difference I could make and thought the world is mad
As a kid, I used to be proud of blocking water when I brushed my teeth. I was glad that I rode to the village by bicycle (we simply did not have a car then). I thought I was saving the world. In those days, our country had a very difficult post-Soviet period with hyperinflation and closure of enterprises.
Fifteen years later, prices for goods and energy resources in my country have reached European levels. Then the amount of water consumed by my city halved, and as fuel prices rose, people began to buy economical cars.
What has affected water savings? Environmentalists, people's consciousness? Only money.
You are right, Money is the key factor that moves all of this. Ecological approaches have to be good for the economy to work. Unfortunately there is no other way.
Technology can be used for good and it´s wonderful when that happens.
I have seen the 5 episode series of Chernobyl. I thought it was very good and interesting. Yes, it was all caused by a human error, this can happen again, with other human errors. It´s a very powerful tool to be working with...maybe robots will outdo is humans and be better at managing. They might be more perfect than us. I don´t know.