Our society needs to continue pursuing an environmentally sustainable path for several reasons. However, the Green New Deal that we’re hearing about is not the answer. This has been promoted in a recent column in the Tribune, as well as a lot of other news sources, politicians and environmentalists.

I’m an advocate for environmentally sustainable practices and push change in many organizations I’ve worked with as a safety, environmental and continuous improvement professional and community advocate. Projects I’ve led or been a part of have had significant effects on reducing waste and pollution, and I practice what I preach in my personal life. Many of the projects I’ve worked on not only improved the environmental impact of businesses, but reduced costs and improved efficiency, as well.

The federal government is the least effective agent of change. Large projects they attempt to tackle get so caught up in red-tape, special interests, corruption and politicians who don’t understand the issues that what they push out is ineffective. The cost of many programs, both in taxes and what it costs businesses to comply, when weighed against what they accomplish, is horrendous.

On the other hand, private industry has been committing to responsible and sustainable practices for the past several decades. Voluntarily. Because it’s good for business, cost-effective, responsible and what the consumers demand. It’s when the federal government intervenes that this model goes bad.

Here’s one example. America’s big three automakers have had a huge chunk of the global market for decades. To compete, Toyota developed a lean manufacturing model that allowed them to make lighter and more efficient vehicles, using less manpower, producing less waste and pollution and using less energy. This led to a less expensive car that was more efficient for its owner. The Toyota method has changed the face of manufacturing. The big three were slow to catch on. The big three dabbled in electric vehicles for years with little progress, and then Tesla comes and changes the game. Because the big three are slow to adopt sound practices, all except one needed a bailout by the government during the last recession. How much money did our country subsidize these companies because they failed to practice sustainable practices? That is what the federal government does — props up bloated organizations so effective ones cannot compete on equal ground.

Leading businesses are voluntarily developing sustainable practices and adopting programs like ISO 14001 that go far above what our government mandates. Companies that pollute and operate inefficiently cannot compete with their lean competitors.

A Green New Deal will do nothing but introduce unsustainable debt, subsidies for unsustainable practices, jobs for bureaucrats that burden taxpayers, regulations that accomplish nothing, and add costs for businesses to comply that they could have utilized to invest in sustainable practices.

Instead of demanding a Green New Deal, commit to supporting sustainable businesses, get involved in organizations that improve the environment locally and make your own home sustainable.

Brad Kramer

Albert Lea