A Liberal’s Vision For Saving The Economy: Save The Environment

One oft-overlooked aspect of a thriving economy is a healthy environment. In job creation and money saving, this area is a powerhouse, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Whale watching has experienced unprecedented growth, and, as of now, is a multi-billion dollar industry. The hunting of the grey whale was banned in 1946, and the commercial whale watching industry began less than ten years later. When commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1982, whale populations began to increase, as did whale watching, and healthy industries soon developed in Patagonia and the Atlantic Coast. Resorts often make extra money taking people on tours of sea turtle nesting grounds, and, whilst doing so, deter poachers or others who would seek to harm or disrupt the nests. National parks annually draw some 330 million visits and have 20,000 employees, putting billions into the economy. Taking care of these ecosystems requires thousands of scientists and engineers to sample water quality, direct policy, and ensure the best public use. Even prisoners could make money if cleaning up garbage were a paid job like making license plates.

By far, however, the biggest job creator is the clean energy industry. Last year, the clean energy industry surpassed coal in energy creation, and the design, construction, management, and maitenance of solar panels, clean infrastructure, and wind turbines is positioned to create millions of jobs. Even better, solar panels can save homeowners tens of thousands of dollars.

Better water and air quality, alongside a reduction in smoking, has led to a decrease in deaths from COPD and other respiratory illnesses, as well as heart disease. Continuing to improve air and water quality can reduce the risk of other cancers and ailments, which reduces the annual cost of medical bills.

  If we are to improve our economy, saving the environment is a fantastic way of doing so.