Within the past twelve months, there have been two epic environmental disasters: the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the potential nuclear holocaust going on in Japan right now. While each involves a different form of technology, there are many similarities between the two.
First and foremost, the disaster plans for each were inadequate. BP and the US government couldn't seem to get a handle on a gushing underwater oil well and Tokyo Electric and the Japanese government are having a devil of a time getting a handle on several nuclear reactors that are melting down. It turns out that, in BOTH cases, the predicted worse-case scenario didn't come close to reality.
Second, both BP and Tokyo Electric have a history of not responding well to disasters. Both corporations had been criticized in the past for providing slow and inaccurate assessments and information. Despite this lack of transparency, both governments have continued doing business with them as if no such problems existed.
Third, it's becoming more and more apparent that both are guilty of putting profit before safety. I've read on several news sites that Tokyo Electric was warned by scientists and whistleblowers that their "cutting corners" philosophy might lead to the kinds of problems they are facing now. Anyone who has kept up with the news of the oil in the Gulf KNOWS that BP cut many a corner leading up to the well explosion.
Fourth, when disaster struck, government has relied too heavily on the corporations themselves to provide the most critical information. This, in and of itself, is a recipe for an even greater disaster because it is in the best interests of the corporation to downplay their own culpability. Is it any wonder that, in the initial stages of both cases, the offending corporation tried to sell the disaster as being not that significant AND that the company had things under control? Is it any wonder that obtaining accurate information in real time is like pulling teeth from an agitated tiger?
As long as we allow unfettered corporations with the widest of berths in the area of industries that can cause widespread environmental catastrophes, we will learn no lessons from the past year. Sadly, this same kind of scenario will play itself out in the years to come over and over and over again.
First and foremost, the disaster plans for each were inadequate. BP and the US government couldn't seem to get a handle on a gushing underwater oil well and Tokyo Electric and the Japanese government are having a devil of a time getting a handle on several nuclear reactors that are melting down. It turns out that, in BOTH cases, the predicted worse-case scenario didn't come close to reality.
Second, both BP and Tokyo Electric have a history of not responding well to disasters. Both corporations had been criticized in the past for providing slow and inaccurate assessments and information. Despite this lack of transparency, both governments have continued doing business with them as if no such problems existed.
Third, it's becoming more and more apparent that both are guilty of putting profit before safety. I've read on several news sites that Tokyo Electric was warned by scientists and whistleblowers that their "cutting corners" philosophy might lead to the kinds of problems they are facing now. Anyone who has kept up with the news of the oil in the Gulf KNOWS that BP cut many a corner leading up to the well explosion.
Fourth, when disaster struck, government has relied too heavily on the corporations themselves to provide the most critical information. This, in and of itself, is a recipe for an even greater disaster because it is in the best interests of the corporation to downplay their own culpability. Is it any wonder that, in the initial stages of both cases, the offending corporation tried to sell the disaster as being not that significant AND that the company had things under control? Is it any wonder that obtaining accurate information in real time is like pulling teeth from an agitated tiger?
As long as we allow unfettered corporations with the widest of berths in the area of industries that can cause widespread environmental catastrophes, we will learn no lessons from the past year. Sadly, this same kind of scenario will play itself out in the years to come over and over and over again.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are unmoderated, so you can write whatever you want.