Enviro's Love Recession

Recessions, of course, cause great economic hardship. But they also temper the impact of growth on the environment. They have unexpected spin-offs such as reduced traffic noise and diminished pollution, and they provide a hospitable climate for initiatives like surcharge fees to eliminate plastic bags. Recessions also prompt real estate developers to come up with better ways of dealing with housing construction and sanitation. Developers are more amenable to the use of solar panels because of tax credits and are installing toilet systems that minimize water use. Furthermore, the economic slowdown gives Smart Growth advocates a chance to test new civic designs without having to fight developers in the courts. Urban environmental directors like George Hawkins of Washington, D.C., have used the current period to take a strong stand on improving water quality. "This is a good time, says Mr. Hawkins, "to live up to the dictates of the 1972 Clean Water Act without developers neutering it with special exemptions." Less disposable income, he thinks, might result in less trash...BaltimoreSun