The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
Outsourcing the impacts of consumption
The U.S. is a consuming nation the likes of which the world has never before seen. During UMRA A.M. on April 13, Professor Emeritus Jim Bowyer made the case that we should be mindful of what happens when high levels of consumption are accompanied by pervasive resistance to domestic generation of the raw materials that are needed to support that consumption.
We like our cell phones, tablets, computers, large homes, large cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, appliances, boats, and so on, but not the environmental impacts associated with obtaining the metals and other raw materials from which these products are made. Accordingly, we have over a period of many decades put in place a myriad of laws, rules, and regulations designed to inhibit domestic raw materials extraction, with a focus on environmental protection.
Current policy, according to Bower, adds up to irresponsible behavior in the present and potentially serious trouble for future generations. Nevertheless, while massive consumption of basic raw materials is needed to support our economy, stiff resistance to domestic extraction of raw materials has become routine. And less is being done than could be to recycle waste.
The cumulative result of high consumption, resistance to domestic raw materials extraction, and lack of interest in recycling has led to an institutionalized pattern of outsourcing the environmental impacts of consumption. What this means for the U.S. is that citizens are able to enjoy the benefits of high consumption with minimal exposure to the environmental impacts of that consumption—especially in the case of metals. It is an ethically bankrupt position, said Bowyer, who also noted that our penchant for outsourcing is raising strategic and national security concerns.
Actions to alleviate the issues
He proposed several actions we can all take to alleviate these issues, including developing greater awareness of the local and global impacts of our consumption, thinking about issues of global equity, and considering how we might view the situation were the shoe on the other foot. We need to rethink our active or tacit support for what has become automatic opposition to proposals for domestic raw material extraction, he said. In addition, Dr. Bowyer urged greater societal investment in materials recovery and recycling, and said there is need for civic engagement with local, state, and national elected officials to bring this issue to the forefront with our policy makers.
See the PDF (below) for information about the “UnShopping Card,” developed by the Oregon State University Extension Service, that Bowyer referenced in his presentation.
Upon his retirement from the U of M in 2006, Bowyer founded a consulting firm focused on helping organizations to improve environmental performance, and became an associate in Dovetail Partners, Inc.—a Minneapolis-based environmental nonprofit—where he recently published a 20-part online series on responsible consumption.
Bowyer has published widely on the topics of life-cycle assessment, carbon tracking and reporting, bioenergy, green building standards, and environmental policy, and for many years has been a frequent speaker nationally and internationally on these topics. His latest book, The Irresponsible Pursuit of Paradise, was a finalist for the 2017 Midwest Book Award.
—Eric Hockert, UMRA Program Committee member
Are we exporting our environmental problems?
Tue, April 13 2021, 9am
Jim L. Bowyer
Professor Emeritus
Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
Event to be held via Zoom.
We want electric cars, and we want solar power and wind turbines to generate electricity. But what about the raw materials needed to produce them? We like our smartphones, computers, and TVs. But what are the environmental consequences for the locations, often outside the U.S., where the critical metals and other materials used to make them are found? Are we exporting our environmental problems to other countries?
These are questions Professor Emeritus Jim L. Bowyer will discuss for UMRA A.M. on Tuesday, April 13. Please register to attend this webinar starting at 9 a.m. via Zoom.
In a fast-moving presentation, Bowyer will address population and economic growth, consumption, raw material needs, the environment, ethics, and even a bit of politics. Based on his recent book, The Irresponsible Pursuit of Paradise, the focus will be on environmental policy. Bowyer retired from the U of M Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering in 2006.
A feeling of environmental superiority
What the cumulative result of high consumption, resistance to domestic raw material extraction, and a lack of interest in recycling on the part of many means for the U.S. is that consumers here are able to enjoy the benefits of high consumption with minimal exposure to the environmental impacts of that consumption—especially in the case of metals.
Moreover, these same consumers are able to bask in a feeling of environmental superiority over nations whose environments are not as pristine as those in the U.S. In Bowyer’s view, it is an ethically bankrupt position.
But there are also reasons other than ethics that require self-examination of current practices. Many countries exporting raw materials are now experiencing their own rapid economic growth and becoming competitors for the raw materials coveted by the most economically developed countries.
In addition, rapid increases in consumption worldwide have triggered concerns about the potential for conflict as resource competition intensifies.
These realities, coupled with changing global demographics, suggest a need to rethink our relationship with the rest of the world and to reexamine the U.S. approach to environmental protection.
Upon retiring from the University, Bowyer founded a consulting firm focused on helping organizations to improve environmental performance, and became an associate in Dovetail Partners, Inc., a Minneapolis-based environmental nonprofit.
Bowyer has published widely on the topics of life-cycle assessment, carbon tracking and reporting, bioenergy, green building standards, and environmental policy, and for many years has been a frequent speaker nationally and internationally on these topics. The Irresponsible Pursuit of Paradise, his latest book, was a 2017 Midwest Book Award finalist.
Please register and join us for UMRA A.M. starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13, via Zoom.
—Eric Hockert, member, UMRA Board and Program Committee
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.