Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century Addressing Grand Challenges (2019) / Chapter Skim
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Grand Challenge 5: Foster Informed Decisions and Actions
Grand Challenge 5: Foster Informed Decisions and Actions
Pages 66-77
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From page 66... ...
In other words, addressing grand environmental challenges requires, in addition to effective solutions, a pervasive recognition that implementing those solutions is in our best interest. Achieving this will require, first, engendering a civil society that is well informed about how the environment affects human well-being and prosperity.
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From page 67... ...
Incorporating features such as green or reflective roofs, reflective pavements, and increased tree plantings can reduce a property's contribution to urban heat island effects, but doing so often comes at a cost to the developer.261 Similarly, farmers deciding how much nitrogen fertilizer to apply will typically consider the benefit from improved yields and the cost of purchasing and applying the fertilizer. But applying nitrogen fertilizer has additional costs, such as when fertilizer leaches into surface water or groundwater, polluting a nearby town's water supply or downstream estuaries.262 Some of the excess nitrogen will volatilize in the form of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, or to ammonia and nitrogen oxides, potentially contributing to regional air pollution.263 The developers or farmers may be unaware of the impacts of their choices on the well-being of others.
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From page 68... ...
Another approach to quantifying the full set of environmental consequences is life-cycle assessment. This technique, commonly used by industrial ecologists and environmental engineers, aims to measure environmental impacts associated with producing and consuming specific products, from production of raw materials to the disposal of the product at the end of its useful life.268 Life-cycle assessments 68 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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From page 69... ...
Chemical-alternatives assessment evaluates northeast Ohio make decisions on the best infrastructure hazards to human health and the environment of comparable options to help meet stormwater discharge limits and to chemicals (functionally) to choose the safest alternative.
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From page 70... ...
However, some environmental impacts are difficult to measure in monetary terms, such as a community's sense of place or the value of the existence of other species. In addition, this approach can require a great deal of time and resources, and improved methods are needed to appropriately apply estimates developed in one area to other related areas.270 Because of the difficulty of quantifying all benefits in monetary terms, some business and environmental groups have pushed for a "triple bottom line" approach that captures environmental impacts, social responsibility, and financial returns without forcing all aspects to be evaluated in monetary terms.271 Ideally, these assessments include metrics that reflect various values that are easily understood by stakeholders, such as measures of health impacts, water and air quality, biodiversity, and resilience.
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From page 71... ...
Engaging with stakeholders can often reveal social or institutional factors that may affect the long-term success or failure of a new technology or strategy. It also reduces misunderstanding, increases perceived credibility, and generates trust.274 Foster Informed Decisions and Actions | 71
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Many well-intentioned Scientists scientists and engineers have focused Technical Experts their efforts on improving scientific understanding with the expectation that this will overcome skepticism. Yet, decades of social science research suggest that Figure 5-1. Effective public engagement on complex environmental scientific literacy and technical knowledge challenges requires technical experts to learn from stakeholders and decision have relatively minor impacts on the makers through a genuine two-way dialogue.
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From page 73... ...
For example, electricity bills that present strategy used to increase public awareness of environmental impacts and inform consumer a household's energy consumption relative to their neighbors have choices. successfully reduced energy demand in many communities.281 In the context of complex environmental problems, information-based policies can take many forms including mandating disclosure, identifying chemicals of concern, Foster Informed Decisions and Actions | 73
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From page 74... ...
For example, reducing the paperwork and hassle required for a homeowner to participate in an energy efficiency rebate program can dramatically increase participation.284 The percentage of people who have agreed to donate their organs is more than 95 percent higher in Belgium than in neighboring Netherlands, largely because citizens of Belgium are asked to sign a form to opt out of donating an organ, whereas citizens of the Netherlands must sign a form to opt-in.285 Even though most citizens in both countries support organ donation, the hassle of opting in or opting out of a program can result in dramatic societal-level impacts on health and well-being. Careful consideration of default settings has resulted in improved environmental, health, and financial outcomes.286 74 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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From page 75... ...
For example, tax credits have been provided to consumers to incentivize the purchase of electric cars and solar panels and to companies investing in renewable energy sources. Further, the government can take steps to reduce policy and financial risks for environmentally beneficial projects, such as by issuing partial loan guarantees and streamlining the permitting process, to make them more competitive with conventional projects among private investors.288 Establishing disincentives for actions that are harmful to the environment is also an important policy mechanism.
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From page 76... ...
Environmental rules and regulations are built upon substantial scientific and engineering research, and these efforts benefit from clear communication of policy-relevant scientific findings. What Environmental Engineers Can Do To foster informed decisions and actions, environmental engineers should work in collaboration with decision makers, stakeholders, and other experts to increase the public's understanding of the consequences of their choices, identify problems, create solutions, and support efforts to develop effective policies.
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From page 77... ...
BOX 5-3. EXAMPLE AREAS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS TO HELP FOSTER INFORMED DECISIONS AND ACTIONS Some of the many ways environmental engineers can partner with other experts and stakeholders to help foster informed decisions and actions include: • Work with communities and other disciplinary experts, including ecologists, economists, sociobehavioral scientists, and communication experts, to analyze and clearly communicate the potential consequences of alternative choices associated with the environmental grand challenges.
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