Letter to the editor: Government should help businesses conserve Earth’s resources

Within companies, the health of our planet is often the last considered when building cars, processing food or drilling oil. Excess carbon dioxide omitted into the atmosphere causes global warming in the air and creates more acidic oceans.

With our future in mind, we should be more focused on conserving the planet rather than continuing wasteful practices. Others believe protecting the environment is not as high of a priority. For example, Donald Trump, in an interview with Chris Wallace, recently said, “we’ll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can’t destroy businesses.” It is true.

Cutting business is hurtful to our economy. Industries need to invest in new production and there needs to be more money in circulation or else there will be involuntary unemployment. The issue becomes whether our country can afford worrying about the environment over company production.

Are there ways we can do both? Our government needs to act as an outside force and give companies incentives to have better business practices. Tax breaks can be given to companies who are actively attempting to “go green.”

With the help from engineers, companies can be more environmentally conscious. For example, solar energy can be more readily utilized. Solar energy is far more abundant than what we get from natural resources we use today.

If scientists and engineers learn how to more efficiently obtain sustainable energy as well as utilize it in businesses, we can build a more sustainable economy and future.