How can industry reconcile global competitiveness with environmental responsibility?
Ralph answers: There is, an fact, no conflict between the two. NRDC and others have spent the last two decades proving that energy efficiency and renewable energy reinforce global competitiveness, and many industries now agree (prominent examples include Public Service Electric & Gas, Enron, and Whirlpool). The least-cost path to healthy economies will be dominated by sustainable energy technologies — provided that we first clear away a thicket of obstructing market barriers and subsidies. Why don’t environmentalists seem to actively oppose nuclear power anymore? Ralph answers: Environmentalists remain deeply concerned about numerous nuclear power issues, including safe waste disposal and potential contributions to proliferation of nuclear weapons. But no new nuclear plants are being built anywhere in the United States, and a wave of shutdowns has begun as increasing competition drives high-cost nuclear plants from the marketplace. Within many of our lifetimes, our entire nuclear flee
