zlacker

>>geox+(OP)
I remember going to LA in the late 80's and my eyes watering (I also remember the pants-less man on the side of the strode but that is a different story). Environmental regulations are a win. Unfortunately there is a large segment of the population that doesn't believe something until it happens to them directly. That makes it a challenge to maintain environmental, or any regulations for that matter, over generations. It isn't practical, but it would be interesting to create 'pollution cities' where the regulations were loose so long as the entire company drew its workforce (including management) from the local population (like within a mile) and a significant portion of their drinking water and foods must also be sourced locally. Go ahead, pollute your own drinking water. I bet cities like this would be cleaner than ones with stricter regulations.

>>jmward+py
In Louisana there’s a stretch around all the refineries nicknamed Cancer Alley. The locals work the plants. Everyone gets sick. And they vote for expansion because it brings in more jobs. You need the regulations.

>>yellot+BH1
Yeah, but I bet the executives and lawyers don’t live anywhere near there, and they probably visit those sites as little as possible. In the thought experiment that wouldn’t be allowed.

>>xp84+0L1
I live in Cancer Alley and people down here drink the koolaid. Cut to Midgely pouring TEL all over his hands.

>>soulof+aN1
Yeah, Thomas Midgley Jr., from Wikipedia [1]:

"…played a major role in developing leaded gasoline and some of the first chlorofluorocarbons…; both products were later banned from common use due to their harmful impact on human health and the environment. He was granted more than 100 patents over the course of his career."

As someone else said, this guy's work was so toxic to the planet we ought to ban everything else he ever invented—just in case.

(And weirdly, one of his own machines took his life as well—whether by design or not.)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr.