We must be better caretakers of the Earth
Could it really be that just a few months ago we were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the breathtaking images sent from NASA's James Webb Telescope?
Now here we are, watching as a toxic cocktail of chemicals belches into the atmosphere.
The debacle which continues to unfold in East Palestine should not come as a shock to anyone. It's merely the latest chapter in a timeless and unending story of unbridled greed.
Safety record investigation:In the aftermath of the Ohio train derailment, what is Norfolk Southern's safety record?
From Jamestown 1619 to the Tea Act of 1773 to the Gilded Age to the "NINJA" loan housing disaster of 2008, greed has been the driver behind every disaster, consequences of which upend the lives of ordinary people whose fortunes are put at risk like so many poker chips.
Because of greed, the sound of a train whistle in East Palestine will forever carry with it echoes of fear and a loss of trust.
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Greed has taken the democratic process hostage, as lobbyists flood the halls of legislatures with tsunamis of cash, prompting elected officials to prevent or cripple existing policies designed to ensure public safety.
We were told deregulation unshackles business when, in reality, it has caused more problems than it's resolved because too many people and companies can't be trusted to do the right thing.
We have allowed money to dismantle rules and regulations designed to safely transport hazardous materials because safety measures cost more money and that means less profit.
Economist Robert Reich points out that in recent years, Norfolk Southern has cut 9,600 jobs while increasing shareholder payouts by 4,500%.
Norfolk Southern cut 9,600 jobs and boosted shareholder payouts by 4,500% in the years leading up to the Ohio train disaster.
Folks, this is what corporate greed looks like.— Robert Reich (@RBReich) February 17, 2023
Railroad companies in general have lengthened trains and increased cargo loads, all while reducing work crews.
What could go wrong?
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 1,000 derailments occur every year, some on tracks which look like they haven't been maintained since the Jesse James Gang was jacking mail trains.
The only reason the derailment happened in East Palestine and not in Canton or Alliance or Salem — where the wheels were seen to be on fire — is sheer, dumb luck.
A spokeswoman for Norfolk Southern recently pointed out that more than 99% of its deliveries are safely completed. But when your town is the one that's sitting under a plume of smoke, that figure is of no comfort.
There have always been people among us who have decided that more profit is worth more risk, particularly because when something goes wrong, it doesn't impact them because they don't live anywhere near the wreckage.
Norfolk Southern Railroad CEO Alan Shaw, who makes $4.2 million a year and resides in a mansion in Atlanta, lives on a different planet from East Palestine, which looks like a bomb just went off.
East Palestine reminds us of the fragility of the planet on which we live and how much we have abused it.
It's not just about train derailments, which happen practically every day and have for years. It's litter and abandoned tires. It's creeks and ponds and sewers being used as dumpsters.
It's rivers being so toxic that they burst into flames.
It's Flint. It's Birmingham. It's Sandusky. It's Deepwater Horizon.
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It's being told not to believe our own eyes at the sight of dead fish, depleted soil and flammable water. In 2020, Cleveland.com cited a study from the Rochester Institute of Technology which estimates that 5.5 million pounds of plastics ends up in Lake Erie every year.
It's the Ohio Legislature slow-walking, even smothering green-energy policies and shilling for the plastics lobby by throwing up roadblocks to prevent local governments from banning plastic bags and other plastic containers.
You don't have to chain yourself to a tree to know that the Earth deserves far better treatment than we've given it. The irony is, we have the ingenuity to make money while still protecting our resources. But as East Palestine proves yet again, greed wins over green.
Charita M. Goshay is a Canton Repository staff writer and member of the editorial board. Reach her at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Charita Goshay: We must be better caretakers of the Earth
