Climate change, industry, parks, air and water quality are issues that are debated in congress, compete for funding and enpassion many Minnesotans.
October 11, 1973 - Murray Bookchin, a noted socialist libertarian and ecologist discusses our relatively recent desire as humans to dominate nature.
October 11, 1973 - Noted ecologist, Dr. Murray Bookchin, continues his speech discussing materialist goals and how said goals are destroying the environment.
October 17, 1973 - Social theorist Bookchin explains his views on environmentalism versus and ecology. Environmentalists attempt to control nature to benefit man, while ecologists view nature as a living organism of which humans are a part. He disagrees with Marshall McLuhan on the nature of communication, saying the world is not a global village. While the means of communications may put people in contact with each other that doesn?t mean they are communicating, and he comments on the function of television. Finally Bookchin compares the nuclear family and its isolation to communal settings, a preferable model.
November 29, 1973 - Greg Baron looks deeper into the notion that conserving electricity at the consumer level during peak usage hours reduces fuel consumption. Discussion includes how and when oil is used for electricity production versus coal and nuclear power, specific to the Northern States Power organization.
November 29, 1973 - Former Deputy Attorney General expresses his concerns that little environmental progress will be made during the crunch times of the energy/oil crisis.
December 10, 1973 - Tony Dechant, president of the National Farmers Union, addresses the energy crisis due to supposed oil shortages. He calls for a Watergate-type inquiry.
January 8, 1974 - A public meeting was held to determine if an environmental impact statement (EIS) would be required before a proposed Northern States Power (NSP) fossil fuel plant could be built near Henderson, Minnesota. Both the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) agreed to the preparation of an EIS, with the PCA (Pollution Control Agency) being the lead agency in the preparation in consultation with the DNR (Department of Natural Resources). SAVE, (Save American?s Vital Energy), a Henderson citizen group, was present to express their views. They were pleased with the EIS decision but were concerned they were only allowed to speak after much discussion had already taken place. Reporter voiceover, no actualities.
February 21, 1974 - North Dakota has created a reclamation plan for land mined for coal, for gasification. Environmentalists are concerned about the impact. Dr. Donald Scoby, environmental biologist at North Dakota State University, talks about problems with reclamation, including disruption of aquifers and loss of biodiversity in the topsoil. Many environmentalists think we should be paying the true cost instead of passing it on to future generations.
February 28, 1974 - Mott, North Dakota proposal to build a coal gasification plant in western North Dakota. Interview with a man who opposes, Ron Swindler, Plainsmen Association president. Opposed because values environment and way of life. Population would increase by 300,000 to 500,000. Farmers, ranchers and businessmen need help now and can't find people, plant development is excuse to import a large popoulation. Don't want to see urban area, likes to see neighbor across a field, not next to him. American Natural Gas Company should hold off building until get more answers about if the land can be reclaimed. North Dakota already has over 7,000 acres of strip mining, reclaim those first. Underground water problems with shallow wells, underlying coal important to aquifer makeup. Generating plants being moved to North Dakota, why can't coal be shipped to existing generators. Cheaper to strip land, coal companies shutting down more expensive deep mines. Deep coal is better quality coal. Companies move factories because pollution movement from uban areas. Need to educate people, watch coal company activities.
March 4, 1974 - Discussion of prospective gas rationing. Speaker agrees with the President that we should not have rationing. Believes we should have standby rationing program. Rationing could not be put into effect before Spring 1975 at the earliest. If there's enough frustration over the allocation program and if consumers request coupon rationing we may have it but it would be chaotic. Oregon plan should be voluntary, if that doesn't work make it mandatory, and if that doesn't work only then should coupon rationing be considered.