Maggie Chamberlain, Chapter 12, Question 4

Climate change and air pollution are major problems, but they are also rich country problems. Rich countries can care more about pollution because they have enough wealth and resources that they don't have to be cutting down trees merely to survive. Richer countries, however, are also the primary culprits for air pollution because trade makes countries richer, and as a country gets richer, it uses more energy, and as more energy is used, CO2 emissions rise, adding to air pollution. The solution to this environmental problem is not in banning the education of those potential workers of these energy-sucking operations. The solution lies in discouraging the use of dirty fuels by placing a tax on fuels such as carbon. The key is not in discouraging the economic growth of a nation, but in changing people's lenient mindsets toward what they are fueling their businesses with and, consequently, what they are putting in the air.