GEF

Unit 8  |  Government and Sustainability 166 GROWYOUR KNOWLEDGE Examine political cartoon #21 at www.thoughtco.com/funny- environment-cartoons-4122794, which shows former U.S. President Barak Obama using a nail clipper to trim the nails of a carbon footprint. Then, answer the following questions. 1. Which of the following most closely represents an interpretation of the political cartoon? a. The carbon footprint will only be controlled by government regulations. b. The auto industry holds the key to the carbon footprint problems and solutions. c. The nail clippers in the cartoon represent the cartoonist’s view that auto emission regulations are not enough. The carbon footprint is a large problem that needs many solutions. d. Auto emission control is the only solution to reducing the carbon footprint. 2. What do you think the role of government should be in addressing sustainability issues? Essential Concept The government plays an important role in addressing sustain- ability issues. 8.1  The Role of Government in Sustainability Historically, the role of the government in sustainability has been to enact regulations that limit harmful activities, such as factory pollution or the destruction of sensitive wildlife habitats. Most regulations are set at the federal level, but state and local governments might enact their own regulations, such as for protecting wetlands. In 1970, the U.S. government created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , the world’s first centralized REGULATIONS Rules or directives made and maintained by an authority, such as government. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) A federal agency in the U.S. responsible for pro- tecting human health and the environment.