[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Three words: free-market capitalism.

And, I might add, a raised awareness of keeping the environment clean. Free market capitalism has existed in this country for over a hundred years. Environmental concerns arose probably in the last 60. That is why the West is cleaner than the third world.

[cogitator]

Consider the U.S.: Smog levels have declined by about 40 percent, and carbon monoxide is down nearly one third since the 1960s despite nearly twice as many cars. Some of the most impressive advances in cleaning the air have been recorded in the dirtiest cities, including Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. Airborne lead is down more than 90 percent from 40 years ago. Contaminated drinking water killed hundreds of thousands of Americans annually 100 years ago, versus very few deaths today.

Much of this improvement is due to the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act of 1970, and (amazingly) also due to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

[Bon mots]

Nuke the poor.