…And we’re back! Welcome to the first Leafy Thoughts article in over two terms. Here’s to hoping that I haven’t yet run out of ideas. In any case, I’m back to beat the proverbial horse until it’s more dead than the dodo bird, or else until graduation.
I’m going to take a break from environmental news this week to talk about something that’s been a bit of a bothersome pet peeve of mine for years now, but more so since the start of 1A. This concerns the attitude of many of my engineering peers towards concepts like “protecting the environment” and “sustainability.” Efforts will be taken to prevent the tone from delving beyond mildly infuriated.
Ever since my first term, an alarming number of my friends in other engineering disciplines have expressed an annoyance at the concept of environmental sustainability. They’ve scoffed at the topic, and have proudly admitted to not caring about the environment, AT ALL. I mean, I’m not asking for y’all to carry around reusable grocery bags, or install low-flow showerheads, or refrain from littering (though it’d be cool if you did). I just think that an attitude like that is a little bit alarming for people with responsibilities like ours. I lose a smidgen of trust in the work of everyone that says things like that. Now I know a lot of people are going to say #NotAllEngineers, and it’s more than likely that I’m zeroing in on a small minority here, but it’s time I address it anyway. This is for those that do happen to fall in that category.
We’re studying engineering, which by (Google’s) definition involves the use of science and technology in order to design, build and use engines, machines, and structures, among other things. Engineering is a sacred and important profession. In Ontario and elsewhere around the world, being an engineer is not a goal easily obtained, nor a title wielded by those who are unqualified. In fact, we as students are not legally allowed to call ourselves “engineers” until we’ve been licensed by the PEO or other jurisdictional regulating body. Like doctors and lawyers, our work can directly affect the safety, quality of life, and well-being of the public, and we are therefore held to a higher standard of conduct. The Professional Engineers Act of Ontario is a statutory mandate requiring us to follow a Code of Ethics in our work. We wear the Iron Ring as a constant reminder of our duty and responsibility to the public. It is for this reason that, in my very humble and possibly idealistic opinion, the ultimate goal of engineering is to ensure a better quality of life for present and future generations.
I can imagine where the nay-sayers are coming from though. It’s easier to make cool shtuff if you don’t have to think about the environment. More importantly: you make money faster making cool shtuff without thinking about the environment. There’s no doubt that environmental stewardship costs time and money. I just think that it should be treated as something worth investing in, and not a necessary evil imposed upon us by the government, influenced by hippies. Furthermore, they can definitely argue that we have, in fact, been designing with sustainability in mind. Maybe we just haven’t yet gotten to the point where it’s perfect, but we’ve been trying. It’s definitely true that we have certainly come a long way already, and I’m neither discrediting nor overlooking that fact. Our cars are many times more fuel efficient than those of previous decades, we’ve figured out how to get energy from much cleaner and more renewable sources, and there’s been some great leaps with sustainable building design. It’s pretty badass, and shouldn’t be ignored. However, I can’t help but wonder if, had our priorities been different, we’d already be much farther along. For example, the Sun is an indispensable, constant, and rich source of energy. It’s not set to die for billions of years, and it’s the source of all life and energy on Earth. Despite this, our ability to harness its power and convert to electricity is still inefficient and underdeveloped. This is largely due to the availability, cheapness, and convenience of dirtier, fossil fuels. The funding for research into other topics may be hard to come by. Why bother with sunlight if coal is so much easier to obtain?
By putting environmental protection low on the list of priorities in favour of monetary gain, our short-sighted, capitalist society is hindering the development of more sustainable and innovative technology. The electric vehicle has been in development since the early 1800s, yet the Tesla Roadster, in 2008, was the first highway-capable all-electric vehicle with a range of its class. For some perspective: the Wright brothers had their first flight in 1907, and less than 70 years later Neil Armstrong step foot on the Moon. Humans have proven more than capable of accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks if we are willing to spend the money and effort. The problem? Companies are comfortable where they are right now, and are still raking in the dough. While some steps have been taken to design for the future, it’s not nearly at the top of the list. I fear that only with a catastrophic blow to the oil industry will companies scramble to design vehicles that use other types of fuel. Elon Musk himself expressed surprise that the rise of electric vehicles hadn’t occurred sooner, especially since, 7 years after the Roadster’s release, no other major automotive company has come out with a comparable vehicle. This was the driving force (pun intended) behind his decision to release their patents: to help pave the road (again, pun intended) towards a non-hydrocarbon-based transportation infrastructure. Without a present need and demand, initiatives like these are much less likely to succeed because fewer engineers will be working on them.
Engineers are the key to the future. It is our innovations that will define the next centuries or millennia, or as long as our species endures. What other group of people will bring the flying cars of sci-fi to life? If any Earthling ever wished to have a functional Millennium Falcon, look to future engineers to accomplish that feat. Why then, is the concept of environmental preservation oftentimes sneered at so derisively? Is sustainability not an important factor in the long-term feasibility of a project? We’re creative, and always looking for the next direction to move. And when we design things, we’re taught to look for every potential point of failure, and reinforce things until they’re as safe as could practically be. We incorporate large factors of safety into our final designs. When the right components were unavailable to past engineers, they researched and developed solutions to suit their needs. Like Newton inventing Calculus to support theories, engineers have had a hand in creating new software, new tools, and new materials to make their craft easier. Hell, computers were huge hulking monstrosities that only performed basic calculations less than a century ago. Designing something with care taken to minimize environmental impact isn’t all that different, but it’s treated as a huge inconvenience. There is often so much hate for the “Environmental Division” of corporations, from the automotive industry to petroleum refinery, and even to government organizations. Responsibly using resources and not leaving messes are kindergarten concepts, yet there are too many who hate dealing with that kind of thing. This is simply not a healthy attitude to have in a profession like ours.
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