High School Essay Contest 2000
Kara Hite, 1st Place (City Honors)

Solutions for the Future Environmental Problems of Western New York
Western New York faces many environmental concerns in the 21st century which need to be addressed by not only environmentalists but also by the future businesses and industries. Problems such as air pollution, waste disposal, and the condition of water bodies in or of the area; should be solved by the future businesses and industries of Western New York. Future businesses, new products and services will be needed to assist in the solution to the environmental problems of the 21st century and beyond.

As far as air, pollution prevention is the only solution. Hopeless attempts to repair damage previously created are outweighed by the improvements that can result from simply preventing the pollution from causing damage to the environment. In the 21st century, businesses and industries that make efforts into reducing and hopefully completely eliminating their input of pollutants into the environment will work for the solution of improving the quality of our environment. Products that produce little, if any, harmful agents will also overtake the market compared to highly hazardous products. Even more importantly in order to ensure that pollution prevention is increased, services that specialize in the regulation of local pre-existing industries, as well as local homes, will be highly in demand.

Waste disposal is another issue that must be faced by Western New York for the 21st century. With the growing populations and increases in waste quantity, waste disposal is a major concern due to the impact the disposal has on the environment. If the wastes could be disposed where they would have no contact with our environment now or in the distant future, there would be no cause for concern. This however is not the reality, wastes cannot be contained or controlled without in some way harming the environment. In order to provide solutions for this problem, future businesses that specialize not only in waste disposal, but also in attempts of disposing the wastes in ways that will be less detrimental to the environment, will be necessary. Products that can be reused numerous times and have a low waste yield will also be needed as a solution. Services that work towards decreasing the amount of waste produced, making there be less to dispose of, will also help to solve the problem of waste disposal.

The water quality of the bodies of water of Western New York is a concern for the future. If the water of the lake, for example, becomes more polluted there could be an increased loss of local beaches and a large decline in the number of native fish, a disaster which has occurred in the past. To prevent a disaster as such from happening, the further contamination of lakes must be prevented. In order to accomplish this there are many factors that are involved. As far as businesses, new businesses will be required that specialized in advanced waste treatment, so that the hazardous waste will not enter into the water. Also businesses that work towards soil conservation and land-use control will help to reduce the runoff that brings harmful nutrients into the water. Products and services will be needed to eliminate the entrance of high levels of phosphates into the lakes. These future requirements will work towards prevention of eutrophication of our lakes, rather than challenging attempts to clean up previous damage.

Together prospective businesses, products and services that put an effort towards pollution prevention, rather than the treatment of already present pollutants will provide a solution for the pollution problems that are faced by Western New York, and the world as a whole, in the 21st century.