Home Nation & World Climate change is pollution threat similar to DDT and acid rain Scientists and divers gather samples at the former United Heckathorn DDT processing plant and shipping terminal in Richmond, California, March 8, 2012. Public outcry about the effects of DDT that led to policy changes can be referenced for how to manage climate change. (AP File Photo: Eric Risberg) Alexander E. Gates, Rutgers University-Newark //September 27, 2024// Listen to this article . The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Climate change can seem like an insurmountable challenge. However, if you look closely at its causes, you’ll realize that history is filled with similar health and environmental threats that humanity has overcome. The main cause of climate change — carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels — is really just another pollutant. And countries know how to reduce harmful pollutants. They did it with the pesticide DDT, lead paint and the power plant emissions that were causing acid rain, among many others. In each of those cases, growing public outcry eventually led to policy changes, despite pushback from industry. Once pressured by laws and regulations, industries ramped up production of safer solutions. I am an earth and environmental scientist, and my latest book, “Reclaiming Our Planet,” explores history’s lessons in overcoming seemingly insurmountable hazards. Here are a few examples: Banning DDT despite industry pushback DDT was the first truly effective pesticide and considered to be miraculous. By killing mosquitoes and lice, it wiped out malaria and other diseases in many countries, and in agriculture, it saved tons of crops. After World War II, DDT was applied to farms, buildings and gardens throughout the United States. However, it also had drawbacks. It accumulated in mother’s milk to […]
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