Colorado College Bulletin

Working Together for Planet Earth

By Nina DeConcini '85

As a German Marshall Fund Environmental fellow, I traveled to 20 European cities in six countries to learn how environmental professionals in the public and private sectors work together. 

My month-long itinerary was ambitious.  It paled, however, in comparison to what my husband, John Heninger '83, endured while at home along with our two sons, Max, 9, and Julian, 6.  Upon my return, I was amazed that our house did not resemble Lord of the Flies.

 I only applied for it because of how pretentious it sounded (kidding).  The fellowship, funded by the German Marshall Fund (an American Foundation established in 1972 by a gift from the Federal Republic of Germany in appreciation of American postwar recovery assistance), fosters dialogue and encourages practical learning about more effective ways to manage, safeguard and sustain the environment.  My particular research topic concerned public/private partnerships and how the public can get involved voluntarily to make sustainable, environmental choices.  For example, one of the projects I manage for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality involves a public partnership with Portland General Electric (PGE).   In monthly billing statements, customers receive environmental tips and coupons for non-aerosol consumer products, environmentally friendly carwashes and video rentals if they travel to their local store using an alternative to the car.   The incentives are designed to educate consumers about environmental sustainability in a noncoercive, entertaining manner, and provide a reward for environmentally friendly behavior.  On my German Marshall Fund research project, I was interested in investigating whether Europeans are also bringing the public and private sectors together to offer incentives and other inducements to achieve environmental benefits. 

After spending the month in Europe, my conclusion is this:  Sustainability is boring no matter where you live.  Trying to get the public to pay attention is like trying to introduce the subject of tax policy at a cocktail party -- you can see eyes glazing over in the first two minutes.   But tax policy, like environmental sustainability, is essential to the longevity of a modern industrialized civilization.  I believe environmental professionals must find an effective way to get the word out, to let the public know that most pollution comes from everyday activities -- driving, lawn mowing, boating, and painting. 

I did find some examples of the public and private sectors working together in Europe.  However, “partnering” there, for the most part, is usually at the policy level only.  The lines between public and private are very clear and rarely blur in Europe.; government, industry, non-governmental organizations, and citizens play very defined roles.  I found cooperation and collaboration in all the countries I visited, but groups there mostly advise or provide input to the government through a formal process.  

The question on the minds of my European contacts was not how to partner but if.   Many seemed to believe that getting too cozy with another organization was viewed as potentially dangerous because it can undermine credibility on all sides, netting a confused and frustrated consumer.  I will concede that a fine line does exist, and that all parties have to be cautious.  I know from my work in Oregon, though, that this can be managed effectively to benefit all and protect the environment.    

I hope to duplicate on this side of the Atlantic.  Currently I am working on a more comprehensive report for the Center for Clean Air Policy that includes, among other promising strategies, a program advertised nationwide by the Danish EPA.  As part of environmental week there, bakeries in Denmark offer some sort of treat one day a year to anyone who arrives on foot, by bike or by public transit. While this type of program is not a panacea for environmental protection, it’s a start.  Perhaps pastry or coffee purveyors in Oregon can do the same thing sometime soon.   

If readers have other suggestions, they can contact me at deconcini.nina@deq.state.or.us.

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