Environmental Regulations Create Jobs

I recommend this article, "Environmentalist Regulations Create Jobs, Economists Say." It does a great jobs of simplifying a complex topic into four reference points, reorganized here:

1. Look at the Big Picture. Some experts say the effects of regulation "should be assessed through a nuanced tally of costs and benefits that takes into account both economic and societal factors." For example: the costs of healthcare incurred by air today's pollution are paid by workers and the general population. 
2. Pollution Regulation Creates Net Job Gains. The jobs v. regulation discussion should focus on net jobs lost or gained.  Environmental economists believe reducing oil imports would have a net effect of creating 900,000 U.S. jobs. Others believe strategic clean energy investment and regulation would create about 1.7M U.S. jobs.
3. Cutting Wastes Can Be Profitable. "Complying with regulations is often well within a company's means." Compliance typically amounts to less than 2 percent of business costs. Eliminating pollution often helps a company improve profitability. 
4. Help the Environment by Changing the Economy. In economies adaptation is the rule, not the exception.