Environmental problems can generally be solved if enough resources are applied, and the commitment is there. Now, I'm really stepping out on a limb, far beyond my forestry background, but I believe the real problem is sociological and must be solved at a societal level. I would bet that if you are anti-mining for environmental reasons, nothing I will tell you or show you today about the specific protective measures undertaken at Thompson Creek will change your mind. The opposition to commodity production in the rural west has been brought on by the increased rate of change and pressure associated with the advent of the Information Age. We have instant satellite news coverage worldwide.
People make electronic friends on the Internet.
Fax machines make written communication instantaneous. Movies are available 24 hours a day and blur the lines between reality and fantasy. Computers in offices provide us reams of information that lessen the need for intuitive thought. All of these things can inundate us and raise expectations beyond what is possible. We can get instant answers to technical problems on our computers, instant responses and reference material over the Internet, instant entertainment on cable channels, hourly flights to Europe on the supersonic Concorde, and packaged vacation trips to paradise 365 days per year.