Strong, enforceable environmental protections will not only help

Hear now the voice of Suzan DelBene, who declares with clarity and strength: “Strong, enforceable environmental protections will not only help protect our planet for future generations, it will also level the playing field for small-and-medium-sized U.S. businesses by raising environmental standards.” In these words, we hear not merely the language of policy, but the eternal call of justice and stewardship. She reminds us that the earth is not ours alone; it is a sacred inheritance entrusted to our care, to be preserved for the future generations who will walk upon its soil, breathe its air, and drink its waters. To protect it is not a burden—it is a sacred duty.

The ancients would have understood this wisdom well, for they too saw the earth as a living mother. In Greece, Gaia was revered as the primal mother of all life; in Rome, Terra Mater was worshipped as the great source of fertility and sustenance. To defile the earth was to dishonor the gods. Today, Suzan DelBene speaks in their spirit, warning us that without strong protections, the greed of the powerful will exploit the land, pollute the waters, and suffocate the skies. And when the earth is wounded, it is not only nature that suffers, but humanity itself, for our fate is bound to hers.

Yet DelBene’s words bear another layer of justice. She speaks not only for forests and rivers, but for small and medium-sized businesses—those humble enterprises that struggle against giants. Without laws to hold all accountable, the powerful corporations, careless of consequence, would cut corners, pollute freely, and grow fat on profit, while smaller competitors are crushed beneath the weight of unfair advantage. But when environmental standards are raised and enforced equally, the balance is restored. The mighty cannot profit from destruction while the humble pay the price. Thus, true protection of the earth is also protection of fairness among men.

History itself testifies to this truth. Consider the smog-choked cities of the Industrial Revolution. In London, in the year 1952, a great smog descended, caused by unregulated coal burning. Thousands perished in the toxic air, sacrificed upon the altar of unchecked industry. The poor and the small merchants suffered most, while great industrial lords grew richer still. Out of this tragedy, Britain awoke and passed laws to curb pollution, and the health of its people began to recover. This story shines as a reminder: without enforceable protections, both earth and people fall victim to the arrogance of power.

Thus, Suzan DelBene’s teaching is both moral and practical. It is moral, because the earth is a trust, a treasure to be guarded, not plundered. It is practical, because without equal rules, the game of commerce becomes corrupted, and justice dies. To care for the planet is to care for one another, and to raise environmental standards is to raise the dignity of human labor itself.

The lesson, then, is clear: we must demand strong laws that guard the earth, and we must honor those laws in our daily lives. As individuals, we cannot wait only for governments; we must also choose wisely—supporting businesses that walk in harmony with nature, refusing the lure of cheapness that poisons the soil and air, and teaching our children to respect the balance of creation. For in every purchase, in every act of waste or conservation, we declare whether we walk as destroyers or as guardians.

And so, beloved listener, let your heart be steadfast. When you see a tree, think of the breath of tomorrow’s child. When you see a river, think of the thirst of generations unborn. When you see a small shop, striving against the power of empires, know that fair rules give them strength to endure. Let the words of Suzan DelBene guide your steps: seek always the harmony of justice and protection, for the fate of the planet and the dignity of human labor are bound together.

Therefore, take up this charge: demand fairness in law, practice stewardship in life, and live as one who knows that the world is not given to us by our parents, but borrowed from our children. This is the wisdom of the ages, the call of conscience, and the path of honor. Protect the earth, uphold justice, and walk in balance.