What America looked like before the EPA, in photos
When I was younger, I honestly believed in the explanation that left to their own devices, free enterprise will work to protect the environment, as anything that hurts the market will hurt profits. What I didn't take into account was that this argument doesn't work for enterprises run by beings with limited lifespans. All except the most empathic humans will not incur any cost to avoid consequences that are beyond their lifespans (or, in some cases, beyond their immediate offsprings' lifespans). That is why I believe that Adam Smith's invisible hand will fail to help the environment...