North Dakota: not great on the environment?

[Sal Atticum]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/221156/group/Opinion/

The Peace Garden State sadly is failing to live up to its name when it comes to protecting the earth. Citizens deserve better maintenance and protection of taxpayer-paid public spaces.

What do you think?

I went for a bicycle ride today in Grand Forks after reading this, and couldn't help seeing literally hundreds of pieces of trash.  It's pretty sad.

[gh]

I do think that ND doesn't really have many laws concerning the environment. I have recently moved to MN and I've noticed that they have many laws that require recycling and the facility that I work at requires all paper products be put in the shredder bin so everything can be shred and recycled, certain medications are required to be recycled or placed in separate bins, there are multiple bins for people to recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and batteries can be recycled. Also, my apartment building is required to have recycling- and you don't have to separate glass from paper etc.

I can definitely think ND needs to make more laws to protect the environment.  What are your thoughts on this?

[pmp6nl]

One could argue that the overall political beliefs in the state play into this.  The lack of formalized state, county, city recycling programs/policies (in most areas) is a big factor into the environmental impact in this area.

I have noticed that some people did not care much about trash or throwing things on the ground, but than again this happens anywhere.  Unfortunately I was too late to read the article, but I am interested in learning if there are studies or other ways that environmental impacts have been captured, perhaps quantifiably?