Rick Reibstein

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After decades working for and with environmental agencies and teaching part-time Richard Reibstein now teaches full-time at BU, providing courses he created.  His goal is to increase understanding of the necessity and benefits of rebuilding environmental governance.  He seeks to inspire greater civic engagement and consensus finding, and uses his experience to connect students to efforts to improve law and program effectiveness.  His experience in developing innovative programs to complement enforcement with assistance informs a problem-solution approach that seeks to illuminate root causes and the array of options for preventing public and environmental health problems.

See the work he does with students, and their original contributions to public policy, at www.bu.edu/rccp.  At that site he has posted conferences he has organized at BU with student help, on lead poisoning, transitioning to nonlead aviation gas, reducing the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, and detoxifying commerce  (in “Events“). 

• View reports from the “Public Conversation on Lead” Reibstein organized for Boston’s Public Health Commission (under “Health In All Policies”) and the information at the website he maintains, www.leadconversation.net.

Courses Taught

• EE 521 Law for Sustainability
• EE 522 Environmental Policy and Decision-Making
• EE 532 Research for Environmental Agencies & Organizations
• EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance

Syllabi

EE 521 Law for Sustainability

EE 522 Environmental Policy and Decision-Making

EE 532 Research for Environmental Agencies & Organizations

EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance

Articles & Other Media by Rick Reibstein

• Rick Reibstein blogs at http://www.trunity.com/ec-blog “The Environmental Citizen”
• Handbook of Energy and Environmental Security, (Ed. Muhammed Asif, Elsevier, 2022), chapter 20: “Engagement and Relational Governance”.
• Reconstructing Environmental Governance: The Chance to Choose a Better Future
• “Helping Indigenous Peoples Stay on their Land” Resilience (2020)
• “Vote to Save the World” Institute for Sustainable Energy” (2020)
• “When  the Pandemic Subsides, Will the Noise Return?” Tinnitus Today (2020).
• “Reibstein interviewed concerning environmental policy on Lexington community television, July 2018.”
• “Environmental Law—Resuming Progress On Lead Poisoning: A Prime Indicator Of Civilization.” Western New England University Law Review (2018).
• “Toxics Reduction Suggestions for Communities.” MASustainableCommunities.com (2017).
• “Can Our Children Trust Us with Their Future? Juliana Is a Reminder That the Government’s Purpose Is to Be a Guardian for Future Generations.” TYL (2017).
• “Improve Regulation, Do Not Repeal It.” The Regulatory Review (2017).
• “A More Ethical Chemistry.” Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry (2017).
• “The Kelsey Cascadia Rose Juliana Decision: A Ray of Light.” Institute of Sustainable Energy (2016).
• “Restoring Pollution Prevention and the Concept of Positive Freedom.” RegBlog (2016).
• “‘Many Different Paths to Restoration’: About Presenting on Faith in Democracy at an Interfaith Conference on the Environment.” Nazareth College (2016).
• “Constructive Engagement with Government Related to the Power Dialog.” Bard Center for Environmental Policy (2015).
• “The Path to Climate Responsible Investment” (with Cutler Cleveland). Energy in Context (2015).
• “Let a Thousand Alternative Energy Flowers Bloom.” Energy in Context (2015).
• “Preventive Hazard Evaluation for Process Safety.” Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (2013).
• “Linking Top-Down to Bottom-Up For Sustainability.” New England Journal of Higher Education (2013).
• “Using the Tools of Pollution Prevention to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Environmental Law Reporter (2009), advocates a rich mix of governance tools and learning from the success of pollution prevention programs.
• “No More Spreading Lead.” New Hampshire Property Owners Newsletter (2009), explains how fully observing the letter and absorbing the spirit of lead paint law would be of benefit to the regulated community (for example, landlords), and not just those potentially exposed to lead.
• “What if Technical Assistance Really Works?” Sustain (2008) reports on data proving a program of onsite, confidential technical assistance by the state can produce substantial reductions in toxics use, and builds “social intellectual capital” for solving common problems.
• “Time to Get Real: The Necessity of Legal Accountability for Responsible Transnational Commerce.” Environmental Law Reporter (2007), argues that worldwide responsible corporate behavior will not properly evolve in the absence of legal remedies, and proposes that corporations interested in being identified as responsible should make themselves accountable across borders.
• “Preventive Preparedness: The Highest Value Emergency Planning.” Environmental Quality Management (2006), describes the value of emergency planning that is integrated with other efforts and is not just about response, but which addresses the root cause of the risk, the use of dangerous chemicals. “The bomb can’t go off if there is no bomb.”
• “Good Faith as a Fundamental Principle of Relational Environmental Governance.” Environmental Law Reporter (2002), argues that enforcement policies providing for penalty breaks when violating entities have acted in good faith should be broadened to include “precontact” good faith before enforcement commences.  It recommends an approach of helping first and encouraging willing compliance, with enforcement strong but applied carefully, to foster desired behavior, and that this better reflects reality and creates the relationship between government and the governed needed for improved environmental performance.