Environmentalists of the world, Unite!

          The environmental movement looks completely different from the inside than it does from the outside.  Often, somebody on the outside looking in, it seems to be much more united, much larger than it actually is.  First, the movement seems to be animated by a (relatively) smaller group of hyperactive, workaholic types.  That, though, is not what I want to talk about.

          Recently, as I mentioned in my last post, i was in New York for the 2nd Prepcomm for the rio summit.  While there, I got a glimpse into the issues that have paralised the environemntal movement south of the border.  Firstly, the movement there is divided- witness the rift between the NRDC and the Sierra Club, two of the largest groups there.  If you ever have the chance to be in a room with top people from both those groups, jump on it.  There will be fireworks.  One would think that this was a meeting between environmentalists and the oil industry.  These divisions are not visible from the ''outside'', but they are present and a severe drag on the movement.  Secondly, there is a very real fear of what Jeffrey Barber so eloquently called ''the hate squad''.  Simply put, the tea-partying, republicanizing, oily movement has the environmentalists terrified of doing anything that would garner too much publicity.  This is really too bad, after all- what are we here for if not to present the alternative to that very movement?

          These are problems that, although are present at their most extreme levels in the US, are in many ways present here in Canada as well.  And it is really a shame.  Instead of bickering amongst ourselves, let's focus on what we all agree on, which is a lot.  All environmentalists essentially all agree on the end outcome.  So let's focus on that.  And we have to focus on a message that is solutions based- instead of simply complaining, we have to present solutions.  But if we, as environmentalists, can come together, can present a solutions-based message, then we have nothing to fear from the ''hate squad'', and we can capture the hearts and minds of the public.  So, environmentalists of the world, unite.