Judith, as someone who describes himself as “true green”, I think you have highlighted a very important perspective and issue. Having worked as a commercial salmon fisherman for a good chuck of my life, it would be great if my grand-kids could have the same opportunity. The only way to do that is to conserve, maintain. and manage the health of the fish, of the rivers they spawn in, and of the ocean itself. That’s what true green means to me, in the ocean as in the other spheres of nature.
Migratory deep-sea fish species represent one area where the “love of home” doesn’t work so well. Actually, not much works well out on the high seas. Managing coastal fisheries is much easier, the deep-water is a spiny critter no matter where you grasp it.
In any case, I did like quote you gave about the two main things the sides can learn from each other.
For the environmentalists, it is that wealthier is healthier and is better for the environment. Nobody pollutes and damages the environment like the poor, be they poor countries, poor cities, or poor individuals. In Costa Rica I met a man selling firewood for cooking, and I asked him where he cut it. “In the National Forest Park”, he said. “Isn’t that illegal?”, I asked. I’ve never forgotten his answer. “Tengo seis hijos, cuando tienen hambre, que puedo hacer?” … meaning “I have six children, when they are hungry, what can I do?”.
For that reason alone, taxing or increasing the cost of energy in any way is a very, very foolish and shortsighted environmental policy. It takes energy to keep the environment clean, as well as to generate the wealth to be able to afford to keep it clean.
For the conservatives, it is that there are real environmental problems out there, and not everything is an EPA fantasy. Lots of things are EPA fantasies, to be sure, but by no means all of them, and some of them are very nasty and dangerous things indeed.
So, a great discussion of an important topic. Your blog is a marvelously constant source of wonder and irritation, Judith, what more could a man want? My congratulations to you.
w.