Monday, July 27, 2009

framing the debate

Some thoughts...

I was thinking about how to bring environmentalism into the mainstream. How do we get people to care, to think that it's a good thing? I think right now, national sovereignty and profit motives are the most compelling arguments. Americans are obviously still in a very capitalist mentality, and getting people to embrace new ways of thinking requires some prodding in vulnerable places. National sovereignty would be like, our dependence on foreign natural resources makes us vulnerable (our economy becomes vulnerable, and if we depend on a volatile backwards region like the Middle East for energy, we are vulnerable to both physical attack and economic hiccups). So that would be an incentive to develop renewable energy and gain independence. Boohoo for the established oil barons. Do we really pity them? They have avenues they could take if they're willing to set aside their pride for a second.

Profit motive is that industry ultimately saves if it cares about the environment and social labor standards.

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