Environmentalism: what does it all mean?

Some of you know that I'm currently travelling to Minnesota for the January Climate Institute, a small conference of student leaders designed to push the bounds of how we see ourselves and the climate movement.

Of all the big, hanging issues out there, the one at the top of the list might be the term 'environmentalism' itself, and all the identities and connotations that tag along. I'm not fan of the term and rarely consider myself an environmentalist, but my reasons for doing so are often inarticulate or boring. Still, I feel it more and more strongly, the need to break free from the values and identity that is ascribed to us so that we can focus on the possibilities the future holds.

Here's a piece of recommended reading: The Failure of Environmentalism: Hurricane Katrina It seems to lack an ending, but other than that it really cuts to the root of why environmentalism is simply an inadequate term and philosophy.

Whether too scientific, too technical or too policy focused, leading environmental thinkers are discovering the fact that global climate change, as an issue, is simply too large for the environmental movement alone. Each of these papers advocated for different coalitions to be formed. Shellenberger and Nordhaus advocated for an alliance with labor, like the Apollo Alliance, and subsuming the goals of environmentalism into the larger progressive movement. Professor Dan Esty, from the Yale School of Forestry, in a debate, argued that environmentalism should stop attacking drivers of SUVs, as they are motivated to protect their children’s wellbeing, and instead focus on the parent’s concerns over their children’s future and the consequences of global warming.[xii] Bill Moyers, in an address to environmental journalists, argued that conservative Christians should be swayed to respond to the issue.

When we look at Katrina,

All of these concerns [about what went wrong with Katrina] are valid, but there is a definite disconnect between all the identified problems and those categorized as “environmental.” One major factor that Katrina reveals is how many constituencies and issues are tied up in the response to the climate crisis. Scientists have warned that storms will get more intense, sea levels will rise, and effects as far-ranging as drought to regional cooling might occur. How to protect humanity and the rest of the ecosystem from these impacts is a question that involves the effectiveness of government, the robustness of infrastructure, the level of education of the public, land-use planning, environmental policy, and social justice.

You really need to read the whole thing (its only about 2 pages).

For me, this is yet another way of rephrasing the question that seems to be constantly on my mind: why is it more important to fight climate change than address any number of other human problems? I guarantee you, whatever answer you have to that question is not going to hold up as well as you want it to.