From the Vault: Taking the Environment Back

There is a long list of issues on which conservatives can do better.  The issue we are in the best position to start rebuilding our image with is the environment. For too many years we have let liberals dominate environmental concerns and this has added to our unfortunate image as a group that does not care. This is the greatest PR success of liberals. They have managed to completely pull the wool over the eyes of a public who care about the environment on paper but often do not know what truly goes on in the so-called ‘green’ movement.

In America today there are two sides to the environmental movement. There are preservationists which tend to be your tree-hugging Greenpeace types. Preservationists believe natural areas should be left alone and, well, preserved. For them the only way humanity can be a steward to the environment is to leave it alone. On the other side are conservationists. Conservationists tend to be your hunters, fisherman, campers and backpackers, farmers and ranchers who believe the environment is here for us to enjoy responsibly. Conservationists believe that good stewardship of the environment means using it, not abusing it.

It is my belief that an overwhelming majority of Americans fall into the  conservationist side of environmentalism, whether they realize it or not. Far more Americans enjoy nature than avoid it and frankly, that is what preservationists ask of us. Furthermore, what is most gratifying to me is that millions of conservationists not only believe in careful stewardship of the environment, but voluntarily impose limits upon themselves to ensure our natural areas will be around for future generations.

What conservatives need to realize is that there is a HUGE network of conservationists out there, among them millions of hunters and fisherman, who closely identify with a message of conservation and are motivated to push hard for what they believe in. Unfortunately the decline in popularity of both sports, especially hunting, has forced many of these people to become less vocal, while preservationists see more and more publicity. Social stigmas attached to the pursuit of game have alienated many sportsmen and taken away their voice, but it is my sense that they are poised for a comeback.

One group that has been leading the charge while partnering with other conservation groups is the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Their mission statement reads:

“The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is a coalition of leading hunting, fishing and conservation organizations, labor unions and individual grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing by a.) expanding access to places to hunt and fish, b.) conserving fish and wildlife and the habitats necessary to sustain them, and c.) increasing funding for conservation and management.”  – TRCP

TRCP is allied closely with groups like Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited and Trout Unlimited who have saved millions of acres of natural spaces through their efforts. What’s even more impressive is that they have partnered with 19 major trade unions to help engage their members who are sportsmen and sportswomen in conservation efforts. Here is a list from the TRCP:

Trade Union	# of Members
United Steel Workers of America	800,000
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)	780,000
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)	760,000
Communication Workers of America (CWA)	600,000
United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA)	300,000
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)	267,000
Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA)	150,000
International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers	127,000
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM)	120,000
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)	115,000
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC)	100,000
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers	75,000
United Mine Workers of America (UMWA)	60,000
Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)	50,000
Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA)	40,000
International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)	26,000
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers	25,000
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers	20,000
Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen	9,500
Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO	n/a
Total	4,424,500

 As you can see, this gives them access to over 4 million blue collar workers. These are just the kinds of folks that conservatives should be pursuing. A strong conservationist message and a close and public partnership with conservation groups, coupled with some sensible regulation of businesses along environmental lines is a recipe for success.

This brings me to my last point. Conservatives have long been champions of business and the power of markets to generate wealth, innovate and to power our economy. To accomplish this and to allow market forces to work we have generally accepted a hands-off approach to business and avoid regulation whenever possible. Historically this has helped grow our economy and made us a wealthy nation but sometimes those businesses give us a bad name. They pollute. They make products that are harmful to the environment. They destroy natural areas to build factories. They allow drunk captains to pilot their oil tankers.

Sound familiar? It should because it’s the message that liberals have been sending to the public for decades. is there any truth to it? Sadly, there sometimes is.

The truth is that sometimes companies, even well-intentioned companies, harm the environment. The close association of conservatives with business means we also get a black eye when Acme Manufacturing dumps toxic waste into a public landfill or when Acme Oil spills a million gallons of crude into Hudson Bay. If we are going to take credit for the success of businesses then we must also share the blame when they pollute.

It is my belief that conservatives do not necessarily have to push for new environmental regulations for businesses but we must be leaders on enforcement. We must also be open to regulation when it becomes necessary. Our previously fierce opposition to any new regulation has put us at odds with the goals of some well-intentioned conservationists. Many conservationists want to protect the environment from the few companies out there that knowingly or unknowingly do it harm.  

Right or wrong, the perception among many Americans is that conservatives (i.e. Republicans) will always favor business over environmental concerns. We are doing little to dispell this notion when we refuse to acknowledge even the possibility that man-made pollution may be impacting the planet in some way. We also give the appearance of being in bed with oil companies when we do little to spur innovation in the area of alternative fuels. We lose potential allies when we use profit as an excuse for de-regulating industries that are chronic polluters.

A long time ago, the leader of the progressive movement, Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it.” This must be the mantra of the conservative movement going forward. Let’s draw new members into the fold and honor the commitment of current conservatives who also care deeply about the environment. It has always been our belief that we hold the moral high ground in America in terms of political and social policy. This should be no less the case when it comes to the environment.