Environmentalism

How The Far Left Totally Screwed Us With Climate Change

The Environmental Protection Policy Act

Finally. The federal government was stepping up and taking strides to try and undo damage to the environment.

Signed into law in 1970 by President Richard Nixon, the act was first in a long line of policies designed to clean up and protect the world we live in.

Nixon pledged to make the 1970s the “environmental decade”. He even helped create Earth Day and celebrated by planting a tree on the White House grounds.

He declared that environmental problems don’t pause for politics or partisanship.

By the time Jimmy Carter was president, he issued an executive order to protect giant swaths of Alaska. He promoted renewable energy and had solar panels placed on the White House.

When Ronald Regan came into power, he sought to undermine and dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency that Nixon had formed.

He installed a lawyer as the new director. She reduced the size of the agency and hired people with little to no scientific background.

At one point, the administration faced scrutiny over hiring industry scientists who minimized or denied coal burning plants and their subsequent toxins as sources of acid rain.

In fact, George H. W. Bush used his promise to clean up the air and fight acid rain as a winning political strategy. He created the Clean Air Act shortly afterward. But then he formed the “counsel of competitiveness” which was designed to help companies circumvent environmental laws.

Clinton had the counsel dismantled and replaced it with a counsel on sustainable development. As with other presidents before him, he worked to protect more forested land and endangered species. His executive order required companies to reduce their pollution and report the release of toxic chemicals into the environment.

During the Clinton administration, federal agencies had to use recycled paper. Wetland protection initiatives were put in place. Coastal areas were protected from oil companies. The list goes on and on. Environmental protection was back in full swing, just like in the days of Nixon.

Ah yes. The 90’s. We were all going to plant trees, save the dolphins and whales, recycle everything, and make the planet happy.

What happened?

Well. This back and forth continued. One president creating protection policies, the next tearing them apart. One president planting a tree, the next donating the tree to big business. (That one is made up)

Fifty years ago, we were told that the environment is in danger. We were told that it isn’t a political situation. It is a problem we all face, regardless of political leanings.

Forty years ago, some bad acting scientists were bought and paid for by polluting companies and we called them out on it.

Thirty years ago, we were hell bent on saving the planet.

Here is the thing

Nixon was a Republican, but Regan was a new paradigm of Republicans. He was going to save business. He was going to grow the economy. He was going to make everyone rich.

Regan gave us the message that this whole “environmental thing” is bad for business.

His message was taken up by right-leaning Americans everywhere. Sure, nature is pretty. Sure, we want to keep it nice or whatever…but the government shouldn’t be meddlin’!

This sentiment continued to grow and grow.

Then. The far left made their fatal error

You see, when books like Silent Spring (Ironic affiliate link) came out, people knew we needed to act.

When we just needed to stop littering, pick up trash, plant a tree, remove the seriously toxic chemicals from products, and the like…it didn’t cost anyone much.

Suddenly, the cost of saving the planet was being pushed from big business and onto the consumer. Most of us do not notice when regulations make it difficult on a company. Until it starts to show up in the prices of their goods.

The costs continued to rise. Buy high-efficiency appliances! Buy these special new light-bulbs! Buy this triple recycled bag!

It isn’t a matter of whether or not these were important steps for protecting the environment. The problem was that consumers were being asked to pay more.

This was when the big businesses could say, you see?! You see now?!!! They don’t want to save the planet, they want our money!!!!

When half the country began to perceive environmentalism as a money grab, we were sunk.

Unlike 50 years ago, when we were all in this together. Unlike 40 years ago, when we had a respect for science. Half the country has become distrustful. You cannot look at a comment section without finding climate-change deniers.

You cannot bring up anything about the climate or pollution or where the world is headed, without hearing that it is all fake. JuST FoLLOW tHe MoNEY!

How it could have been

The politicians could have kept quiet. I know. I know. We had a long running history of Presidents stepping up and setting the example and creating new policies.

There comes a time when the Science needs to speak for itself. Instead of Al Gore giving us an inconvenient truth, we needed respected people in their various fields of science.

Instead of large campaigns to push energy efficient products, we needed to let the market decide.

I fear it is too late to undo the damage of the dreaded attack on the wallets of America. We may never have another chance to explain just how dire the situation is.

As storms grow in intensity and traditional agriculture is further altered by changing lands, it will be blamed on some giant conspiracy. People will continue to exist in smaller and smaller bubbles of information, creating a feedback loop of fear and paranoia.

Who would have thought that we might say: Sure wish Nixon was president again!