callisto’s Recent Comments

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  We *can* and *should* do both

  There is no reason to portray those currently seeking to preserve our wild spaces as somehow uninterested in environmental justice.

  Once wilderness is gone, it's gone -- quite difficult to get back.  We do people (all people) no favors when we lose access to biodiversity in all its glory.  For one easy example look at our medicines - almost all are based in some way or another on things found in the natural world around us.  For another consider the impact of losing wilderness on soil & water issues.

  While enivironmental justice is essential I don't like the tone of this article - seeming to say that protecting wild spaces is silly but looking out for heavy metals in water is important.  I want my daughter and all of her peers (wherever they live and whatever their socioeconomic status) to have access to wild spaces AND clean water.

  This seems like divide and conquer tactics from those outside of the environmental movement.  Can't we do better than this?On Environmentalism's elitist tinge has roots in the movement's history posted 3 years, 8 months ago 17 Responses

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  odograph

  You might be interested in this if you haven't already seen it http://typology.people-press.org/ from the Pew Center and of course there's http://www.politicalcompass.org/

  A few questions relating to the environment, too.  Perhaps we need a political compass for environmental issues?  Now that might be interesting.On Environmentalism and liberalism shouldn't be joined at the hip. posted 4 years, 4 months ago 61 Responses

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  Oh my

  I don't think pointing out that some of what Jeremy says seems similar to a neoconservative point of view needs to be summarily dismissed by the assistant editor as "crap" or "silly".  I certainly read Grist for better dialogue than school yard put downs.

  Nor, Jeremy, do we need to dismiss Amazingdrx's comments as conspiracy theories for pointing out that the current Republican administration likes to take credit for caring for the environment (Clean Skies...) without actually doing so.  I sincerely doubt that Amazingdrx thinks you are a Rove plant, but rather that some of your commentary is actually counterproductive to protecting the environment and those of us who live in it.

  I'm going on vacation and hope that when I return I find less of this "liberals are unpatriotic", "nuclear sure may be the way to go" sort of posting.  If not I'll look elsewhere.  

  I already have a child at home - I don't need to watch environmentalists acting like children online.

  RachelOn Environmentalism and liberalism shouldn't be joined at the hip. posted 4 years, 4 months ago 61 Responses

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  Don't agree

  First of all global warming affects us all.  Check out what global warming is doing to Alaska Natives who live on the tundra and practice a subsistence lifestyle.

  Second caring about global warming (a meta issue if you will) does not mean that one does not care about public health issues.  

  As a nurse I care deeply about clean water and food for people - does that mean that I want to turn a blind eye to carbon emissions in the meantime?  No!  We can, and must, multi task with the issues out there.  Seeing that policy makers are grown-ups, not 3 year olds, I think they can handle it.

  It's really simple math - we, those who live on the Earth, cannot continue to consume the way that we do.  Our goal should not be to have every human on this planet consume the resources that a U.S. citizen currently does.  Instead we need to drastically reduce the resources used by those in industrial nations and strive to have a more equitable distribution across both developed and developing nations.

  Look - we need to think farther ahead than just our generation.  I want a beautiful house in the middle of pristine wilderness but then it screws it up for everyone after me.  Why not save the pristine wilderness so that countless people (not to mention animals, plants, etc) can enjoy it and thrive in it for generations to come?

  Environmentalism has both local and global components.  I think it makes more sense for me to advocate on behalf of salmon in Washington, for example, than someone in India and I think someone in India would have a better understanding of their own local environmental concerns and how to address them.   But expecting U.S. environmentalists to take on the particular problems of every other country is hubristic and unworkable.  The truly international and global environmental concerns are necessarily large and long-ranging, such as global warming, because they are the problems we all share.On Environmentalism should look in the mirror to find the source of its troubles. posted 4 years, 5 months ago 23 Responses

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  Just what do you propose?

  After reading your posts I'm a little confused as to just what you suggest be done.  I get the picture that you think Democrats have single handedly sabotaged the goals of the enviromental movement (an interesting thesis to say the least).  So what do you want?  Deregulation and more big business input?  Looser standards on hazardous materials?

   Your Sierra Club link in your previous post baffled me - after all it showed a mix of Republicans, Independents and Democrats.  You seem to structure your argument to ignore facts that you find inconvenient - what about Ducks Unlimited?  Are they full of "enviroliberals"?

  Clean coal is the most important alternative energy out there?  Really?  Since it's nonrenewable might it not be good to look at other sources such as solar and wind?  Or is that too "liberal" for you?

  I'm trying to have an open mind but I find your posts exhausting.  I simply do not have the time to go through and refute you point by point.  I hope someone else will be able to.

  Oh - and if you want to build a coalition of folks who are concerned about the environment I guarantee the way to do it isn't to use wording such as this beauty you use to describe the Apollo Alliance: "the same tired collection of Democratic Party fronts -- civil rights groups, unions, and other liberal organizations."

  Sign me,
  Another heart and mind you seem to have alienatedOn Environmentalism and liberalism shouldn't be joined at the hip. posted 4 years, 5 months ago 61 Responses