<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for The green movement of the Rio Grande]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Jon Rynn http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:59:11 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/1 Great reporting...

...I appreciate the level of detail you're reporting on.  I must admit that when I tried to talk about "connecting the dots", as I put it, I got a tad theoretical, without that kind of detail.

It sort of sounds to me like the sorts of coalitions that Paul Hawken talks about in "Blessed Unrest", particularly in terms of indigenous peoples, who protect their ecosystems because they have a stake in it.   Beyond that, I guess I have some questions:  Is there a similar coalition forming to fight the highway project, I can't remember what it's called "Pan-American highway" or some such, and can they be linked?  What about Native American activists in the area, do they pursue environmental goals?  And to what extent is good-old-fashioned Texas populism still alive, of the Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower variety, are any of them involved?

On an even more theoretical level, I'm wondering if this indicates any larger issues that can engage the Hispanic community in environmental issues -- are there drought, hurricane, flooding issues, all of which I believe hit Texas recently?  

Anyway, I hope questions are helpful too at this point.

]]> Great reporting...

...I appreciate the level of detail you're reporting on.  I must admit that when I tried to talk about "connecting the dots", as I put it, I got a tad theoretical, without that kind of detail.

It sort of sounds to me like the sorts of coalitions that Paul Hawken talks about in "Blessed Unrest", particularly in terms of indigenous peoples, who protect their ecosystems because they have a stake in it.   Beyond that, I guess I have some questions:  Is there a similar coalition forming to fight the highway project, I can't remember what it's called "Pan-American highway" or some such, and can they be linked?  What about Native American activists in the area, do they pursue environmental goals?  And to what extent is good-old-fashioned Texas populism still alive, of the Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower variety, are any of them involved?

On an even more theoretical level, I'm wondering if this indicates any larger issues that can engage the Hispanic community in environmental issues -- are there drought, hurricane, flooding issues, all of which I believe hit Texas recently?  

Anyway, I hope questions are helpful too at this point.

]]> Comment #2 by Erik Hoffner http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:35:52 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/2 coalitions

Interesting, Glenn. Sounds a lot like the Blue Green coalitions formed between enviros and labor.

Greens must be willing to join coalitions like this whenever and wherever they arise, whether they agree with their counterparts on other issues or not. Those other issues can be saved for another day, and the new relationships that result from efforts like this border wall issue can be great leaping-off points.

Erik  

The Orion Grassroots Network: 1,100+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more

]]> coalitions

Interesting, Glenn. Sounds a lot like the Blue Green coalitions formed between enviros and labor.

Greens must be willing to join coalitions like this whenever and wherever they arise, whether they agree with their counterparts on other issues or not. Those other issues can be saved for another day, and the new relationships that result from efforts like this border wall issue can be great leaping-off points.

Erik  

The Orion Grassroots Network: 1,100+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more

]]> Comment #3 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:52:26 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/3 valuable insight into a region

Thanks, Glenn, this is very good, and very necessary.  For those of us who do not often see beyond the MSM's coverage of these related issues of immigration reform and reformed control of the border, we are not vividly aware that our southern border passes through a number of different regions, whose inhabitants have their own peculiar interests and values.  Certainly people in the lower Rio Grande valley, many of them Mexican-American and having real connexions with people in Mexico, must feel differently about those issues than people in the sprawl of the San Diego metropolitan area, the heavily subsidized ecologically problematic agricultural artefact called Imperial Valley, and the Anglo nativist Lou-Dobbs-cheering centers in Arizona.

What is still not quite clear, though, is what part the environmentalists and other friends of the rich biodiversity of the lower Rio Grande have in these meetings of local leaders and spokespersons.  E.g., is conservation of the river's ecosystems and biodiversity considered exclusively in terms of tourist dollars?  Or does it have an appeal of other sorts?

Chickens are our cousins! So are fish! So are other sentient animals! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> valuable insight into a region

Thanks, Glenn, this is very good, and very necessary.  For those of us who do not often see beyond the MSM's coverage of these related issues of immigration reform and reformed control of the border, we are not vividly aware that our southern border passes through a number of different regions, whose inhabitants have their own peculiar interests and values.  Certainly people in the lower Rio Grande valley, many of them Mexican-American and having real connexions with people in Mexico, must feel differently about those issues than people in the sprawl of the San Diego metropolitan area, the heavily subsidized ecologically problematic agricultural artefact called Imperial Valley, and the Anglo nativist Lou-Dobbs-cheering centers in Arizona.

What is still not quite clear, though, is what part the environmentalists and other friends of the rich biodiversity of the lower Rio Grande have in these meetings of local leaders and spokespersons.  E.g., is conservation of the river's ecosystems and biodiversity considered exclusively in terms of tourist dollars?  Or does it have an appeal of other sorts?

Chickens are our cousins! So are fish! So are other sentient animals! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> Comment #4 by Sam Wells http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/ Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:54:56 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/south-texas-the-new-environmental-heartland/4 You Go, Glenn!

Yet to call is a passive or "slow" resistance to the Fed for it's silly border fences is almost a travesty. Most local city majors, county commissioners, and conservation groups have wailed loudly and vociferously, to the point of not allowing Corps of Engineers surveyors on their land (they do have to ask nicely before seeking eminent domain). Worse yet, the Fed keeps changing the maps and nobody knows what the heck is going on - these folks act like "if I tell you I'm going to have to kill you."

The problem really isn't just the fence, either. Hundreds of miles of flood levees need to be fixed, updated, upgraded, and repaired before a fence can be constructed.  Estimates for certain flood districts within a small area of Cameron and Hidalgo counties is 100 million just for starters.  

Nobody, absolutely nobody wants the fence down here except for some crazies like Mr. Tancredo of Colorado and people who are "Rush Limbaugh" dumb as he is (and I don't mean the nice folks of Loma Linda, CA).  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife folks own thousands of acres that would be stranded by such a fence deal.  An International Border Commission also recommended not doing such a fence, as it might violate many treaties with Mexico.  

This is the biggest mess (avoiding cuss words here) I have ever witnessed, yet you're right - it does not make the national media.  Well let me tell you something, we just found a Mangrove Warbler nest down along the Rio, something that hasn't been seen here in 50 years.  To turn all that into a DMZ like between North and South Korea just seems like the most stupid thing mankind could ever invent.  

I mean, at least ole Ronald Reagan would veto anything THAT stupid.
/sammie

Onward through the fog


]]> You Go, Glenn!

Yet to call is a passive or "slow" resistance to the Fed for it's silly border fences is almost a travesty. Most local city majors, county commissioners, and conservation groups have wailed loudly and vociferously, to the point of not allowing Corps of Engineers surveyors on their land (they do have to ask nicely before seeking eminent domain). Worse yet, the Fed keeps changing the maps and nobody knows what the heck is going on - these folks act like "if I tell you I'm going to have to kill you."

The problem really isn't just the fence, either. Hundreds of miles of flood levees need to be fixed, updated, upgraded, and repaired before a fence can be constructed.  Estimates for certain flood districts within a small area of Cameron and Hidalgo counties is 100 million just for starters.  

Nobody, absolutely nobody wants the fence down here except for some crazies like Mr. Tancredo of Colorado and people who are "Rush Limbaugh" dumb as he is (and I don't mean the nice folks of Loma Linda, CA).  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife folks own thousands of acres that would be stranded by such a fence deal.  An International Border Commission also recommended not doing such a fence, as it might violate many treaties with Mexico.  

This is the biggest mess (avoiding cuss words here) I have ever witnessed, yet you're right - it does not make the national media.  Well let me tell you something, we just found a Mangrove Warbler nest down along the Rio, something that hasn't been seen here in 50 years.  To turn all that into a DMZ like between North and South Korea just seems like the most stupid thing mankind could ever invent.  

I mean, at least ole Ronald Reagan would veto anything THAT stupid.
/sammie

Onward through the fog


]]>