Or maybe you don’t need this. All major religions think murder is wrong (which isn’t quite the same as saying that all members of those religions get the message, I know). Pagans agree. Christians agree. Buddhists agree. Jews agree. As do most atheists and agnostics. So here you have a lot of people who agree on a goal even though the core reasons underneath those beliefs look different.

So maybe we don’t have to have all enviros speaking the same language. I don’t know.

I like the phrase “environmental conservativism” (though i dislike “isms”). Unfortunately, our common connotation of “conservative” has nothing to do with its root word…on either side of the ideological divide.

We could attempt to appeal to common sense, but that would require first rebuilding common sense among the US population. Similarly, we could appeal to future generations; however, we’ve descended to such a vainglorious level of “me, me, me” that such an approach would also require rebuilding fundamental thought processes.

“Stewardship” is perhaps the best available option, along with an attempt to retake the word “conserve” (but not the pinko, dirty word “conservation”) from the Limbaughs of the planet. The long-term fiscal savings inherent in sustainability is probably another good option, though it is kneecapped by our current pursuit of short-term profit uber alles.

You’ve got your work cut out for you. My guess is that your best shot is to find a way to get some open-minded people from each group together and let them hash it out. Good luck getting people from all three groups together and keeping it from descending into an acrimonious, accusatory yelling match.

Progressive environmentalists. Environmental evangelicals. Crunch conservatives. All three want to save the earth, but their values and vocabularies are so different it’s hard to see how they can ever unite in common cause….

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