I have some anti-Green anecdotes at the front of my mind along with an overwhelming feeling of dread about our environment. "Recycling uses more energy than it saves", "climate change normalizes anti-humanism", "if every car was a hybrid we would still be fucked". Watching lackluster efforts to combat existential global threats is not helping. I want to highlight a couple of popular thoughts on sustainability, renewables, technology, and why Tesla is worth some focus and the most effective road forward.
I describe myself as a dark green environmentalist. We see the impact of tropical storms, floods, and wildfires but to most people, it is just a coincidence. Science says we are running out of time to keep the world habitable. It makes me feel really good to discuss the most important issue of our time and try to do better. No one wants to talk about scrubbing the shit out of cloth diapers, but lots of people want to talk about Tesla.
COVID lockdowns gave us a brief glimpse of cleaner cities' air & water but we are still letting the fossil fuel industry and consumerism dictate the story. If Tesla can make cheap batteries charged from renewables preferred over fuel-burning engines the planet has a chance. If Tesla can pressure all the automakers to present EVs then it looks like we could make progress. It is going to take big ideas, trees, incentives, and it can really gain speed if regular people want to do right by each other.
Our lifeboat is filling with water. Everything we do as individuals makes an impact but only one approach is truly going to keep us from sinking.
Old progressive: "Your little dixie cup is useless but you keep bailing water out."
Michael Moore: https://youtu.be/lZige9bfXmU?t=584
Young progressive: "We are going to trick the rich and smart to pool resources & innovate to bail water faster."
Gali Russel: https://youtu.be/Ojuhr0I4A-g?t=1466
Progressive researcher: "If they sell the water bailer pump to other sinking boats they will end up redistributing wealth globally."
Tasha Keeney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwoanP0iH8Y
Which approach is going to save the world? What partnership is going to make it happen? Probably not ANY of the companies that have been making 0 progress in the last 70 years since we knew destruction was a potential outcome. Why did my 1990 Acura Integra get better gas mileage than any car we have ever owned? Just a fluke? Government regulations? Why is my local 75% fossil fuel energy company embroiled in the HB6 bribery scandal still sending out flyers about how sustainable they are?
2020 for me was canceling Amazon Prime, pulling funding for anti-Earth orgs, earning & spending with intention, amplifying voices I didn't know about, and examining my privilege. 2021 is a new chance to vote with my dollar, lobby government, and not settle for the trash we are presented as our only "reasonable/logical" options by special interest marketing. Earth seems like the ultimate special interest and I want more people to care about it.
