Environmental Citizenship

At a news conference held by Governor Cuomo in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Chuck Schumer, the senior senator from NY said, There is in my judgment anyway, a relationship between all these once in a lifetime storms that we experience every couple of years and what is going on in the atmosphere. And, the best way to deal with that, and the least costly in the long run, is to grab the bull by the horns, and actually do things that prevent the climate from changing, and global warming from occurring. I am grateful when any politician acknowledges the elephant in the room that has been largely ignored throughout this presidential campaign, and by most of the news media. But, we need to be clear about what we can reasonably do at this stage in the process. We cannot prevent global warming, or the climate change that results from it.

The earth will soon pass its warmest levels in over 12,000 years. Feedback loops may already be systemically fixed, which means that while some componential remediation might be possible, pragmatism will force us to focus on policies of mitigation and adaptation. David Orr wrote that the major actions to stabilize the vital signs of earth and stop the hemorrhaging of life must be made within the next decade or two (Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World)- that was in 1992.

The evidence for serious environmental degradation is incontrovertible, and manifests throughout the ecosphere. Climate change is not the only

environmental issue, but it informs, and is informed by many others. Deforestation, desertification, pollution, toxins, species extinction, water scarcity, disease, and famine- all these and more threaten our health and security. Yet we remain paralyzed by a combination of psychological, emotional, political, and economic factors.

Threats that creep up on us over time are hard to measure. The camels back is broken by not just one straw, but by behaviors, practices, and natural factors that accrete over time, until the balance tips. When a new pattern is established, and the danger becomes clear, we understandably feel overwhelmed by fear, and powerless in the face of such an enormous and complex problem.

The geopolitical implications are daunting. Developed countries worry that the inevitable sacrifices they will have to make will lower their standard of living. Underdeveloped countries are justifiably concerned that their own economic growth will be sacrificed to the powerful interests of wealthier countries who wish to maintain the quality of life they take for granted, but achieved by their own reckless disregard for the environment.

Powerful carbon fuel constituencies lobby politicians to maintain policies that support their economic interests. Multinational corporations have used their outsized profits, (fueled by government subsidies, and enormous tax breaks) to

impede, and discredit an alternative energy agenda they could have embraced years ago if they had chosen to do so.

Rachel Carson recognized in Silent Spring that the rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the impetuous and heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature. Practically speaking (albeit deceptively simple), most of our environmental problems can essentially be reduced to the challenge of sustainable development, i.e. - stewardship of the commons. But, sustainable development is something of an oxymoron. Sustainability implies limits, while development is all about growth. Garrett Hardin addressed this inherent conflict in his seminal paper, The Tragedy of the Commons, when he wrote about the necessary constraints, or coercion society must submit to in order to safeguard larger freedoms.

In A Sand County Almanac (1949) Aldo Leopold observed that all ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in the community, but his ethics prompt him also to co-operate (perhaps in order that there may be a place to compete for).

This Environmental Citizenship, like citizenship generally, is a manifestation of our desire for security and justice. Sustainable development, or the equitable distribution of limited resources on an overcrowded planet, fosters peace. Like so many worthwhile goals, it must be achieved through compromise, which seems

to have become a dirty word. But, when a broad table is to be made, and the edges of planks do not fit, the artist takes a little from both, and makes a good joint. In like manner here both sides must part with some of their demands, in order that they may join in some accommodating proposition. The representatives we elect to protect us would be wise to heed Ben Franklins words if they hope to address the biggest existential threat we face, not to mention a host of other pressing challenges. Those who take the lead may pay a price. But, storms like Sandy will surely happen more frequently, and will cost us all much more. Citizens must start rewarding those politicians and members of the media who respect science, and promote reasoned, respectful dialog.

The cultural prerogatives we take for granted need to be re-examined and questioned so that conservation and preservation of the commons, rather than unbridled, thoughtless consumption, becomes the lodestar of our value system. Such radical transformations require strong, clear leadership that engages the public in the kind of discourse that fosters active citizenship. It also requires a press that holds politicians feet to the fire. The leap from concern to personal responsibility is crucial, because concern alone does not necessarily translate into pro-environmental behavior. Environmentally responsible behavior requires an environmentally literate citizenry, which is a byproduct of a sound Environmental Education.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have presented us with a wonderful opportunity to incorporate Environmental Literacy into our curricula across the country. The Kentucky Environmental Education Council should be commended for creating crosswalks between the CCSS for English Language Arts, Math and Science, and the North American Association for Environmental Educations (NAAEE) Guidelines for Learning (K-12).

Humankind has spent much of its time erecting a wall between itself and the rest of the natural world. But, it is a divide built of hubris, a peculiarly human attribute that in myth, and throughout history, has presaged the downfalls of people, and the declines of civilizations. This barrier has allowed us to indiscriminately pursue our desires without any consideration for the impact on our planet- our only home. Our children and grandchildren will have to cope with the consequences of our selfishness and paralysis in ways we can barely imagine.

We can continue to retreat in fear to opposite corners, ignore facts, cling to dogma, and demonize those who disagree with us. Or, we can stop the screaming and yelling by coming closer together, looking each other in the eyes, and recognizing the fellow human, and earthling in front of us.

2012 Harriet Mendlowitz hmendlowitz@gmail.com