Archive for category: The Environment and Politics
These are posts or essays on environment and politics and the GOP or Republican and Democrat response to environmental policy and regulations.
A coyote, a badger, and respectful environmental stewardship
, , Links, The Environment and Politics, Badger, collaboration, Coyote, Earth Day 2020, environment, honey bees, stewardship, Todd Myers, 0 The video is only 13 seconds long and it has been viewed more than 20 million times. A happy...
Crunchy Con Manifesto Redux
, , Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, American Conservative, Crunchy Con Manifesto, Rod Dreher, Russell Kirk, 0 By Brent Fewell Over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate Rod Dreher’s contributions to environmental discourse and advancing the...
“Nudging” versus “Coercion” – Balancing Environmental Protection with Liberty and Freedom
, , Conservative Conservationism, EPA, Free-Market Environmentalism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, Water Issues, Andy McCarthy, Big Data, Big Government, Cass Sunstein, conservative, environmental, F.A. Hayek, freedom, John Stuart Mills, Jonah Goldberg, liberty, Next Generation Compliance, NRO, Nudge Theory, Russell Kirk, 0 The recent controversy over the U.S. Government’s increased proclivity to secretly paw through the electronic communications and telephone records of Americans has...
EARTH DAY – Ignore those apocalyptic Malthusians – Humans no longer dragging nuckles . . .
, , The Environment and Politics, Brian Yablonski, carbon emissions, conservation, Earth Day, PERC, wildlife, wolves, Yellowstone, 0 This Earth Day, Try Conservation Optimism Brian Yablonski Reposted from PERC April 22, 2018 EMIGRANT, Mont.—It is Earth Day,...
Trump’s Long-Standing Friendship with an Environmental Activist
, , The Environment and Politics, Ed Russo, environmental activist, Environmental Hero, stewardship roundtable, Trump, 0 This week the Stewardship Roundtable was pleased to welcome Ed Russo, long-time environmental advisor to President Trump and environmental...
The Uproar Over Presidents and National Monuments
, , The Environment and Politics, Bears Ear National Monument, deferred maintenance backlog, Federal Land Management, FLPMA, Grand Staircase-Escalanate National Monument, PERC, President Trump, Sean Regan, Secretary Zinke, 0 This week’s action by President Trump to chop the size of two national monuments in Utah was met with...
Environmental Justice – Why Conservatives Should Care
, , The Environment and Politics, environmental justice, environmental pollution, EPA, Jack Kemp, principles of conservatism, Scott Pruitt, 0 Environmental Justice (EJ) is back in the news this week as Democratic members of Congress introduce legislation that would...
Earth Day Op-Ed by Zinke, Perry, and Pruitt
, , The Environment and Politics, climate change, Earth Day, environmental protection, national parks, Op-ed, Rick Perry, Ryan Zinke, Scott Pruitt, 0 It’s not often three Presidential cabinet members pen a joint Op-ed piece, but that’s what EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt,...
Liberalism, Conservatism, and Cynicism
, , The Environment and Politics, budget cuts, ConservAmerica, conservation, national parks, Ryan Zinke, Trump, 0 President Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would, if elected, donate his salary back to the government. ...
Reagan’s Environmental Chief Cautions Trump Administration
, , The Environment and Politics, Ann Gorsuch, clean air, clean water, EPA, Rita Lavelle, Scott Pruitt, William Ruckelshaus, 0 Sharing a recent NYT op-ed by William Ruckelshaus. Wise counsel from the former EPA Administrator under Presidents Nixon and...
Young Conservatives Making the Environment a Top Priority
, , The Environment and Politics, Benji Backer, Conservatives for Environmental Reform, Eli Lehrer, environmental conservatives, Matthew Mailloux, R Street, 1 Friedrich Neitzche once noted, “The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher...
Maryland’s GOP Governor Pushes Pro-Environment Agenda
, , The Environment and Politics, Environmental Initiatives, Governor Hogan, Green Energy Institute, 0 Maryland’s Republican Governor continues to lead the way on environmental initiatives, announcing today $65M in new state funding for...
Getting Back to Nature – A Guide to Greater Unity
, , The Environment and Politics, Dan Botkin, food supply, modern groceries, modern technology, nature, nature contact, nature knowledge, nature walks, 0 Dan Botkin has an important message for all of us this Christmas season – get back to Nature. AN...
Trump’s Nominee for EPA – Resetting Cooperative Federalism
, , The Environment and Politics, Clean Power Plan, cooperative federalism, EPA, President-elect Trump, Scott Pruitt, waters of the U.S., 0 This past week brought another Trump nominee, Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma’s Attorney General, who was named to lead the U.S....
Four Ways a President Trump Could Actually Help the Climate
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, Clean Power Plan, climate change, Keystone XL, natural gas, Nuclear, President-elect Trump, Trump, wind and solar energy, 0 Guest Contributor: Eli Lehrer President-elect Donald Trump obviously doesn’t have very many fans on the environmental left. And he...
Trump Administration Would Usher in Era of “Practical Environmentalism”
, , The Environment and Politics, Ann Klee, Craig Butler, Ed Russo, Kathleen Hartnett, Marcus Peacock, Michael Catanzaro, Patrick Morrisey, Practical Environmentalism, Rob Bishop, Scott Pruitt, Trump EPA, 0 CAMPAIGN 2016: Trump seeks ‘practical environmentalism’ in EPA chief Kevin Bogardus, E&E reporter Published: Monday, September 26, 2016 A...
Trump Vows to Make Water Infrastructure a High Priority of a Trump Administration
, , The Environment and Politics, climate change, environmental positions, regulatory reform, science, Trump, water, 0 I’m linking to a 20-question survey from a group called ScienceDebate.org with the Presidential candidates’ responses to questions involving...
Zika, The Environment, And The Presidential Campaign
, , The Environment and Politics, biodiversity, climate change, Donald Trump, Elephants, environmental protection, forest productivity, Hillary Clinton, ivory, public lands, species extinction, toxic substances, wild fires, Zika, 0 By Daniel B. Botkin Copyright © 2016 Daniel B. Botkin Reprinted by Permission While Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump...
David Brower – The Life of an Environmental Gladiator
, , The Environment and Politics, David Brower, John Muir, modern environmentalism, Sierra Club, The Making of the Environmental Movement, Tom Turner, Tracy Mehan, 0 Tracy Mehan has an excellent review of Tom Turner’s new book, David Brower: The Making of the Environmental Movement, in...
White House Promotes Environmental Markets and Private Investment
, , The Environment and Politics, avoidance minimization mitigation, Christy Goldfuss, compensatory mitigation, endangered species, environmental protection, President Obama, private investment, stewardship, wetlands, White House, 0 Cheers to the White House this week for issuing new guidance to federal agencies titled Mitigating Impacts on Natural...
Jeb Promotes Common Sense Conservation Reform
, , The Environment and Politics, conservationists, Field & Stream, Hal Herring, Jeb Bush, Land and Water Conservation Fund, LWCF, national parks, NYT, oil and gas, Rob Bishop, Sagebrush Rebellion, Tim Egan, 0 There has been a steady drumbeat in recent months that threatens to upend federal funding for conservation. And the...
An Interview with EDF’s Fred Krupp – A Leading Voice in Today’s Environmental Wilderness
, , The Environment and Politics, biodiversity, Center for Sustainable Shale Development, Charlie Walker, climate change, Conservation Foundation, EDF, environmental markets, fracking, Fred Krupp, Gallop, GOP, hypoxia, Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, Roger Scruton, Shale Development, sustainable energy, William K. Reilly, 0 Thank you, Fred, for taking the time for this interview. I was a young intern at the National...
Ecomodernist Manifesto – Decoupling Human Welfare from Environmental Impacts
, , The Environment and Politics, Breakthrough Institute, decoupling environmental impacts, Ecomodernist, Ecomodernist Manifesto, environmental markets, environmental protection, environmental reformation, Eric Holthaus, Michael Shellenberger, Roger Pielke Jr., Slate, social welfare, Steve Hayward, Ted Nordhaus, 0 An intriguing debate was rekindled this past week involving the age-old philosophical argument regarding the role of humans in nature....
EU Deems BPA Safe to Humans – Good News or Is It?
, , The Environment and Politics, BPA, BPA-free, BPS, cancer, chemicals in our food, chemicals in the environment, EFSA, European Food Safety Authority, FDA, hazardous, plastic water bottles, plasticizer, 0 The public is bombarded every day with contradictory science and claims involving environmental risks. It can get so confusing...
Are we humans but mere interlopers in nature?
, , Featured Article, The Environment and Politics, Daniel Botkin, 0 For those interested in a serious alternative on environmental issues, I commend for your reading the work of Daniel...
Maryland’s “Chesapeake Bay Cabinet” will Promote Innovation and Collaboration to Restore the Bay
, , The Environment and Politics, Agriculture, Alison Prost, Bay Cabinet, Ben Grumbles, CBF, Charlie Evans, Chesapeake Bay, environmental protection, flush tax, Joe Bartenfelder, Larry Hogan, market-based environmentalism, Maryland, water pollution, 2 Even before taking office there is heightened optimism surrounding Governor-elect, Larry Hogan, and his new administration in Maryland. Hogan won election decisively on...
Expanding the Republican Tent With Smart Environmental Policy
, , The Environment and Politics, Arlington, conservation, conservatism, Earth Stewardship Alliance, elections, environmental stewardship, GOP, GOP environmentalism, Jim Presswood, John Vihstadt, Northern Virginia, Republican, Russell Kirk, 0 Republicans looking for lessons learned from the last election should note how a balanced environmental platform helped Republican John...
It’s Time for Environmentalists to Pitch Their Political Playbook
, , The Environment and Politics, climate change, Cultural Cognition Blog, Dan Kahan, deliberative discourse, Democrat, Environment and politics, environmentalists, Grist, John, Larry Hogan, Maryland, Mid-term Elections, NextGen, political playbook, Republican, Tom Steyer, 1 Tuesday’s drubbing of Democrats in the mid-term elections is proof positive of why environmentalists must ditch their playbook and find...
Wage War Against Polarization – Good for the Environment
, , The Environment and Politics, climate change and energy, Democrats, Environmental Conservatism, GOP, hyperpartisanship, liberalism, Matthew Nisbet, political partisanship and the environment, Republicans, Russell Kirk, Science of Science Communication, Social Science, 0 Matthew Nisbet, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Public Policy, and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, has a thoughtful piece over...
Republicans Don’t Hate the Environment – Just Some Environmentalists
, , The Environment and Politics, Bill McKibben, Chris Mooney, climate change, Climate Hawk Votes, conservative principles, Democrats, environmentalism, Jonathan Adler, politicization of environmentalism, polluter pays, Republicans, Richard Nixon, Teddy Roosevelt, Van Jones, Wedge Issue, 1 Lest we forget, the GOP is the Party of Teddy Roosevelt, founding father of our National Wildlife Refuge system,...
Plastic Bag Bans – Feeling Good About Ourselves, But Are We Making a Difference?
, , The Environment and Politics, abandoned nets, California, fishing gear, ghost nets, HDPE, Julian Morris, Kameran Onley, Lance Christensen, marine conservation, marine debris, North Pacific Garbage Patch, Plastic Bag Bans, plastic bags, Reason, sustainable packaging, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, TNC, 0 My friend Julian Morris over at Reason has a new article on the fallacies underlying the current push by...
Conservatism as a Defender of Government
, , The Environment and Politics, Alexis de Tocqueville, conservatism, Edmund Burke, Roger Scruton, 0 A bit of departure from the typical environmental post here at Conservefewell, but I wanted to share a recent article...
Give Credit Where Credit Hasn’t Belonged
, , The Environment and Politics, Barbara Boxer, Bill Shuster, Clean Water Act, Corps of Engineers, David Vitter, flood protection, government, infrastructure, Nick Rahall, Water Resources Reform and Development Act, WRDA, 1 I confess that I’ve been all-consumed the last several months with my new job and unable to blog as...
This land is my land, this land is Uncle Sam’s land
, , The Environment and Politics, BLM, Cliven Bundy, Forest Service, land management, Nevada, public land, Sagebrush Rebellion, Uncle Sam, western states, 0 The Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1970s is undergoing a renaissance in the American West. The unfortunate personification of that...
Earth Day is Also About Celebrating Courage and Honoring Sacrifice
, , The Environment and Politics, Cedar Keys, Earth Day, fisheries conservation, Florida, Greg Allen, Herbert Hoover, Ichetucknee Springs, John Muir, Leslie Sturmer, NPR, Project Ocean, Sante Fe River, Striped Mullet, sustainability, Swanee River, 0 Just home on the heels of a restful trip to Florida with the family, including visiting a special place in...
Republicans and Democrats Retreat from Important Reform
, , The Environment and Politics, conservative, environmental impacts, flood insurance, flood prone areas, government waste, Heartland Institute, political bipartisanship, wetlands, 0 Two years ago, Congress prudently passed legislation that would reform a government flood insurance program that was $24B in the...
A Socialist and Capitalist Find Common Ground
, , The Environment and Politics, Bob Simpson, Communism, Daily Kos, environmentalism, Gar Alperovitz, Jonathan Adler, private property, Socialism and environment, tragedy of the commons, water pollution, watersheds, 0 I’m always in search of a good challenge. And so, periodically, force myself out of my comfort zone in...
Conservatives, Young People, and the Environment in 2014
, , The Environment and Politics, conservation, conservative, democracy, economy, environment, environmentalism, Generation X, Generation Y, GOP, hydraulic fracturing, ideology, optimism, quality of life, Republican, Teddy Roosevelt, young poeple, young voters, younger generation and the environment, 1 Since the 2008 election cycle, conservatives have lamented the loss of constituencies key to cobbling together a winning vote:...
Better Tools Needed to Resolve Transboundary Pollution
, , The Environment and Politics, American Enterprise Institute, Breaking the Logjam, cap-and-trade, Chesapeake Bay, clean air, Clean Air Act, clean water, Clean Water Act, David Schoenbrod, dead zones, ELI, environmental markets, Federalist Society, Gulf of Mexico, transboundary air pollution, water pollution, water quality trading, 5 I bumped into David Schoenbrod this week at the Federalist Society’s annual lawyers convention in DC, where we discussed the need...
The Science Communication Problem – and Prospects for an Enlightened Democracy
, , The Environment and Politics, Chris Mooney, climate change, Cultural Cognition, Dan Kahan, democracy, Democrat, Political Left, Political Right, politics and environment, Republican, Saving Democracy from Itself, Science Communication Problem, Sheara Wall Fewell, Tea Party, 0 My wife, Sheara, who is the Ph.D. scientist in the family, and I often debate science and its practical...
Good News From the Stratosphere – the ozone hole has shrunk
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, Antarctic, CFC, chlorofluorocarbons, environmental protection, Montreal Protocol, NASA, ozone hole, Ronald Reagan, Stratospheric Ozone, 4 Those who are old enough, may recall the fierce political fight over the 1987 Montreal Protocol to phase out...
Burgeoning Deer Population Creates Huge Problems – For Deer and People
, , Animals, The Environment and Politics, Bridget Newton, chronic wasting disease, contraception, deer population, deer-vehicle collisions, Duke University, Fallsmead, Rockville MD, Tufts University, 7 This past week, I had the opportunity of meeting with one of our local Mayoral candidates, Bridget Newton, running...
Linking to an interesting NPR interview this morning with David Folkenflik, author of the book, Murdoch’s World, and not...
Those that read this blog know that I’m a fan of Dan Kahan, although I don’t know him personally...
Contemplating a Conservative Response to Climate Change
, , Climate Change, Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, climate change, ConserAmerica, Rob Sisson, The Climate Conservative, 0 Wanted to bring attention to a new blog, The Climate Conservative, the brainchild of David Jenkins and Rob Sisson,...
Climate Skeptics May, In Fact, Be Good For The Earth
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, climate change, climate skeptics, IPCC, Koch Brothers, Nordhaus, Robert Bryce, Shellenberger, Steve Hayward, The Breakthrough Institute, 2 By Brent Fewell I bring your attention to a great article by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus as the IPCC releases...
The Decline of GOP Environmentalism or Decline of Environmentalism Itself
, , Climate Change, Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, Boston Globe, climate change, conservation, decline of environmentalism, Decline of Republican Environmentalism, Democrat, Eli Lehrer, environmentalism, George Bush, Good Samaritan, GOP, Nordhaus, Paul Sabin, politicization of environmentalism, politics, R Street Institute, Republican, Shellenberger, The Breakthrough Institute, 7 By Brent Fewell Paul Sabin has an article in this weekend’s Boston Globe titled “The Decline of Republican Environmentalism.” Sabin,...
Michael Mann v. National Review – Update
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, climate skeptics, Competitive Enterprise Institute, David Rivkin, defamation, Mark Steyn, Michael Mann, National Review, Shannen Coffin, 0 By Brent Fewell Linking to Jonathan Adler’s latest update on the Michael Mann defamation lawsuit against National Review. For...
Conservative Skepticism Not Caused by Climate Change
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, Chris Mooney, climate change, conservatives, Deniers, Fox News, Mother Jones, Rush Limbaugh, Skeptics, 0 By Brent Fewell A little tongue-in-cheek there in case you missed it. But everything these days seems to get blamed...
Some Environmentalists Think and Behave Like Animals
, , Climate Change, The Environment and Politics, climate change, David Roberts, Grist, 0 By Brent Fewell This is where I think so many environmentalists go so terribly wrong. David Roberts over at...
Is the title of a stinging new report by the American Legislative Exchange Council. For those who are unfamiliar with...
Conservatives – or at least one nervous House staffer – call for GOP to lead Climate Debate
, , Climate Change, Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, climate change, Eric Bradenson, GOP, revenue-neutral carbon tax, 0 By Brent Fewell Am posting a thoughtful article by an anonymous House GOP staffer, writing under the pseudonym, Eric...
China – A Growing Threat to the Earth
, , Climate Change, Conservative Conservationism, Energy and Resource Extraction, EPA, Free-Market Environmentalism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, Water Issues, China, conservation, conservative, Craig Simons, Diane Rehm, environmentalism, NPR, pollution, Russell Kirk, The Devouring Dragon, 1 Listened to a sobering interview yesterday on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show, with Craig Simons, author of the new book, The Devouring Dragon, which...
Reagan’s Conservation Legacy – still timely and relevant today
, , Conservative Conservationism, Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, conservation, Eli Lehrer, environment, free-market environmentalism, Ronald Reagan, 0 By Brent Fewell Eli Lehrer has a great piece today in The Blaze on the conservation legacy of President...
The Loss of Aesthetics in the Name of “Greening”
, , Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, 0 For you weekend warriors, before you go out and purchase “plastic wood” for that next deck project, you may want...
Crunchy Con is Back – GOP break out your Birkenstocks
, , Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, Crunchy Con, environment, GOP, libertarian, NRO, Robert Costa, Rod Dreher, Russell Kirk, Senator Rand Paul, 0 Thank you to Robert Costa over at NRO for this week resurrecting the term Crunchy Con. Ever since Rod Dreher left NRO,...
Changing the Dialogue, Economics and Cultural Valuation of Species Protection
, , Conservative Conservationism, Free-Market Environmentalism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, critical habitat, free-market environmentalism, Laura Huggins, market-based conservation, PERC, Property and Environmental Research Center, T&E species, threatened and endangered species, Todd Gartner, wildlife, World Resources Institute, WRI, 0 Props to Todd Gartner, of the World Resources Institute, and Laura Huggins, of the Property and Environmental Research Center, for joining efforts...
Emerging Markets are Helping Accelerate Environmental Restoration
, , Conservative Conservationism, Free-Market Environmentalism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, Water Issues, 2 Spent several days this week in Racine, WI, at the Johnson Foundation’s Wingspread, which the H.J. Johnson Family (think SC Johnson...
Busy as a bee, unless you have CCD
, , Conservative Conservationism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, American Bird Conservancy, bees dying, birds, Colony Collapse Disorder, ConservAmerica, Dr. Pierre Mineau, EPA, Forbes, Henry Miller, immune system, IUCN, neonicotinoids, pesticides, 0 By Brent Fewell Linking to a report over at ConservAmerica regarding the recent collapse of bee colonies here in...
Does Green Labeling Influence One’s Willingness to Buy – Survey Says . . .
, , Climate Change, Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, climate change, Dena Gromet, energy efficiency, Energy Star, environmental, Fuqua, green labeling, Grist, Howard Kenreuther, National Academy of Sciences, Richard Larrick, Tim McDonnell, Wharton, 0 By Brent Fewell Apparently so, if you’re a political moderate or conservative. A new study from the National Academy of...
Student Conservation Association – helping promote environmental stewardship
, , Conservative Conservationism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, Bert Harting, conservation internships, environmental stewardship, Student Conservation Association, wildlife, Yellowstone National Park, 1 For those budding conservationists in high school or college in the U.S., or those with just a passing curiosity...
The Face of Conservation is Changing – Cheers to Today’s New Leaders
, , Conservative Conservationism, EPA, Free-Market Environmentalism, Species Protection, The Environment and Politics, Water Issues, Ben Grumbles, Freshwater Trust, Joanie Mahoney, Joe Whitworth, Kim Marotta, Matt Millea, MillerCoors, Onodaga County, Save the Rain, U.S. Water Alliance, William Reilly, 0 By Brent Fewell The pros and cons of living in Washington DC are receiving all sorts of invitations to political...
The GOP’s Environmental Challenge
, , Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, academic elites, Bush EPA, conservation, conservatism, Duke, environmentalism, GOP, Jonathan Adler, Lynn Scarlett, Nicholas School of the Environment, Republican, Robert Redford, Rod Dreher, Roger Scruton, SoCon, SoConLib, Terry Anderson, 1 By Brent Fewell Can one be a social conservative or member of the GOP and be an environmentalist? Although I’ve long...
Society’s “little platoons” for conservation
, , Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, conservation, conservatism, Edmund Burke, environmental stewardship, Roger Scruton, 8 By Brent Fewell I’ve just finished a new book that is a must read for the political right (and...
Conserving Nature by Conserving Liberty
, , Free-Market Environmentalism, The Environment and Politics, conservation, endangered species, Heritage, liberty, private property, 0 By Brent Fewell In a newly released article, The Heritage Foundation offers the following eight principles for conservation: People are the...
Why Conservatives Should and do Care About the Environment
, , Conservative Conservationism, The Environment and Politics, Christian, conservation, conservatism, Edmund Burke, endangered species, environment, GOP, Muir, Pinchot, policy, Republican, Roosevelt, Russell Kirk, Yellowstone, 1 By Brent Fewell What can be more conservative than the impulse to protect and conserve earth’s natural resources, air,...
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