Which Green Side Are You On?

One of two concerns is on everyone’s mind- the alarming downward spiral of the world economy and the erosion of the global eco-system. Politicians and government representatives are scrambling to don the mantle of either cause and become its savior. The question is which of these two disasters should get the honor of holding top priority when the vote is cast? Which should public officials try to salvage first; the environment? Or the economy?

James Gustave Speth, Dean of Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, emphatically states that “what is needed is a new politics, a new environmental agenda that challenges a society heavily reliant on consumption.”

In Australia, the Environment Minister Peter GarrettPeter Garrett stresses on the importance of a healthy environment to prop up the economy. He drives his point home by saying, “Given the serious environmental and economic challenges we face it is worth restating that the environment is not a subset of the economy: indeed it is the other way around,” Peter Garrett believes that despite the demands of a flagging economy, environmental concerns are the more pressing problem for the country.

Peter Garrett’s Canadian counterpart, Jim Prentice however, is opting for the precarious middle line between the two causes. He prefers to employ what he termed as “the reasonable Canadian approach” to the matter. He believes that Canadians will eventually be able to balance the demands of the “stewards of the environment” with “protecting and advancing our economic interests”.

President BushPresident Bush has managed to put a lot of backs up by passing numerous policy changes that have negatively impacted the environment from taking wolves off the endangered species list to loosening regulations for factory farm waste. Both Senator John McCainJohn McCain and Senator Barrack ObamaBarrack Obama have proposed various measures which will simultaneously favor both the economy and the environment. However, the scales seem to be tipping in Obama’s favor on both issues because though he doesn’t give precedence to one over the other, he has managed to present realistic and workable ideas which have the voters convinced.

Time will tell which of the two hopefuls will manage to balance these two issues the best.