Environmentalism and Rural America in light of 2016

[Jamilkhuze]

The environment isn't just about climate change—it’s about livelihood for miners, drillers, loggers, and farmers too.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/3-ways-progressives-can-reconnect-with-rural-america-20170112

Compared to folks in the country, urban and suburban liberals are much more likely to identify as “environmentalists.” Yet their everyday relationship to the natural world tends to be more spiritual or recreational than pragmatic; their priorities are usually more global than local, more long term than immediate. Rural people, by contrast, experience nature first and foremost as livelihood, as a source of food, energy, and material for living and working, here, today.

Understanding the environment as livelihood would significantly alter the perspective and priorities of progressives, and might begin to build a bridge to the miners, drillers, loggers, and farmers who for the most part view environmentalists as their enemies. This does not mean that we ignore the big issues like climate change. Rather, we need to understand how fighting and mitigating the impacts of climate change might look from a rural livelihood perspective.

Overcoming our cultural and political polarization will require that we move beyond the dominant narrative that pits progressive cities against a reactionary countryside. Learning about, understanding, and then supporting the emerging new economies in rural communities would jumpstart that process.

Most Americans believe the government should do more to fight climate change, including rural Americans whose livelihoods depend on maintaining a healthy environment, yet many of them voted for a presidential candidate and political party that openly denies the human contribution to climate change and are likely to pursue policies thay will reverse actions taken by the Obama administration. Greens, progressives, and rural voters- what are your thoughts? Should the Democrats make greater efforts to reach out to rural people on environmental issues? Also what do you think conservatives and Republicans can get on board with climate reality in the near future?

[Farnhamia]

NSG is not your blog.

[Jamilkhuze]

NSG is not your blog.

Thanks for the notice. I've edited the OP and am open to hearing everyone's thoughts!

[Internationalist Bastard]

Yeah, the great irony is those most effected by climate change often don't believe it.I'm hoping Trump can be pursuaded otherwise, but I think we're taking a major blow to enviromentalism

[San Marlindo]

I'm from a rural background, lived and worked on a commercial farm. I consider myself an environmentalist and hope to make a career out of it once I finish my degree. Specifically combating desertification and trying to wean our indigenous peasant farmers off slash and burn, which is destroying our topsoil and causing erosion.

Being from a rural background helps you to better grasp and understand the magnitude of environmental issues better than anyone else. I'm not talking about people who just live in the rural countryside, but people from there who also work in the countryside on a day to day basis, as opposed to commuting to a big city for work.

Climate change as in global warming doesn't concern me because there's very little I can do as an individual about it. So I guess in that sense I am an ignorant rural dweller. But climate change as in erosion and desertification - is very real and impossible to ignore both as an environmental and an economic factor, and I know of very specific, practical ways I can fight it.

So all in all I think the idea that rural dwellers don't care about environmental issues is ridiculous and more than a little condescending. I suppose I'm not speaking from the perspective of an American rural dweller but still I feel implications like that are totally unwarranted.

[Neutraligon]

The funny thing it the environmental issues that progressives in the cities support, like having the national monuments and the such actually help those more rural states like Utah, because they bring rather significant tourist money in to highly rural areas. Maybe those areas should do a better job advertising their natural wonders. It could bring in a great deal of outside money.

[Rio Cana]

Advertising the natural wonders means more destructive tourists which equals changed habitat. Environmental changes also does not help. They say this is one reason those bats in Brazil are attacking people.

The bat story - http://earth-chronicles.com/anomalies/b ... razil.html

[Oil exporting People]

The bat story - http://earth-chronicles.com/anomalies/b ... razil.html

Something tells me that site isn't high on journalistic standards or proofreading.

[The Portland Territory]

I'm from a rural background, lived and worked on a commercial farm. I consider myself an environmentalist and hope to make a career out of it once I finish my degree. Specifically combating desertification and trying to wean our indigenous peasant farmers off slash and burn, which is destroying our topsoil and causing erosion.

Being from a rural background helps you to better grasp and understand the magnitude of environmental issues better than anyone else. I'm not talking about people who just live in the rural countryside, but people from there who also work in the countryside on a day to day basis, as opposed to commuting to a big city for work.

Climate change as in global warming doesn't concern me because there's very little I can do as an individual about it. So I guess in that sense I am an ignorant rural dweller. But climate change as in erosion and desertification - is very real and impossible to ignore both as an environmental and an economic factor, and I know of very specific, practical ways I can fight it.

So all in all I think the idea that rural dwellers don't care about environmental issues is ridiculous and more than a little condescending. I suppose I'm not speaking from the perspective of an American rural dweller but still I feel implications like that are totally unwarranted.

Does living in the boonies count as a rural background?

[Jamilkhuze]

I'm from a rural background, lived and worked on a commercial farm. I consider myself an environmentalist and hope to make a career out of it once I finish my degree. Specifically combating desertification and trying to wean our indigenous peasant farmers off slash and burn, which is destroying our topsoil and causing erosion.

Being from a rural background helps you to better grasp and understand the magnitude of environmental issues better than anyone else. I'm not talking about people who just live in the rural countryside, but people from there who also work in the countryside on a day to day basis, as opposed to commuting to a big city for work.

Climate change as in global warming doesn't concern me because there's very little I can do as an individual about it. So I guess in that sense I am an ignorant rural dweller. But climate change as in erosion and desertification - is very real and impossible to ignore both as an environmental and an economic factor, and I know of very specific, practical ways I can fight it.

So all in all I think the idea that rural dwellers don't care about environmental issues is ridiculous and more than a little condescending. I suppose I'm not speaking from the perspective of an American rural dweller but still I feel implications like that are totally unwarranted.

Interesting. I specifically mentioned rural Americans because the US is one of the few countries where climate skepticism is prevalent among goverment official and the general population. Where are you from then?

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

The bat story - http://earth-chronicles.com/anomalies/b ... razil.html

Something tells me that site isn't high on journalistic standards or proofreading.

...So fake news?

[Old Garcy]

Rural economies also take a hit from environmental regulations, which may have more immediate effects than environmental degradation. Also, environmentalism, considering its support in urban communities, could be seen by rural folks as an intrusion into their livelihoods by people who are distant from rural reality.

[The Lone Alliance]

Rural economies also take a hit from environmental regulations, which may have more immediate effects than environmental degradation. Also, environmentalism, considering its support in urban communities, could be seen by rural folks as an intrusion into their livelihoods by people who are distant from rural reality.

I think in some cases the issues are also cultural, when you speak about environmentalist the first image that hits the rural vote is a Tree hugging hippie who most likely wouldn't last two days in the wilderness.

[Aclion]

Something tells me that site isn't high on journalistic standards or proofreading.

...So fake news?

Real news, questionable source. http://www.businessinsider.com/vampire- ... zil-2017-1

I think in some cases the issues are also cultural, when you speak about environmentalist the first image that hits the rural vote is a Tree hugging hippie who most likely wouldn't last two days in the wilderness.

That's why when referring to someone who actually knows what they're talking about you use the term conservationist.

[Jamilkhuze]

Conservationist on the other hand connotes old retired white people. Not exactly the best image for environmental protection and sustainability either.

[The Serbian Empire]

The funny thing it the environmental issues that progressives in the cities support, like having the national monuments and the such actually help those more rural states like Utah, because they bring rather significant tourist money in to highly rural areas. Maybe those areas should do a better job advertising their natural wonders. It could bring in a great deal of outside money.

It won't bring people to North Dakota or Oklahoma's fracking areas.