No, it's not a court case. Yet. But there is a lot of buzz surrounding the terms green and sustainable, both in Wisconsin and across America, and now might be a good time to make some etymological distinctions if we are to make informed decisions about the future our state and nation.
Governor Doyle's plan for energy independence, Clean Energy Wisconsin, calls for our state "to take advantage of the resources we have to advance green technology, start new green businesses, and protect the environment." President Obama's 2009 national budget is largely focused on sustainability and technology. In his closing remarks during a recent economic stimulus package speech, he mentioned the words sustain or sustainable five times. And in The New Energy Plan for America, the President outlines not only goals to address "our dependence on foreign oil and tackle climate change in a serious, sustainable manner," but also plans for a sustainable economy, even "sustainable communities."
Are these two leaders talking about the same thing here, or is there some dissonance? Certainly they both seek to break our habit of devouring nonrenewable resources for short term gain. To do this requires the protection of our food supply, lands, and renewable natural resources. You know, green stuff. So I suspect that sustainable is simply a way to make green more acceptable to those who prefer to spend less time hugging the trees and more time converting them to capital.
After all, the green movement started out as an ecological one, not a fiscal or supply-side movement. While sustainable might just be a way to make the green medicine go down, we shouldn't forget that, at heart, the green movement is based on the notion of conservation. I think that conservation is where we are going to get the most tangible--and immediate--results, especially when we do the math. Even by the most glowing projections, we will not come anywhere near to fossil fuel independence in the next 50 years-when some say fossil fuels will run out.
At only 5% of the global population, America consumes 26% of all energy produced. So if it is true that we are, as I heard a recent credit card commercial glibly state, "a nation of consumers," we need to be a lot smarter and more conservation-minded consumers. This doesn't start with a national or state mandate; it starts at home. Save more, drive less, turn off lights, and don't be wasteful with your money, your food, your lives.
