“Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it’s common sense.”
President Ronald Reagan
The vast majority of Americans view climate change as problem. And, although what you see in the media may lead you to believe differently, people across the political spectrum are actively working on solutions. So, today I want to highlight a few conservative groups leading the way.
Some conservative groups tackling climate change
RepublicEn
Bob Inglis, former Republican Congressman from South Carolina, has been concerned for a long time that climate change is a threat to our economy, environment, national security, agriculture, and people. He formed an organization called RepublicEn to galvanize “American free enterprise and innovation to solve climate change”.
In a recent essay, Bob advocates for clean energy policies as a way to bolster innovation, spur the economy, and improve energy security, all while helping reverse climate change. He points out that clean energy projects are boosting private investment throughout the country, especially in “red” states.
American Conservative Coalition
This nonprofit is “dedicated to bridging the gap between conservative values and effective environmental action”. They are particularly engaged in mobilizing young Americans to get involved. The two pronged emphasis of ACC is on energy and conservation.
I have followed their founder, Benji Backer, for a while, and appreciate how he focuses less on fear and more on solutions. According to Backer, there are lots of ideas we can all agree on, including reducing food waste, geothermal energy, and helping former oil and coal communities transition to clean energy.
Conservative Climate Foundation
The mission of the Conservative Climate Foundation is “reducing global and domestic emissions with commonsense, economic, and environmentally sustainable strategies and solutions”. To achieve this, they bring elected officials and business leaders together to discuss policy solutions.
What can we do?
These are just a few examples to give you the flavor that there is bipartisan support for fixing climate change. There truly is a group out there for everyone. If you want to get involved, a simple search will help you find an organization that aligns with your views or interests.
Most importantly, keep talking about it and looking for common ground. When you do, you will realize there is a lot we can all agree on.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Talk about it. Help solve it.