Strange Bedfellows

by Matt DeNoto

In an earlier article, I suggested that one way to influence the unsustainable practices of large corporations was to buy stock in those corporations, thereby giving environmentally-minded people not only information in what the company was up to, but also a voice and a vote at stockholder meetings that decide future practices.

If that option seems a bit confrontational to you, but you still want to use your investment dollars in a green way, GreenBiz.com reports that many stock indices are offering special lists that categorize companies by environmental impact. This provides you with an easy source of information about which companies are being environmentally-responsible. The cynic in me requires that I point out, however, that it is of course always best to do your own research as well before committing your hard-earned dollars.

Speaking of research, the Breakthrough Institute is a progressive West Coast-based think tank that says that the recently-passed American Clean Energy & Security Act (formerly known as the Waxman-Markey bill) is not going to have a positive effect on the environment. According to the BI, what is truly needed now is heavy federal investment in new green technologies to increase their effectiveness while dropping their costs, in order to make them truly competitive with current technologies. Of course, with the big news these days being cap-and-trade, the BI’s best hope for promoting its ideas might be going to an unusual source…

Republicans.

Not well-known for their environmental stance, the GOP has been trying to discredit the cap-and-trade plan from the start. But instead of suggesting a reasonable alternative, the party has been quoting, or more accurately, misquoting a MIT report that says the new plan will cost every American over three grand per year. It almost sounds like Republicans care about the little guy, until you remember that the GOP is a bunch of rich old white guys who have spent the last eight years doing everything in their power to promote the interests of business over citizens at just about every turn.

The Republicans need a new angle. They can’t just be ‘against’ everything. So I’d like to take this opportunity to formally introduce the Republicans to the Breakthrough Institute.

Republicans, meet the Breakthrough Institute. BI, these are Republicans.

There. Now, Republicans, I know the BI plan doesn’t jive with your usual system. I know you don’t like government spending, but you also don’t like taxes. And at this point, the government has to do SOMETHING about the environment. Democrats have already jumped on the cap-and-trade bandwagon, so we know you won’t deign to go there.

Just give it a chance. Maybe you’ll see that standing up ‘for’ something, something that could make the world a truly better place, (instead of just trying to scare everybody all the time,) not only makes people like you, but makes you like yourself.

It’s a long shot, I know. Just sleep on it, okay?