By Daniel Rigney
Everyone’s heard of the Tea Party. That’s the 21st-century movement with 20th-century Birch Society roots and 19th-century ideas whose followers think we’re still living in the 18th century.
Not so many have heard of the Teal Party, mainly because it doesn’t exist yet, or at least not by that name. Teals, or blue-greens, might broadly include environmentally conscious Democrats (the Earth wing of the party), Greens, eco-apoliticals, and even a few Republicans who still remember that the words “conservatism” and “conservation” share a common origin.
However they may vote, or not vote, teals share a solid piece of common ground that can serve as the basis for a viable political coalition. They share the realization that we now have no realistic choice, in light of current climate science, but to accelerate the transition from a carbon economy to a sustainable economy that survives and thrives on renewable energies. If we don’t speed this great transition, the natural laws of ecology – Earth’s ultimate economy – will exact an unpayable price on future generations.
If you share this recognition, welcome to the party. You may be a teal.
Teal comes in a spectrum of shades, from pastel to bold. Pastel teals reduce, recycle and reuse as best they can. They try to be mindful of what they consume, and look for ways to reduce their carbon footprints in ways that don’t drastically diminish (and may even improve) their quality of life. Speaking personally, this is about where I am now.
Bolder teals are more directly engaged in accelerating the transition to sustainability through political and economic actions such as carbon divestment campaigns, efforts to phase in carbon taxes through organizations such as the Citizens Climate Lobby, and enthusiastic support for massive public and private investments in renewable energy research and development. Teals are ever on the lookout for breakthroughs in renewable energy.
As the years melt away, I suspect that more and more of us will be turning a bolder shade of teal. I know I am. I hope you are too.
Danagram
Teal Democrat
;] … changing the world one word at a time
Everyone’s heard of the Tea Party. That’s the 21st-century movement with 20th-century Birch Society roots and 19th-century ideas whose followers think we’re still living in the 18th century.
Not so many have heard of the Teal Party, mainly because it doesn’t exist yet, or at least not by that name. Teals, or blue-greens, might broadly include environmentally conscious Democrats (the Earth wing of the party), Greens, eco-apoliticals, and even a few Republicans who still remember that the words “conservatism” and “conservation” share a common origin.
However they may vote, or not vote, teals share a solid piece of common ground that can serve as the basis for a viable political coalition. They share the realization that we now have no realistic choice, in light of current climate science, but to accelerate the transition from a carbon economy to a sustainable economy that survives and thrives on renewable energies. If we don’t speed this great transition, the natural laws of ecology – Earth’s ultimate economy – will exact an unpayable price on future generations.
If you share this recognition, welcome to the party. You may be a teal.
Teal comes in a spectrum of shades, from pastel to bold. Pastel teals reduce, recycle and reuse as best they can. They try to be mindful of what they consume, and look for ways to reduce their carbon footprints in ways that don’t drastically diminish (and may even improve) their quality of life. Speaking personally, this is about where I am now.
Bolder teals are more directly engaged in accelerating the transition to sustainability through political and economic actions such as carbon divestment campaigns, efforts to phase in carbon taxes through organizations such as the Citizens Climate Lobby, and enthusiastic support for massive public and private investments in renewable energy research and development. Teals are ever on the lookout for breakthroughs in renewable energy.
As the years melt away, I suspect that more and more of us will be turning a bolder shade of teal. I know I am. I hope you are too.
Danagram
Teal Democrat
;] … changing the world one word at a time
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