The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

With so much talk about ‘firsts’ in the upcoming election, it seems only necessary that the Carbon Coalition should clarify what ‘first’ we want to see in the next president.  We want to see the first green president!  I ran across the ’green president’ term in “The Power of Green” the New York Times Magazine article written by Thomas Friedman.  Friedman’s view on the issue resonates strongly with many in the Carbon Coaliton, including the shared vision that global warming should be the ultimate political unifier.  The Carbon Coalition has aimed to remove the partisanship from the issue of global warming since our early days.

Friedman writes: “I think that living, working, designing, manufacturing and projecting America in a green way can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century.  A redefined, broader and more muscular green ideology is not meant to trump the traditional Republican and Democratic agendas but rather to bridge them.”

“Green” has even penetrated the U.S. Army with the birth of a new military movement; the “Green Hawks.”  In Friedman’s article, he states that the Army recently converted to insulated, high-efficiency tents that use 40% less air conditioning.  Why? Initially it was an attempt to save lives of those transporting the fuel to run the airconditioners, who faced constant attacks from insurgents.  It became part of a larger Army effort to ”eat its own tail,” or establish more efficient supply lines by conserving energy.  Dan Nolan, who oversees energy projects for the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force said; “Energy independence is a national security issue…it’s the right business for us to be in.”  Whatever their motives may be, energy efficiency is common sense.

If the army, big business, local governments, state governments, faith based groups, and everyday citizens are all devoting themselves to the issue of global warming, it must be recognized by all (especially the presidential candidates) as the political bridge it can become.