http://blog.nwf.org/2011/06/voices-of-the-nwf-young-leaders-assembly-from-community-roundtable-to-a-meeting-with-president-obama-by-ian-johnson/ The National Wildlife Federation's blog Wed, 22 May 2013 03:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blog.nwf.org/2011/06/voices-of-the-nwf-young-leaders-assembly-from-community-roundtable-to-a-meeting-with-president-obama-by-ian-johnson/comment-page-1/#comment-11467 Hennie Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:59:00 +0000 http://blog.nwf.org/campusecology/?p=1828#comment-11467 Wish, all the president will listen like Obama do.

]]> http://blog.nwf.org/2011/06/voices-of-the-nwf-young-leaders-assembly-from-community-roundtable-to-a-meeting-with-president-obama-by-ian-johnson/comment-page-1/#comment-12205 Ian Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:21:00 +0000 http://blog.nwf.org/campusecology/?p=1828#comment-12205 Sadly, if we wait for everyone to believe in science, I’m sure it will be too late. 
In the meantime, there are myriad solutions that can address climate change while solving other issues at the table – issues that can be pitched in a way that pulls any political rug on either side of the aisle out from the discussion.  If we put sustainability in terms of being self-sufficient; being able to provide for ourselves, our family, our friends, our community, and our nation, then we are talking about the quintessential American values that have always existed.  No one will argue that being able to take care of ourselves is unpatriotic. 
Put that in terms of something tangible – for instance: food production and availability – and it becomes a tough battle to argue against.  Suddenly something like community gardens or land access rights for hunting becomes a valid discussion, which can then begin to address a broad spectrum of problems: fossil fuel dependence in terms of fertilizer, pesticide, processing, and field to plate miles; social equity and access to good food for low income families; health issues associated with a poor diet; climate change and habitat restoration; even reconnecting people with the outdoors and fostering a pro-natural world attitude.
Science is important, but for now we seem to be preaching to the choir on one side and alienating folks on the other.  There is definitely a better way!

]]> http://blog.nwf.org/2011/06/voices-of-the-nwf-young-leaders-assembly-from-community-roundtable-to-a-meeting-with-president-obama-by-ian-johnson/comment-page-1/#comment-12204 Kenneth Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:56:00 +0000 http://blog.nwf.org/campusecology/?p=1828#comment-12204 Great job, Ian. Not only is your account well written, but the dialogue between your self and those at the table shows that there is hope for progress. Yes, getting people to believe in science is possibly our first step.

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