For too long, we’ve let environmental issues become unnecessarily polarized. The truth is, conservation and conservatism share more than just linguistic roots – they share fundamental values that go back generations.
Think about it: what’s more conservative than wanting to preserve the natural heritage we inherited from our creator? What’s more aligned with traditional values than ensuring our children and grandchildren can enjoy the same pristine forests, clean rivers, and fresh air that we did growing up?
Real conservation isn’t about radical change – it’s about responsible stewardship. It’s about applying time-tested principles of good management to our natural resources. President Theodore Roosevelt established our National Parks system to protect America’s natural treasures for future generations, just as any good steward would. The list goes on , The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was signed into a law by Governor Ronald Reagan. Hydrogen fuel technology was championed by President George W. Bush and by Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The free market, properly structured, can be the greatest ally in environmental protection. When property rights are clear and people have a stake in their environment, they tend to take better care of it.
Good governance in environmental matters isn’t about heavy-handed regulation – it’s about creating the right incentives. When farmers own their water rights, they conserve water. When companies can profit from reducing pollution, they invest in cleaner technologies. These aren’t government mandates; they’re market solutions that work.
Consider the success stories: In the 1990s, acid rain was dramatically reduced through a market-based cap-and-trade system implemented under President George H.W. Bush. It worked because it harnessed market forces rather than fighting them. The program achieved its goals faster and at lower costs than traditional regulation would have.
Conservative principles of limited government and local control actually align perfectly with effective environmental management. Who knows better how to manage local resources than the communities that depend on these resources for their livelihoods? The principle of subsidiarity – handling matters at the most local level possible – applies as much to environmental stewardship as it does to other aspects of governance. The bottom line is we can and should have it all!!!
But perhaps most importantly, environmental stewardship aligns with core conservative values about responsibility and legacy. We believe in living within our means, not passing debts to future generations. Shouldn’t this principle extend to environmental resources as well? Running down our natural capital – depleting aquifers, degrading soil, polluting air – is just another form of deficit spending.
The path forward isn’t choosing between the environment and economic growth. It’s about smart growth that respects both our need for resources and our obligation to preserve them. It’s about innovation driven by market forces, not government mandates. It’s about treating our natural heritage the way conservatives have always believed we should treat our cultural heritage – with respect, care, and an eye toward preservation.
We can have it all – a strong economy, limited government, and a clean environment. But first, conservatives need to reclaim their rightful place in the environmental conversation. After all, what could be more conservative than conservation?
The next time someone suggests that environmental protection is inherently at odds with conservative values, remind them that the root of conservatism is to conserve – not just our traditions and our freedoms, but also the natural world that sustains us all.