| There are politicians who are flat-out | | | | Gore and Kennedy are both doing good work on |
| anti-environmental---they just don't buy the | | | | behalf of the environment-they rank in the Top |
| argument. As long as they state their case plainly | | | | 10 of the world's most effective environmental |
| and honestly, we can at least respect their right | | | | advocates. And they both no doubt make plenty |
| to their opinion, however misinformed it may be. | | | | of eco-friendly lifestyle choices. But to be a |
| Others, however, have taken to deceit, crafting | | | | high-profile environmentalist and not fully walk the |
| back-room deals that are a negative for the | | | | talk-even if only in terms of the perception they |
| environment but then trying to sell the public on | | | | create-is hugely problematic. The public does not |
| the new regulations by claiming they're an | | | | like hypocrites, environmental or otherwise, and |
| environmental improvement. We think that's a | | | | giving opponents of environmental progress the |
| clear form of environmental hypocrisy and can be | | | | opportunity to throw hypocritical mud on your |
| described as "listen to what I say, but don't watch | | | | righteous arguments reduces the power of your |
| what I do." Let's go through a few examples. | | | | message and distracts people from the real |
| In campaign speeches prior to the 2000 election, | | | | issues. For some in the audience, these slight |
| George W. Bush promised to do something about | | | | negatives weigh heavily against the |
| global warming if elected president. The insincerity | | | | overwhelmingly positive work Kennedy and Gore |
| of the promise was made clear shortly after he | | | | do. |
| took office when he reneged on his pledge, | | | | We find most mainstream environmental groups |
| claiming that joining the Kyoto protocol would hurt | | | | to be fairly on-target with their overall goals and |
| the US economy. In reality, doing something about | | | | methods, but we think some of them act |
| global warming would hurt only some | | | | hypocritically occasionally. For instance, most |
| industries---notably Big Energy and Big Auto, both | | | | major US environmental groups are silent on the |
| heavy contributors to the Bush campaign. Overall, | | | | issue of global population-and, more specifically, |
| delaying action on global warming will cost us far | | | | silent on the issue of US population. |
| more in the long run. Making a promise to do | | | | Remember that one's individual environmental |
| something about global warming without any | | | | footprint is roughly based on the amount of |
| intention of keeping the promise it was a form of | | | | energy and resources used and the amount of |
| environmental hypocrisy. | | | | waste produced. The total US environmental |
| To those people who take a pro-life stance, we | | | | footprint is based on the average individual |
| ask: Is the health of a child already born not just | | | | environmental footprint of a US resident times |
| as important to you as the health of a child still in | | | | the number of people in the country. Since the |
| the womb? If so, do you voice your opinions on | | | | average individual environmental footprint in the |
| childhood health care and the above environmental | | | | US is very big compared to the global average, |
| issues as strongly as you voice your opinions on | | | | adding more people in the US is clearly an |
| abortion? | | | | environmental negative. |
| Our intention here is not to debate the merits of | | | | To talk about the problem of US population |
| pro-choice vs. pro-life but rather to say that it is | | | | growth only in terms of sprawl is dishonest. But |
| hypocritical to be supremely worried about the | | | | the US population level-and ways to check its |
| fate of unborn children while being unconcerned | | | | growth-is a touchy issue, and green groups would |
| about things (environmental or otherwise) that | | | | "rather not go there. |
| affect already-born children. | | | | |