Cut from Final Production: An Excerpt from “The Collapse of Western Civilization” by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway

Cut from Final Production: An Excerpt from “The Collapse of Western Civilization” by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway

            Looking back at some of the ‘grass-roots’ environmental movements from the early 2000’s one can see an influx of organizations started by passionate individuals who stretched themselves and their organizations too thin. Take for instance Green for All, founded by Van Jones. Van Jones believed that bringing the green movement to the general American people could both call forth a movement to help improve the environmental soundness of infrastructure as well as create an influx of new jobs for minority, young, and unemployed people. He strove to find a way to make the country greener as well as raise teenagers and young people up out of poverty and into employment. By trying to mix these two ideals he was unable to put the focus, energy, and money into achieving one or the other. If he had in fact focused primarily on the green movement, with his ability to inspire people and gain people’s political and financial trust he may have been able to make a reasonable change in American environmental politics. But I’m not hear to speculate, so let us return to…