The American Conservation Coalition, an organization dedicated to giving conservatives a voice on the environment, launched its second annual #WhyIConserve digital campaign on Wednesday.
It’s been a little over a year since we’ve done this, so today we’ve decided to bring back WhyIConserve for a second round.
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2019
It’s important that conservative voices take part in environmental discussions. Tell us why you care about conservation with the hashtag #WhyIConserve! pic.twitter.com/lTcJIOZyhw
#WhyIConserve took off on social media, and the responses were great:
“…whether you’re on the left or right or somewhere in the middle, this planet is our home and that’s something we can all agree on.” —@Joy_Villa taking the time to discuss #WhyIConserve. Thank you for being an outspoken conservative voice for environmentalism! pic.twitter.com/g0kznHYf60
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2019
“We conservatives care about the environment every bit as much as people who call themselves progressives.”– @DennisPrager, Founder of @PragerU discussing #WhyIConserve pic.twitter.com/HDJRMJQtgm
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2019
Caring about the condition of the water our children drink and the forests our beautiful wildlife roam is not a partisan issue. Conservatives do care about these issues, we just want different solutions. That’s #WhyIConserve
— Nick Lindquist (@nick_lindquist) June 12, 2019
“America is the greatest nation in the world because it is a land of beautiful ideas and beautiful places.” –Founder of @LoConservative and journalist, @KassyDillon on #WhyIConserve pic.twitter.com/9ykzujmDu3
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2019
When our government enforces top-down environmental regulations, our economy suffers and we rarely see results. When we lead with innovation, technology, and an entrepreneurial spirit, the world follows in our footsteps. #WhyIConserve
— Danielle Butcher (@DaniSButcher) June 12, 2019
And, rather than add a disclaimer about my affiliation with ACC at the end of this post, I’ll just share my reason #WhyIConserve:
#WhyIConserve from our own Staff Writer, @kovanderhart! pic.twitter.com/fQFCZhlFnu
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2019
While this campaign highlighted the passion so many conservatives have for sound environmental policy changes, it also emphasized another important point: people are clamoring for a green GOP.
Conservatives are tired of being left out of the environmental discussion. The grassroots haven’t dropped the ball on this – hunters, ranchers, and conservationists all across the country are working to better the planet and start the needed conversations. No, the right has been largely left out of the conversation by the very people who are supposed to represent us best: Republican lawmakers.
Thankfully, things are shifting in the right direction. Congressional Republicans are stepping forward and offering sensible, market oriented environmental policy changes (like the USE IT Act co-sponsored by Senator John Barasso, R-WY). The founding of the Roosevelt Caucus as a forum for congressional Republicans to foster discussions about market-based environmental policy also makes me hopeful for the future of sensible legislation from the right.
On a state level, things are looking even brighter. The passage of free-market oriented legislation like South Carolina’s recent Energy Freedom Act is encouraging. With better knowledge of their state’s environment, and the outdoorsmen and conservationists that reside in the state, I am hopeful that state legislators will play a significant role in passing environmentally and fiscally sound policy ideas in the next years.
Republicans have still not fully claimed a seat at the environmental policy table, but the Grand Old Party has started heading in the right direction. With young voters pressing the GOP to take action on environmental issues, this shift couldn’t come at a better time.