I think you will find most people who consider themselves environmentalists, are already conserving resources and using energy saving devices. I have two bachelor degrees in science and believe in global warming. I would like to see some wilderness areas preserved for future generations. That being said, I guess you could call me a tree hugger. I also believe in practicality and common sense. I believe some environmental policy has been formed based on the gut reaction of people with no scientific background what so ever, that unfortunately has turned environmentalism into a shorter form of emotionalmentalism. This is frustrating. Because now if you intelligently state an argument why not to destroy an area for mining or fuel exploration, your labeled "tree hugger" and thrown into a catagory of imbeciles who haven't a clue what they are talking about.
Oil drilling in South Dakota makes sense. The idea of becoming less dependent on the middle east is also smart. But more than that, reducing our own usage of energy is common sense. If your capable of taking yourself off the grid, or reducing your own personal consumption, then you should do it. It's easy to sit here day after day and expect someone else to bail us out, when in fact the easiest place to start change is at home.
I too remember cold winter nights on Grandma's farm where we were packed into a side bedroom with no heat under 8 blankets, where there was ice on the single pane windows. I remeber those first 20 minutes of not moving an inch because the blankets around you were freezing, and seeing the fog of my breath rise in the moon light. I was lucky that we were only there for a few weeks at a time, but, I learned an important lesson, that we were healthy, survived and were generally happy there too. We worked hard outside with the land and didn't need to go to a gym at the end of a work day to stay in shape! We also never worried about cholesterol from those thick slices of bacon and farm fresh eggs in the 18 inch cast iron skillet of the stove!
The point is we have become a soft Nation. We outsource labor to others, because we think it's beneath us, yet, some amongst us are third generation welfare recipients, who would no more lift a finger to work than you or I would put a go cart engine in our hot rod! We provide health care to the illegal aliens, with the message that if you can make it here to deliver your baby then it will be a legal citizen. We'll then provide you with whatever you need to keep that baby healthy. We'll also pay you under the table to clean our houses, work our farms, and maintain our gardens, but we'll bitch about tha fact that your here, not paying into the system and getting benefits that people who do pay in the system can't get!
It's messed up!
Sorry way off track here!
Point is nothing is black and white, but most of us are capable of lowering our energy consumption, and supplementing it with systems that will reduce our global needs.
Soo go for it... let the Tree hugger attacks begin!