Focusing the environmental debate on the principle of common commitment, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and eminent conservationist Terry L. Maple present A Contract with the Earth. They declare a need for bipartisan environmentalism -- a new era of environmental stewardship with principles that they believe most Americans will share.
While acknowledging that liberals and conservatives do not see eye to eye on many issues, Gingrich and Maple argue successfully that environmental stewardship is a mainstream value that transcends partisan politics. Their thoughtful approaches to our environmental challenges are based on three main premises: environmental leadership is integral to America's role in the world, technologically savvy environmental entrepreneurs can and should be the cornerstone of environmental solutions, and cooperation and incentives must be dramatically increased to achieve workable and broadly supported environmental solutions.
Gingrich and Maple believe that most people -- regardless of how they categorize themselves politically -- are weary of the legal and political conflicts that prevent individuals and communities from realizing the benefits of environmental conservation. The foundation of the book -- a ten-point Contract with the Earth -- promotes ingenuity over rhetoric as the way forward.
Whether you believe we've made tremendous progress in preserving our environment or believe we've made little progress, everyone should agree that there is still a lot more work to be done.
It's refreshing to hear new ideas, fresh ideas from such a familiar figure and such a strong voice for change.
A Contract with the Earth is all about the intersection of business and science.
After all, where would we be today if not for business and science pioneers like the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison? Although few and far between, entrepreneurs such as those men, and leaders like John F. Kennedy and his 1961 goal to go to the moon within a decade are the reasons that we live in the greatest country in the world. We are innovators. We are doers!
I ask all of you out there to reserve judgment on this book until you've read it, and reread it. After hearing another side of the debate, then, and only then can we intelligently enter into a discussion about the solutions to the obvious environmental dilemmas that face America and the World.
Newt Gingrich's books are usually quite popular among Limbaugh's ill-informed "dittoheads" and promoted by corporate militarists like Hugh Hewitt, but Newt will not receive the same support with this book. It isn't the most penetrating book on our destruction of the natural world, but it's good to see such a well-known figure of the right-wing discussing the issue (even utilizing a forward by E. O. Wilson).
One very helpful step Gingrich could take toward helping the environment is cutting our bloated military budget and putting the money towards wind, solar and tidal power. But, with a Lockheed Martin plant in his district, that sort of change in budget priorities is unlikely.
The excellent E - The Environmental Magazine noted in its review, that Gingrich has a great deal to atone for. His earlier "Contract with America" was more of a "Contract with Big Business" that allowed industry-packed panels to gut environmental laws, among other provisions that lobbyists pressured for. Nevertheless, Gingrich is obviously paying some attention to the concerns of people across the political spectrum who are agitating against the on-going decimation of the globe's ecosystems. One of the largest eco-minded constituencies is the evangelicals of the "Creation Care" movement Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Conservatives and liberals are finding common ground on this issue, despite the efforts of elites to keep our country divided.
One of the strongest elements of "A Contract with the Earth" is its recognition that environmental stewardship and a healthy economy go hand-in-hand. More and more businesses are recognizing the morality and profitability of "natural capitalism" The Natural Step for Business: Wealth, Ecology and the Evolutionary Corporation (Conscientious Commerce), and while the federal budget lags, private investors are shifting funds towards socially responsible investing The Sri Advantage: Why Socially Responsible Investing Has Outperformed Financially
So, there is a movement taking place and Gingrich's book, even with its weaknesses, is a welcomed sign of a much-needed transformation in attitudes.
For some other inspiring resources on environmental restoration and eco-entrepreneurship, I'd recommend the magazine Plenty Magazine and the book
Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
And to learn of some other green innovations, see:
Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy
Green Chemistry and Engineering
The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options (Chelsea Green Guides for Homeowners)
Big and Green: Sustainable Skyscrapers for the Twenty-First Century
