How the Green Vote is Changing

We Conserve… and we vote!

In the heat of a provincial election, the Conservation Council of Ontario released some interesting poll results as part of our first Conservation Trends report.  I think what we are seeing is a fundamental shift in green voting in Canada.

It used to be the environment was the issue that would bite you, and never make you.  The environment may still not be the politicians most reliable friend, but something is definitely changing.

To see the change more clearly, let’s step back in time a bit (a luxury I now have).  Twenty-five years ago, when I first started with the Conservation Council of Ontario, the environment was a hot and contentious topic.  Our lakes were dying from acid rain and we had rampant development, lax pollution laws, and no recycling programs.

Twenty-five years ago, environmental politics was about saving nature and stopping pollution.  Our successes were measured in government commitments to protect land (the Niagara Escarpment) or stop pollution (Countdown Acid Rain).   The big issues are still with us, and indeed they have only become bigger.  The whole climate is in danger now, not just the lakes.  The Boreal Forest and the Amazon forests need protecting now, and entire oceans are being fished out so we had better save what is left of our prime farmland.

But look what else has changed.

Twenty-five years ago, when I rode my bike to a meeting, I was praised as a pioneer.  Now, I am surrounded by bikes and we have Bixi bikes throughout downtown Toronto.  I had no car back then, same as now, only there wasn’t any Autoshare with its 10,000 car-sharing members to help me out when I needed one.

Twenty-five years ago,  I knew a few solar and wind pioneers, now renewables are part of our economic future.  Twenty-five years ago, most food was local.  Now, thankfully, local food is back in vogue. We have farmer’s markets, food buying clubs through the Ontario Natural Food Coop, a Greenbelt Foundation, and organic produce is clearly displayed in my corner grocery store.

Collectively, we are transforming our society.  This change is being led by people, and it is supported by green businesses and organizations.  I’m not saying we are either perfect and consistent in our lives, nor that we are the majority.  But I am saying that there is a long-term social trend towards a conserver society (living better with less).

Now, doesn’t it make sense that these people would also want to see their values reflected in government policy?

And that is how the green vote is changing: it is becoming much more personal, and it is becoming statistically significant.

This is what our polling shows:

1. Conservation is a strong social value — always has been and it continues to have strong support (87%)
2. people practice conservation regularly (91%)
3. People understand that conservation helps address the priority provincial issues,  such as: protecting the environment (86%), creating a resilient economy and creating jobs (78%),  promoting public health and reducing health care costs (69%) and lowering the cost of living (67%)
4. People want to see government leadership for a healthy future. Only 12% want smaller government, and only 14% want lower taxes.

Put it all together and we find there is both a statisical and a visible link from conservation as a value to an emerging green economy and conserver society.  We are concerned about our future, we see the imminent collapse of conventional growth and economics, and we are looking for solutions.

Politics is the art of making people think you are like them.  If enough people identify with your values and policies, you win (so long as you don’t make a mess of things).  So the astute politician will look at this trend and see potential.  And this is how the green vote is changing the face of politics.  Good environmental policy will no longer be in a separate section of a policy book, it will be infused throughout the entire platform.  The green vote demands nothing less than a resilient and efficient economy, the conservation and sustainable use of resources, improved public health linked to walkable and cyclable communites, healthier local food as part of stronger communities and local economies.  The new green vote sees no barriers between quality of life, a strong economy, and a healthy environment.

Our current election is a case in point.  The Greens, Liberals, and New Democrats have all made a strong effort to place a green lense on the top issues for the electorate: the economy, health care, and the cost of living.  Notably absent, or low key, is talk of climate change as a driver or carbon taxes as a solution.  Instead, their policies present a vision of a better Ontario.  By contrast, the Conservative Party’s Changebook has a separate section on the environment within an overall platform that does not integrate conserver values, and indeed points to environmentalists as the  bad guys.

I predict that within a couple of election cycles, all parties will have fully integrated conserver values into their platforms.  Their platforms will still be different — you can have a laissez-faire, regulatory, or anywhere inbetween approach to promoting a healthier and greener future.  Whether responding to the public interest in a conserver lifestyle, or responding to global economic and environmental crises, voting is only going to get greener still.

Which raises another question.  What will happen to the Green party if all parties are chasing the green vote?

This year, Canada elected its first Green Party candidate, Elizabeth May, in a first-past-the-post straight out fair fight.   Enough people in North Cowichan BC saw themselves as having strong green values that they voted in a green candidate.   An amazing milestone in green politics, but one that may actually lead to the demise as much as the rise of the Green Party.   You better believe the other parties took note.  As Ontario Green Party leader, Mike Schreiner, said recently about their declining support in the opinion polls, “My guess is it’s probably bleeding to the Liberals, because they’ve adopted part of our platform” (Toronto Star, September 14, 2011).  The challenge for the Green Party is to remain at the vanguard of the transition — one step ahead of the major parties.

From where I sit, it is all part of an amazing trend towards a viable conserver society.  It may go largely unnoticed in the mainstream media and in the face of the continuing barrage of negative campaigning and tea-party rhetoric, but the new green vote is changing Canada for the better.

There is much to protest at the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto, but I keep thinking we are missing the boat by not having one big street party outside the summit barricades.

Toronto from behind the chain link fence

We live in one of the best cities in the world, twenty of the world’s leaders are coming to visit, and the image we wish to leave them with is one of protest and violence?

My dream would be one giant street party running the length of Queen Street, showcasing local musicians, artists, cultures, restaurants, and community groups.  Put our best face forward for the benefit of the world!

At the very least we should host a mash-up of our best cultural events: the Pride parade, Caribana, Luminato, NXNE, the Toronto Jazz Festival, Winterlicious and local food festivals. As an added bonus, throw in Doors Open and Jane’s Walk tours for delegates who might want to venture beyond the barricades.  It’s the story behind these showcase events that is the real message we need to send to the G20 leaders. Each is an example of the community passion and commitment that makes Toronto such a great place to live.

When I look at the agenda of the G20, including women’s health, economic security, and climate change, I feel we are missing a golden opportunity to show the world leaders that a simple solution to global issues is right under their collective noses: empower communities.

• If you want to promote health, empower communities to provide quality local health care, education and recreation.  Personal health and well-being is a cornerstone to prosperity.

• If you want economic security, empower communities to develop strong local economies.  It is local economies that we fall back on when times get tough.  They can create a more resilient national economy.

• If you want to slow down climate change, empower communities to save energy, ride bicycles, grow their own food, and work, shop and play locally. A complete community is both more sustainable and it is a better place to live.

Toronto may not be perfect, but through the strange combination of urban design, cultural inclusivity, and community passion, we are living proof that the answer to global issues lies in community development.

Occasionally, as an NGO leader, I am asked by foreign delegations for my opinion of urban planning. I usually start by saying Toronto is a city of villages, and no matter how big your city or country is, you still need to plan for villages. It’s how people connect with each other, it’s where they live, play, and maybe work.

Look at Toronto.  We have business improvement areas and neighbourhood associations and a vast array of community groups offering social, health, cultural, faith and environmental services.  We have thousands of volunteers and professionals, all working to make sure Toronto is a livable, friendly, and sustainable city.

As a city, we rock.  Yes, we have our issues and our problems, but have one of the most livable cities in the entire world.  All because people care and are involved in their communities.

So why aren’t we hosting a party?  With a billion dollar budget, would it be too much to ask for one million for a world-class street party?  The simple answer is that both sides don’t get it.  The focus of the governments and the protesters alike is on adversarial politics.

There is a long history of public intervention in global policy conferences, both peaceful and violent, invited and uninvited.  It is part of the accepted dance we play around global policy, from free trade to climate change.

Protest is important, but is it the only way to shift policy?   Take climate change, for example.

In his December 6^th commentary on the Copenhagen conference, Star columnist Peter Gorrie noted “In the obvious absence of political leadership, activists say it’s now up to the people, en masse, to take charge.”  It was an admission of the failure of lobbying, global petitions, and media campaigns (fossil-of-the-day awards) to extract any concessions or meaningful action out of the political leaders.

What makes this statement even more fascinating is the marked split in the environmental movement.  In reality, there is not one environmental movement, but two.  The one most people know started in the 1970s, tackles big issues (acid rain in the 80’s and now climate change), is led by large organizations, and focuses on policy change to achieve long-term targets.  Its membership signs petitions and makes donations.

The second movement (which still doesn’t have a clear name), started around the 1990’s in response to the global pressure for sustainable development.  New groups and businesses formed to deliver solutions. Larger organizations work closely with a vast network of community groups.  The focus is on helping people live a greener lifestyle now.  This movement is extremely active in Toronto, and I could easily list dozens of community-based groups and individuals who are helping set up community gardens, local bake-ovens, farmers markets, community solar projects, community tree-planting, bike lanes and safe cycling, home energy audits, and even entire buildings devoted to social innovation.

These groups don’t have a voice at the Toronto G20 summit, but if they did their policy message would be simple: invest in communities. We are not your enemy, we are your saviours.

The best way to get this message across is not with banners and placards, but with bands and parties.  It’s too late and too contentious to hold a party this time around.  Maybe the next summit can start a new trend of showcasing local solutions and hosting a street party.

We’ve all seen top ten lists of things you can do to save the environment.  You can usually find them at the end of books about the end of the world or on activist websites.

More often than not, they are somebody’s list of favourite actions, not anything that is designed to really make a difference

Ours is different.  Very different.  Our top ten list is at the heart of our activities, from our campaigns and information services to the way we are organizing a united movement.

1. Our list reflects the ecological cycle. It starts with nature, flows through key resource and consumption choices, and ends up with the waste we return to nature.
2. Our list also closely matches the key categories under the ecological footprint model: home, transportation, energy, and food.
3. Our list recognizes that we are all different and live in different circumstances.  We give you the high level action, and it’s up to you to decide how you can best take action.
4. Each of the ten actions also represents an area of focus for the environmental movement as a whole.  This means that for each action, we can point you to groups that help you.  In fact, we’ve designed our whole provincial voluntary transition strategy around these ten actions.

In other words, our top ten list of actions will help connect your personal commitment into a growing and united movement.  Together, we can transform Ontario into a conserver society.  Neat, huh.

Here’s the list…..  www.weconserve.ca/topten.html Continue reading →

It was 1973.  The world was experiencing the first oil crisis, and an intrepid group of Canadians from the Science Council of Canada first postulated the idea of “a conserver society” where economic and social development would occur in harmony with nature and natural processes.

Had we only listened, back then.  Instead the oil taps were turned back on and the economy and consumption continued to grow exponentially.

At one level, sadly enough, we only respond to real and immediate crises.   It is crisis, whether environmental or economic, that will eventually cause us to become a true conserver society.  And those taps are starting to run dry once more

But in the meantime, there is hope — a steady growth in conserver values and an emerging green economy that started around 1990 (during what is referred to as the “second green wave”).  This is the true hope for fighting climate change, peak oil, economic turmoil, and many other threats to our future security.

Through “We Conserve“,  the Conservation Council of Ontario is finding way to build on this existing positive force and foster a united conservation movement.  In the end, it is our only hope:  a whole society that not only says “we must change” but that is willing to make those changes voluntarily in our lives, our communities, and our businesses.

We may not be able to create a sustainable future through voluntary change, but I can promise you this:

1.  We can help individuals live better now, and be better prepared for future crises through conservation

2.  We can lay the foundation for a rapid response to future environmental and economic crises

3.  We can create a strong voice for government leadership to support our individual commitment

There are many stories to tell on the path to a conserver society – stories of innovation, of local initiatives, and of united campaigns.  I will do my best to weave them together into an ongoing narrative of how a society recognized the threats to its existence, and seized the opportunities to create a more sane and healthier future.

We conserve.