Articles from the BBC and New York Times seem to confirm a recent report by Environment Illinois arguing that the presidential primary contenders have bagged environmental talk to focus on the foundering economy. The environmental blog Celsias writes that the economy has distracted voters from what was once a much greater priority: finding long-term, renewable energy solutions.
“This is where a shift in mainstream public thinking is so important. If public priority rests only on a superficial short-term understanding of a healthy economy, as opposed to a deeper long-term understanding of economic sustainability, then business-as-usual may persevere for yet another presidential term in the United States — the nation with the greatest responsibility ability to foster and encourage change.”
Interestingly, an earlier article on the site warns that a rapid expansion of biofuel production would be shortsighted and potentially environmentally disastrous. The author rails against monocrop farming, comparing the uninhibited expansion of corn production to last year’s colony collapse disorder, during which colonies of honey bees mysteriously disappeared due to environmentally-induced stress.
