Blog Post #5 The Most Selfish, Hyper-Individualistic Argument as to Why You Should Care About Conservation
When most people think of an environmentalist, they think of a Greenpeace activist in a kayak, blocking an oil crew from leaving a harbor. Or they think of a literal tree-hugger. This misperception is the main weakness of environmentalists. There needs to be a revamping of the stereotype. That way, even if someone is an outright climate denier, an activist may yet be able to get their vote on conservation bills. One key to being strategic is to retire moral arguments when explaining why everyone should care about nature. People from different political and social groups are brought up differently and have different values. You’re not going to change their moral DNA. Appealing to our desire for clean air and water won’t be enough to convince folks of the importance of conservation either. That’s because, in the United States, the majority of communities already have clean air and water. The key is to appeal to their self-interest. Everyone in the country, whether or not they have ...