Why are people who care about sustainability considered socialist?

Question

I wish the same principle that allows us to own firearms (which I strongly support) applied to the environment. But it doesn't. The actions of a group of people can make it so the rest of us have to put up with an oil spill, bad air or unclean water.

Some cities in China have deformed babies, asthmatic children and toxic water supplies...the result of a few people enjoying their 'freedoms' (corporations).

I personally know a few environmentalists (real ones). They don't want to reduce your quality of life or steal your taxes. All they want to see is a healthy planet that can support future generations by all means that can be thought of.

In 2050, 9 billion humans will live on Earth.This isn't a 'human issue' like gay marriage that should be debated by idealists. Shouldn't engineers and scientists, who contribute to concrete human development call the shots? The political idealists make decisions more on creed. We can't change anything drastic about our lifestyle, but scientists/engineers can design new ways to make sure 9 billion people can exist without irreversible damage. Why is it such a socialist thing?

Answer 1

I spend my own time, money and energy, in addition to some of my time professionally, in conservation and environmental projects, and helped to write the EPA's cost manual for volatile organic compound condensers (I know, boring).



The point is, I am a conservative Republican.



The only reason some environmentalists are thought of a socialists is a seeming desire for certain groups to tax wealthy nations (primarily the USA) and give the money to less developed nations. It became crystal clear that that was the point of the Copenhagen summit last year, which was, fortunately, a total flop.

Answer 2

Some cities in the USA have deformed babies, asthmatic children and toxic water supplies...the result of a few people enjoying their 'freedoms' (corporations). Our government has allowed this with all their rules in place.

How old are you?

Monsanto look it up.

Well your friends may be real environmentalist so am I but the government sell out to big business. So there rules do not help.

Answer 3

Not that I'm arguing with you on this point, but I'm somewhat unclear on what principal it is you think should apply to both firearm possession and environmental issues.



That aside, I think the basic notion is that if you take tax dollars and apply them in one way or another to solving any sort of problem that affects the well being of society or any part thereof, that qualifies as "socialist". If that's the case, I think we may have stretched the term "socialism" beyond all practical meaning (at this point basically anything to do with government is socialist) but it's how I understand the argument, such as it is.



Shovel Ready: Setting aside the fact that fresh aluminum is not in infinite supply, I think the problem with your claim about sustainability is that all you've really done is argue that aluminum can recycling isn't sustainable, not that sustainability itself is a myth.

Answer 4

People who use the word sustainability to propagandize for FORCE to control and eliminate property ARE socialists.

The actions of a group of people can make it so the rest of us have to put up with an oil spill, bad air or unclean water ONLY where and because government grants them license to do so.

Some cities in China have deformed babies, asthmatic children and toxic water supplies...the result of a few people enjoying government's protection from accountability. "The people" have no recourse because government forbids it.

CONSERVATIVES want to see a healthy planet that can support future generations.

Most of the World's engineers and scientists are government property and do as a bureaucrat tells them.

The fact is lands under private management are one helluvalot healthier than "public" areas. Literally all environmental calamities were DELIBERATELY made more likely, DELIBERATELY exacerbated and/or outright CAUSED by Democrats or their ilk in other countries. No exceptions - ever - anywhere.

Answer 5

It is not a socialist thing. That is what Republicans and corporate America call something that they do not want us to pass. Following environmental guidelines costs corporations money. They really don't care about the results in 5, 10 or 20 years, they only care about next quarters profits. Anything that is for the good of the people of this country, and that might cost corporations or the wealthy extra money and dip in to their profits is Socialist. The American people buy this pejorative term and decide that they don't want it either. Just look at the results of the last election.

Answer 6

Most of the sustainability people are not socialists.



By the way, a good government doesn't "steal your taxes" - it acts as the agent of the people, takes control of the means of production, and insures that essential services will not be commandeered by greedy individuals. Greed is not good. It is killing the planet.

Answer 7

The problem is too many liberal idealists have hijacked the idea of a sustainable footprint on the environment, and turned it into a taxation method to fund their social programs and handouts.



They don't need to be connected, but good luck finding a politician that won't take advantage of a legitimate concern to fund their pet project.

Answer 8

"Some cities in China have deformed babies, asthmatic children and toxic water supplies...the result of a few people enjoying their 'freedoms' (corporations). "



Ya, see, right there. That's the kind of thing that gets you labelled a socialist.

Answer 9

Sustainability is a meaningless concept, similar to "green." For example, the energy required to recycle an aluminum can greatly exceeds the energy required to manufacture a new one.

Answer 10

They aren't "considered" socialists. They're just labelled "socialist" by people who don't know what the word means but who like to call people names.

Answer 11

Because to ignorant people, all good ideas are "socialist." They learned a new word, but not the meaning of it. So whatever they don't understand or don't like, they scream SOCIALISM.

Answer 12

We have been sustained for thousands of years without environmentalist,,,,and we still don;t need them for thousands of more years,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Answer 13

retardicans are idiots