For First Time, Energy Trumps Hippies

What happens in economic lean times? It helps clarify the mind on how we spend scarce resources and, in particular, it forces us to reconsider costly “feel good” environmentalist policies.

So it’s not entirely surprising to get the news from Gallup that “Americans are more likely to say the U.S. should prioritize development of energy supplies than to say it should prioritize protecting the environment, the first time more have favored energy production over environmental protection in this question’s 10-year history.”

Here’s the graphical evidence:

I’d argue conservatives need fight the urge to pit energy vs environment. Far-green activists look foolish for wanting to trash our economy for cap and trade or EPA regulation of carbon dioxide, and those who would completely ignore environmental quality may risk the same fate.

Instead, we should focus on ways that markets and innovation can continue to make our environment clean (it really is in pretty good shape) while battling hysteria over global warming. But until we begin addressing environmental quality in a meaningful way, it’s only command-and-control policies driven by anti-capitalists that will be driving the agenda.

There’s no greater story than American innovation through the free market. Now we know the environment is right to talk about it.