Green parties need to embrace Fossil fuels, not demonize them.

This is about green political parties in general, but I am more focusing on the Green party here in Canada. In a historic win, Green party of Canada in our eastern province of PEI (little province mind you) became the top opposition, and on the opposite coast, in BC they are starting to now gain ground.

For starters. Comparing the Canadian green party to the US one is like almost apples to oranges, one is far gone with just a bunch of hippies and extremely social driven (US), while the other actually has merit (CND).

The Canadian model involves sustainability, it tackles economics, and it tackles job growth, obviously wants more environmental protection, etc. But where the two meet without a doubt is to almost abolish fossil fuels all together, the US model seems to want to just ban them completely while the Canadian model is to slowly taper us off them, and not just in vehicles, but in almost everything else (through taxes of course).

When you look at the Canadian model, it actually sounds great, protect environment, embrace regulated capitalist enterprise to not over step environmental dangers, look forward to sustainable renewable energy and resources, the list goes on. But it always seems to end up that fossil fuels need to be gone in some way shape or form, and they boast about it. It paints this picture that green politics needs to satisfy a certain base to gain their vote, which is very niche.

I feel if the Green parties want to contend, they need to explain that fossil fuels aren't the enemy, but are a precious gift from planet earth we need to conserve and use wisely. They have so many benefits, but at the same time push for more sustainable and green energy solutions so we can sustain fossil fuel use for where it matters.
This is where i think the green parties fall short, the Canadian system is almost there, the US well, just look at their web page, it's all over the place, I don't even know where to begin.
If the green parties started to push for more sustainability towards ALL forms of energy production, and find a solution, I feel like they can contend with the big parties. Take on a more conservative approach with some issues, but be more liberal others. A middle ground party.

Pfft, we need more moderate views in damn near everything political. It's one extreme or the other on almost every issue. They just use this extreme rhetoric to get elected and then never follow through anyway. Here in the US anyway.

I should add that my view on fossil fuels is that we should move away from using them, but that will take some time. Lets do our best with what we have now and work towards a solution.

a reply to: strongfp

I agree with your post 100%.

Yes, I am shocked as well... LOL.

Fossil fuels are a resource that is not infinite, is a huge part of our current energy structure and economy and should be thought of as such... they are not the devil.

However, technology is soon going to get over the hump as far as renewables go, we can then phase out of fossil fuels (for energy needs anyways) and then keep evolving as a species.

The topic shouldn't be viewed as an extreme "yes/no" on either side of the political aisle.

Of course, the money involved on both sides moves the politicians more than the practicality of the issue..

S&F.

a reply to: strongfp

Noticed that there was a rep of the Green
Party from the Netherlands attending Bilderberg this year:

BILDERBERG MEETING 2019

Just another distraction.
They won't be getting any support from me.

a reply to: strongfp

And just to add to your point about the differences between the Green parties of our two countries, Biden's version of the "New Green Deal" involves building a lot of smaller nuclear power plants to stabilize our electrical grid.

I don't think he got the memo about what our current "Green party" insanity is.

Isn't the problem with burning fossil fuels? That could be cleaned up more and conserved to be less toxic to the environment. Also, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of uses for oil and coal, not just for power, heat, or use in an internal combustion engine.

The Green Party people, and other environmental groups, must understand that crude oil, natural gas, and coal are not only natural but are stores of solar energy from the past. Solar energy's green when plants convert it to sugars, so what if it's been under ground for a long time before becoming a fossil fuel?

I agree that, if used wisely, fossil fuels could be much less destructive and of far more benefit then if is was phased out completely.

Wake up...oil is edible....one day we may rue the fact we burned up an edible product for nothing......energy is free....food is critical....figure it out.

originally posted by: strongfp
Take on a more conservative approach with some issues, but be more liberal others. A middle ground party.

You mean a "Green Tea Party"?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

if people actually remember the formula, it would work great.

Step 1. develop alternative energy source that works and is efficient
Step 2. move away from current energy source
Step 3. be sure that your new source isn't creating a bigger environmental issue than the last.

If that formula is followed, It might just work.

a reply to: Lumenari

The biggest issue for everyone bot just the political parties themselves is convincing oil companys to slowly transition. They lobby hard and it shows.

The liberal party here in Canada was almost forced to just tax the pumps so we can keep buying gas, meanwhile conservative parties are trying their hardest on the provincial level to fight it. Its madness.

a reply to: strongfp

This is the dumbest thing I've seen on here in a long time.

a reply to: richapau

Care to elaborate?