Blue Is True

IF you care about the environment, your symbolic color should be not green but blue. First of all, over two-thirds of the planet’s surface is blue, and represents a major environmental challenge: Even with all that water, over a billion people still lack clean water to drink. Second, blue has a political meaning. Where people are poor, environmental conditions tend to be abysmal; and if the 20th century proved anything, it was that the best way to end poverty isn’t red—the color of socialism— but blue, the color of liberty, personal initiative, and enterprise.

“Blue Environmentalism” is the way we should build on the stunning success of the environmental movement of the past 30 years. We should begin by frankly acknowledging those successes. The rhetorical outlook of some environmentalists functions like blinders on a dray horse: It prevents them from looking anywhere but straight ahead. As a result, the public is seldom encouraged to look back to see how much progress was made in improving the environment during the 20th century, and especially after the first Earth Day in 1970.

About the Author

Michael Novak

Michael Novak was a Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.

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IF you care about the environment, your symbolic color should be not green but blue. First of all, over two-thirds of the planet’s surface is blue, and represents a major environmental challenge: Even with all that water, over a billion people still lack clean water to drink. Second, blue has a political meaning. Where people are poor, environmental conditions tend to be abysmal; and if the 20th century proved anything, it was that the best way to end poverty isn’t red—the color of socialism— but blue, the color of liberty, personal initiative, and enterprise.

“Blue Environmentalism” is the way we should build on the stunning success of the environmental movement of the past 30 years. We should begin by frankly acknowledging those successes. The rhetorical outlook of some environmentalists functions like blinders on a dray horse: It prevents them from looking anywhere but straight ahead. As a result, the public is seldom encouraged to look back to see how much progress was made in improving the environment during the 20th century, and especially after the first Earth Day in 1970.