Current politics often perceive the environment and the economy to be at odds with each other. The good news is, they don’t have to be.
For example, Rep. Bob Gibbs champions the small American business and vehemently fights environmental regulations of every kind; but there is evidence that companies can continue to thrive while complying with regulations. There are a lot of old jobs in the coal and gas industries, but there are going to be a lot of new jobs in the green energy industry that’s getting on its feet. We don’t have to trade economic strength for the health of our water and soil.
Here’s a white paper I put together that breaks down the issue:
Misunderstood Economics of the Earth
It’s aimed at this polarized political attitude that we have to have all or nothing of different important things–in reality, we should be looking at the gray areas, finding balances, initiating cooperation between the sides of these issues.
Watering Down 