An Open Letter to BC's Environmental Community

Getting at the Roots of the Environmentalist Schism: An Open Letter to BC's Environmental Community

by Ingmar Lee

I keep wanting to stop talking about the Environmental Non-Governmental Organization Schism, but it always seems to be relevant. I don't really know what an environmentalist is any more, or if its still relevant at all. Lately, I'm just a tree-hugger - have no problems characterizing myself as that - and that is how my neighbors, outwardly redneckian as they may be, actually are themselves. Like one of my tug-driver buddies working in the logging industry is utterly meticulous about his bilge-water. Marine diesels are always leaking oil and it's easiest to just pump it overboard - takes a special effort not to.

I don't believe that corporate funders donate with no strings attached, and I don't think environmental organizations should bind themselves with charitable status. I was against all these groups that got 'intervenor status' and were paid to sit at the National Energy Board's Enbridge hearings. They had to have charitable status to sit there. It was clear at the time that they would be useless at influencing that process, basically just sitting there, collecting a paycheck.

I don't think that advocacy and educational efforts are much relevant any more. In 2014, if some folks are still ecologically illiterate, then they are too stupid and corrupt to bother with. I don't think conventional organized "environmentalism" works any more - if it ever did. In BC, looking back over a dozen years of corporate-lackey governance, conventional environmentalism working within the system has been an utter failure. It doesn't motivate people and it doesn't change governments, or anything. There doesn't seem to be much new blood or ideas in our tired and aging ENGO community. Same old same old and virtually nothing to show for it.

Canada's democratic process is utterly corrupt; gerrymandered and robo-called. In spite of the best efforts of Green Party of Canada leader, Elizabeth May, the Parliamentary system can never get us out of this catastrophe. We don't have 20 years to develop and elect a Green majority that could do something from within that system. I'm just not impressed by the argument that people can fight the system while being entrenched in it. Up the coast here, everybody is activated against the Harper Pipelines/Tankers schemes, but nobody is looking for leadership, advice, funding or anything from conventional ENGO's. Whenever these ENGO's send someone up from Vancouver, they look conspicuously foreign and irrelevant, - an anachronism. Frankly, it's embarrassing, seeing ForestEthics out there, purporting to "lead" the fight, on behalf of "environmentalists."

On the other hand, I believe that the 'progressive' movement is rising up and has become a majority and are approaching critical mass. Its various manifestations are inclusive, spontaneous, energizing and empowering. I think we are learning to focus and apply power through the stream of uprisings like Occupy Walls Street and Idle No More. These uprisings are shocking and terrifying to the powers that be. I'm expecting that at any moment, some catalyst may arise that will propel us into outright revolt. It doesn't cost much, in fact fundraising at all for such is irrelevant and a waste of time. I can say from my experience at the blockades, tree-sits etc., these cannot be organized conventionally at all, and whenever someone threw some money into the pot, it always created more problems than it solved.

Take treesitting, for example. Activists situate themselves centrally, or peripherally to the action according to their degree of outrage, or their skillset. Everything's spontaneous, you immediately recognize infiltrators and agents-provocateurs. You can be in the centre of the action, where you may provide influence over its direction, or you can work at the sidelines, wherever you are comfortable. The vast majority of us are concerned about environment, poverty, peace and social justice and we are ready for action. All-out action is required. But action is disallowed by charitable status.

I would love to have had the time to develop and communicate my thoughts on all this better. It's a ramshackle work in progress. Is there any environmentalist in BC who is happy and proud of our accomplishments as a community over the past 12 years? What have we got to show for so much effort?

I'm glad we've been continuing this difficult discussion although it has caused a significant schism in the environmentalist community. If it's broke, we've got to fix it, find new ways, working around the obstacles. We've got to change.


Cheers,
Ingmar