A Shocking Patriotic Development: Conservative Climate Activists!
Michele Combs heads to her office near Farragut Square in Washington, DC. She is a woman with a commitment to a cause and invigorated about her week ahead. Her wavy mane of blonde hair, classic bling and red executive attire and lipstick accent her status as a Republican powerhouse inside the beltway. She left home a bit earlier today to beat the grind of stop and go traffic of her normal commute in the power base of the world. Her sincere commitment has shaped the organization that she founded ten years ago, Young Conservatives For Energy Reform, (YC4ER) which now has more than 100,000 supporters.
Michele began her career in leadership roles doing fundraising and later supporting public education and kid’s programs. She worked as Director of Communications for the Christian Coalition of America and ran her own successful high-profile production company. Early in her career Michelle had a momentous awakening.
She was an expectant mother and at her first doctors appointment she was advised not to eat any fish until the baby was born. “I was really curious why my doctor insisted that I avoid fish in my diet. After all, fish was supposed to be healthy protein. How could eating fish possibly be dangerous to my unborn baby?” she remembered as we spoke.
“I followed up with my friends and got nowhere- they had no idea. I decided to dig into some research on my own. I found out that many fish contain mercury, which even in small amounts could adversely affect my baby. Why do they contain mercury? It was because of coal power plants! I realized that for me this was a pro-life issue. I had fought for the unborn for many years. I couldn’t believe I would be raising my own child in an environment that was so polluted that it could severely affect his development in the womb,” Michele told me. That realization marked a turning point in her life and inspired her along the path of environmental advocacy.
As a result of seeing the light on mercury pollution and becoming more educated about fossil fuels Michele kept following environmental issues. She eventually founded the group, YC4ER. The YC4ER is a nonprofit organization committed to renewable energy education and outreach to influence bipartisan energy reform. They propose an energy platform that supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy that especially invests in renewable energy, including solar wind, hydropower and geothermal energy. The YC4ER believe that their organization speaks to the conservative values of independence, security, prosperity, family, and stewardship of our resources.
On the day we talked Michele had spoken to conservative business leaders who have a common interest in energy reform. The following day Michele was to testify before the U.S. House Energy Committee, advocating for more support to be directed at renewable energy. Afterward, she talked with a group of key Republicans. On Friday her organization was to co-host a “National Security and Energy Independence Reception” on Capitol Hill with the American Wind Energy Association. What drives a dyed-in-the-wool conservative like Michele toward a relentless commitment to energy reform and mitigating climate change?
Michele says the main goal of YC4ER is focusing on the key concerns of national security and economic growth through homegrown energy and clean technology jobs. She strongly claims this will ensure a prosperous economy now and for future generations of Americans. And her message resonates with plenty of high-profile conservative elected leaders too.
The YC4ER has managed to attract some high profile politicians to their cause and they may not be the politicians that first come to mind with environmental issues. The YC4ER has been endorsed by Governor George Pataki(R-NY), Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Retired Lieutenant General Richard Zilmer, USMC, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), General Ronald Keys, Retired (USAF), and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) among others.
Republican senators Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham, and Dean Heller all spoke at the 2018 YC4ER Summit in favor of the their mission. During the 2018 conference, Senator Heller said he believes that energy is one of our greatest assets, and continuing to develop renewables and alternative sources is important for our nation’s economic future. He is a strong supporter of energy efficiency and he points to the boom in geothermal, solar and wind in his state as examples of great things happening that produce jobs and cleaner energy in his state of Nevada. (YC4ER)
Lindsey Graham, speaking at the summit said he believes being energy independent puts Republicans on the right side of history and that energy reform is a conversation that conservatives need to have. As Senator Graham noted, “This should not be a liberal issue. This should be an American issue.” He believes Americans should want to become more energy independent, create jobs and clean up the air. As he said, “It is now time for the conservative cause to embrace energy reform and a clean environment.” (YC4ER)
In my research, I cound a half-dozen other high profile conservatives and conservative groups that are lobbying for action on climate change. I was shocked and elated. I was shocked because the common media perception is that people who tend to identify as conservatives don’t tend to believe that renewable energy or climate change are important issues. I was elated to see that there is hope for finding common ground and working together. This article is part of a chapter from my new book about bridging the gap on climate change and I shared the chapter with my writer’s workshop and it was not well-received by some readers.
After reading it, a member of my writing group, Shirley, commented, “I am puzzled about why you didn’t include any liberal advocates for controlling global warming and activists supporting energy reform too. After all, liberals have been supporting climate action and energy reform for years! Isn’t this kind of biased?”
My answer to Shirley was, “Americans have been listening to liberals for years and we need to acknowledge that they are not the only ones concerned about global warming. This is a book about and for Americans. I hope that readers can suspend their own biases and listen to each other better. I hope that independents, conservatives, and liberals can find some uncontested American values that are worth fighting for, especially for climate change.”
I continued, “It is commonly known that liberals have enjoyed much credit (and even derision) for pro-environmental beliefs and work over the years. Activists like Bill McKibben, who wrote Eaarth, Falter, and many others; Senator Bernie Sanders, who is on a climate change crusade, and of course Al Gore, who created the book and film, An Inconvenient Truth, have all absorbed a lot of the spotlight over several decades. But we know that gloom and doom scenarios turn a lot of people off, and in some cases only close their minds more. My aim is not to look at our differences, because that would polarize us even further, but instead offer hope that together we can find progress.”
Michele Combs and the YC4ER are not the only conservatives working for climate action. You wont believe some of the folks that are involved. They include former and current military commanders, cabinet secretaries, billionaire business people and even Evangelical climatologists! Now that is patriotism. My next article will celebrate them and what they are doing to reverse global warming. Stay tuned.
