Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) and other big-government pols should not own as they do the environmentalist movement since it is a natural for paleo-conservatives. Paleos rejected many of the assumptions of modernity long before the ecologists did. Deep ecology prefers the “vernacular,” even tribal societies, which were Conservative themes long before the left discovered them.
Conservatives do not promote big government as the way to solve our problems, and this is the big difference between the paleo, the left and the neoconservative solutions to problems. Regionalism, small is beautiful, is the best way to counter environmental damage, and the destruction of our manufacturing base, which has been caused mainly by globalist big business and their friend, big government. And the paleo-conservatives own this subject. Why aren’t paleos taking this issue away from the left? There are hints of interest, e.g. crunchy bohemian conservatives, but paleo leaders mainly ignore ecology; it is not smart.
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I have long thought deep ecology offers a good way to think about the potential reorganization of our society and political framework. As a paleo-con myself (though I describe myself as a neo-Whig), I admire and respect the federal principles on which the colonial revolutionaries built the USA. But we have drifted far from their vision and ideals. Our states remain shadows of the colonial past. I have sometimes wished for a national period (4 years?) of Jubilee - a total chance to rethink where and how we are as a nation. A careful reorganization along watershed lines, (as per deep ecology), with a federalist government - regionally and nationally - would go far to addressing many of the semingly inherent disconnects we face on a daily basis. Thus, the State (or Commonwealth) of Chesapeake might become replace several mid-Atlantic states. The Commonwealth of Delaware would absorb much of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, and so on. By thinking in terms of watersheds, politically, economically, infrastructure-wise, and even in terms of the common defense and legal structure, we would have a chance to rethink and restructure American society, and better position ourselves for a post-Peak Oil era, while preserving our fundamental freedoms and a federal republic form of government. Under such a regieme, national government's naturally limited roles would stand out clearly, and with the grace of the Great Architect, be more appropriately limited. When elected representatives begin thinking in terms of what is good for my watershed, (versus a more amorphus, and thoroughly gerrymandered political district), they are far more likely to "choose wisely." Sadly, I suppose, we will never see that national architecture...but it is fun to dream about. I heartily concur - paleo-cons need to make regionalism (of a deep ecological nature) their signature issue. The soil is already fertile; we need to plant the seed and nurture it. How much local food do YOU eat?
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