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Published in:
2016 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
4. The Constitution and the Environment: Ecological Principles and Liberal Policy Making
Author : Franklin Kalinowski
Published in: America's Environmental Legacies
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan US
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Abstract
In evaluating the conflicting perspectives of mainstream and radical environmentalism, one standard is to test their consistency with the basic principles of ecological science. Then, the underpinnings, structure, and decision-making process of the US Constitution can be described and compared to these ecological requirements. If the product of this Constitutional process is likely to be the shallow, piecemeal muddling along of mainstream environmentalism, the issue becomes whether a set of values compatible with a more fundamental and comprehensive solution can be found in America’s cultural heritage. It becomes necessary to shift the focus to America’s other “constitution.” This unwritten constitution is made up of the values, perspectives, customs, and habits that comprise our culture and are articulated in the legacies of American political thought.