Alden E. Habacon: Why is green so white?

Alden Habacon on the whiteness of the environmental movement in Vancouver, surprising just how large and influential the Asian Canadian community is. A reminder that diversity is not a left or right, green or not green issue, and that all have to engage the broader community:

Over the next 10 years, we will witness the transformation of “green”.

It will move from being a universal Western ideal—based on the false idea that we all see green the same—to being a richer spectrum of green. It won’t just be something we talk about in English, but will be the intercultural and multilingual conversation that it needs to be.

It will not, however, get there organically. It will need to be intentional. Unlike nature, left to itself, the green movement in the West will not correct its course, but continue on a path towards lesser relevance to the growing cultural diversity of our Canadian cities.

Alden E. Habacon: Why is green so white? | Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s News & Entertainment Weekly.

Unknown's avatarAbout Andrew
Andrew blogs and tweets public policy issues, particularly the relationship between the political and bureaucratic levels, citizenship and multiculturalism. His latest book, Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias, recounts his experience as a senior public servant in this area.

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