“Dictating to others what would be best for the environment is no longer as easy as was once the case. Being flexible enough to compromise is challenging but is the reality of effective politics,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE. 

Kermit the Frog showed amazing insight on Sesame Street when he sang: “It’s not easy bein’ green”.

The challenge for Greens in the ACT, and internationally, is that decisions that might appear to be environmentally friendly so often have other implications.

According to Kermit:

When I think it could be nicer
Bein’ red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colourful like that.

The reality is that decisions made by environmentalists are not red, yellow or gold, but so often fit into the grey areas of life. A few examples are illustrative.

Canberra faces a particular challenge with the regular explosion of the kangaroo population. Consider the many letters in CityNews condemning kangaroo culling.

The thought of slaughtering kangaroos for no reason is appalling. However, there is also the awful potential of allowing the numbers to blow out so much that animals will slowly starve to death as the food supply diminishes.

This might explain why it was that the cull continued a few years ago – even under the oversight of a Greens party minister.

Tesla was keen to advertise its cars as having “vegan leather”. At first blush this will mean that the use of leather following the slaughter of animals, popular in equivalent cars, will be avoided in their models.

The downside is that “vegan leather” is a side-product of the fossil-fuel industry as it is primarily composed of polyurethane (PU) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layered over a fabric backing such as polyester or nylon.

Whereas leather will break down and become part of the natural environment, the plastics used on the seats and other parts of this vehicle might break up to a certain extent. However, the residual plastics will remain an environmental challenge for centuries even as tiny particles. Evidence is mounting about the damage of microplastics to the environment and human health.

Maybe, while so much beef is consumed around the world, it might be better to stick to leather… at least until plant-based plastics reach the stage that they can be used.

The Greens in the ACT have pushed very hard for urban consolidation to counter urban sprawl. The early planners specifically designed Canberra as a series of city centres to minimise the need to travel to a centralised city centre. Over the years various governments have undermined this intention.

The outcome is tall concrete buildings that form heat banks, wind tunnels and leave minimal room for trees, gardens and play areas.

There are also quite good examples of intense developments that suit some people.

Planning and development decisions by the government regularly allow little choice for residents as they dictate a particular style of living governed by budgetary or ideological decisions.

One of the valid environmental objections to the development of more suburbia, and even an additional city centre, has been concerns regarding increased use of fossil fuels.

However, things change. In a normal house block it is now possible to use solar energy to not only meet all household needs, but to also charge an electric car.

In the meantime, those living in high-rise buildings do not have access to the same energy from the sun. They are dependent on the grid for heating, cooling and charging electric bikes and cars.

Decisions that seemed sensible a few years ago do not necessarily apply today. 

Dictating to others what would be best for the environment is no longer as easy as was once the case. Being flexible enough to compromise is challenging but is the reality of effective politics.

The resignation of Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury from the Assembly follows rejection by the party of his discussions with Liberal Leader Mark Parton. They were considering some type of co-ordinated arrangement that might oust the Labor Party after nearly a quarter century in government. 

Former Deputy Leader Rebecca Vassarotti, who lost her seat in the last election, has indicated a return to the Assembly if she wins the countback in Kurrajong. Ms Vassarotti resigned from a senior position in the Greens Party as an objection to those discussions.

Mr Rattenbury was working in the grey areas of policy and politics. It will be interesting to see how the Greens Party copes over the next few years. Will they see things in black and white… or green?

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.