There has been a lot of talk lately about the "new normal." In most cases the discourse focuses on economic conditions. The topics include the meltdown, bailouts, jobs, credit markets, government programs and budgets. The results include an end to the good old days of jobs for everyone, instant riches in the stock market, easy credit and houses that also doubled as ATMs. The evidence is literally overwhelming - most of us now have free-floating anxieties regarding economic situations that were not on our radar just a few years ago. Couple this with the feeling, well supported by facts, that it's likely we won't see a return to our pre-meltdown economy for quite a while. Thus the "new normal."

For those of us focused on environmental issues the new normal, at first blush, seems like more bad news. Many if not most arguments for progressive environmental policies and programs founder on the inability to overcome the "it's too expensive" objection. For the environmental community, experienced in pushing hard for what have seemed like small gains, the new normal means working even harder than before. The last few years have been highlighted by uphill battles, inadequate financial support and focused opposition from powerful opponents and enemies. In the face of this, and more, environmentalists have soldiered on, suffered a Rodney Dangerfield-like lack of respect, and been buffeted by politics and apathy. Tthe "two steps forward, one step back" cadence has begun to seem like second nature. In the face of the new normal environmental activists and public citizens have scaled back. Many are trying to figure our how the new normal affects the environmental agenda.

WHAT WE CAN DO

First, we can recognize that there also a new "econormal" and it offers hope and progress. According to poll after poll the number of Amercians describing themselves as environmentalists ranges from the low 50s to the high 80s. Worldwide, there is substantial good news. According to the online publication "RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD.COM", "…renewables comprised fully one quarter of global power capacity from all sources and delivered 18% of global electricity supply in 2009,…" The same publication also reports that the US military is becoming a major player in the renewables space. This represents new territory for the military, a huge energy and fuel user. This new military policy incorporates "…the benefits of energy security and independence and are what finally converted many military leaders into believers."

The military is far from alone in embracing the environmental and economic benefits of the manufacture, sale, installation and deployment of renewable energy systems and other environmental initiatives. US industry is also becoming a major player. Last year (2009) for the second time, more money was invested in the US in new renewable power capacity than in new fossil fuel capacity. 2009 also saw record production numbers for solar cells and other renewable technologies.

There are a variety of mechanisms powering this growth. Traditionally government support, in the form of state and federal tax credits, represented the most important and effective sales promotion tool. That is still true, but more and more players are going past these subsidies and creating their own sales incentives. In the solar industry many front line vendors are introducing cash-back and other incentives. New lease programs which enable homeowners to invest without big up-front costs. are also proliferating. In most cases these home owners are experiencing immediate drops in their energy costs. Numbers of large commercial and government projects are also climbing. One industry newsletter reports a total of 724 MW of new solar production in California projects "fast-tracked" by the US Department of the Interior.

Other clean and renewable energy technologies are also experiencing substantial growth. According to the Global Wind Energy Council "...the world's installed wind power capacity is expected to reach close to 200 GW by the end of 2010." In the US commercial wind farms and other producers currently supply 35 GW in the US but large offshore and onshore wind projects are moving forward in most US areas with high-quality wind resources.

As always the energy transition is the "poster child" of the environmental community. However, the new econormal also draws heavily from other environmental topics. It also draws an audience that starts with pre-schoolers. These days our children and grandchildren are active environmentalists in part because of the world they are growing into. Activities like recycling, water and power conservation, "adopting" endangered species, participating in beach clean-up programs, and more all play a role in environmental education. For our young citizens the new econormal is a natural lifestyle choice. One sure to persist over time. The new normal will pass. The new econormal won't.