The Van Buren Climate Action Team is teaming up with a conservative renewable energy advocate in an effort to convince rural residents of the benefits of clean energy.
Brenden Miller is with the Land and Liberty Coalition, a group that supports energy sources like wind and solar.
Miller has given talks before, pushing back against disinformation regarding these energy sources, which he admits often comes from the right.
“Frankly, no one on the right talks about energy in any serious way outside of, 'Oh, well, Green New Deal, Green New Deal.' And there's so much more to it that I think people are missing, and our goal is to help educate conservatives.”
Miller added that his group's open political stance helps it connect with its audience.
“The places where we go and work, the places where these projects are being built, are not Democrat- or even independent-leaning areas. These are places that vote 60, 70, 80, 90% for a Republican conservative candidate. So, when you go into these communities, you have to use the proper messaging.”
This messaging goes beyond what to say, to what not to say.
"Climate change isn't a part of that message because regardless of the science, regardless of the arguments on climate change, it doesn't really move the needle. What does move the needle though is things that conservative communities hold dear."
Those policies include things like small government and fiscal conservatism, which Miller said his group better represents than those that oppose renewable energy.
“We as conservatives cannot be hypocritical and talk about small government and talk about preventing government interference, and then turn around and tell a farmer who is trying to diversify their income — who is trying to find an ability to survive in the modern-day farming industry, which is not easy by the way — that they cannot build a solar project on their land," Miller said.
"That's being a big government person, that's not standing by your conservative credentials.”
The "Power Hour" event will take place at the Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence at 6 P.M. Thursday.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
