Over at Grist, Lisa Renstrom and Bob Perkowitz’s ask “Why won’t America’s environmentalists accept positive developments?”

The conversion of Robertson, Luntz, and Wal-Mart and the leadership of the Sierra Club are beyond the cognitive dissonance resolution capabilities of some environmentalists. All these people getting in touch with reality is more progress than some progressives can understand, much less support.

I don’t know what the authors expect. Compromise is a part of what we do. Environmentalists are happy for any kind of victory these days. I love that Wal-Mart, for instance, has a “greening-plan”. But they need the good PR, and just because they recycle some bags or use compact-fluorescent bulbs doesn’t make them the good guy. It’s a small victory, but its not victory with a capital V. It is just an improvement.

And while improvement is great, it is not V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

UPDATE: Renstrom and Perkowitz should be excited to read (as I am) “ 2006 NC General Assembly Ends With Environmental Victories“, from the lovely blog of the NC Conservation Network