What environmentalism could possibly mean

Trying to find the balance between the desire to become more wealthy and saving the environment is not easy. Good luck getting a politician (say Barack Obama) to tell the voters that yep, you're going to have to pay twice what you do now for energy, so that we can reduce carbon emissions. And what about the billions that live in poverty around the world? Do they not deserve to have the wealth that we do?

I'm not saying we shouldn't sacrifice for the sake of global warming. It's just that, unless a technological miracle (here's to hoping the singulatarians are right) comes along, real painful sacrifice will have to be made by pretty much every body.