Sarah Palin: An Environmentalist?

Governor Sarah Palin and Senator John McCain at Arthur Bryant's BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri.

Photo: AP Photo / Stephan Savoia

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Sarah Palin might not seem like an environmentalist, what with "Drill, Baby, Drill!" being the preferred rally cry at her campaign appearances.

But Slate.com points out that Palin does adhere to the standards of one big environmental movement — eating locally.

The author, Michael Agger, makes the argument that all that huntin' and fishin' makes her — yep — a locavore.

She has said as much in interviews. Agger says that when running for governor in 2006, Palin told USA Today, "We hunt as much as we can, and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska."

Agger suggests this is useful to the campaign, as hunting has frequently been used as a political tool. He says major hunting organizations make reference to Teddy Roosevelt, who championed hunting as a symbol of America's pioneer spirit. He explains Roosevelt established the idea that hunting teaches self-reliance and love of country.

(Hopefully hunting won't become the next example of political you're either with us or you're against us.)

Even Michael Pollan is on board. The famous locavore and author wrote in the New York Times last week that, "You should support hunting as a particularly sustainable way to eat meat — meat grown without any fossil fuels whatsoever."

Good point. But what if you're hunting and drilling?

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