People won't choose penury. Period.

They may have to suffer it if it is imposed by dictatorial fiat or by physical reality and the market - which is just a way to organize and arbitrate penury - but they will never choose it willingly.

So, if environmentalists want to meet success, they must start to think how to power and supply civilization and how to sustain more growth, far, far more growth. The problem is not growth by itself. The problem is footprint. How to do more, a lot more with less impact? That's the only question worth answering. How to plan for prosperity while stabilizing or reducing the footprint.

Btw, if penury is real, it will enforce itself. The shift in car buying patterns in the US is perfect illustration of that.

Even better, penury will enforce itself without the help of any political movement. Reality always asserts itself without any help. Reality is a big boy :)