In what is sure to become the most hotly contested speech of the moment in the world of green, Al Gore delivered an address today challenging the nation to be running on carbon-free electricity in the next ten years. It was a bold challenge, and I encourage everyone to check out the speech and see what he had to say. Cyberspace is already abuzz with comments from supporters and opponents of the plan from the former VP. Not everyone will agree with him, and even those of us who are committed to the environment and the real problem of climate change are likely to debate the logistics of such a huge transition. I am not an expert on the politics or technology of renewable energy, and honestly, I don’t know if it is a realistic or practical goal. It is an admirable goal, however, and there is one key element of Gore’s speech that I believe all environmentalists should grab hold of regardless of personal opinions. That key element is bold change. Much of the green movement is about baby steps and the differences a single individual can make. This is important, and we should never underestimate the power of individuals acting responsibly, but wouldn’t it also be great to see radical change sweeping the nation? Al Gore had this to say:
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Many Americans have begun to wonder whether or not we’ve simply lost our appetite for bold policy solutions. And folks who claim to know how our system works these days have told us we might as well forget about our political system doing anything bold, especially if it is contrary to the wishes of special interests. And I’ve got to admit, that sure seems to be the way things have been going. But I’ve begun to hear different voices in this country from people who are not only tired of baby steps and special interest politics, but are hungry for a new, different and bold approach.
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I, for one, am hungry for that bold approach, and I welcome the lively debates this challenge is sure to bring. Maybe it won’t be embraced by everyone, and maybe the “right people” in that messy world of politics will choose to ignore the call for clean energy. Still, this is something we can strive for, and bold change is something we can all get behind. Click here to see the speech.
Thu, Jul 17, 2008
Green Politics