Gore said our survival is at stake and that things are bad and getting worse. If you’ve been reading the Creative Greenius you know that’s true. If you’ve been paying attention to Dr. James Hansen over the last year or so Gore was telling you what you already know. But that would put you in small minority of Americans.
Al Gore said we are in danger because we continue to use carbon-based fuels and that our reliance on them is hurting our economy, our environment and our national security. Your Creative Greenius will add that it’s also turned us into a nation of BOHICA chumps.
Al correctly pointed out that “we’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet. Every bit of that’s got to change.” We couldn’t agree more. We’re not quibbling with a single stirring word Al spoke.
He challenged our nation “to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.”
I say Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go!
I stand with Al Gore and my sleeves are rolled up. I’m ready to do some heavy lifting.
Others are ready to do some chirping, harping, pillaring and complaining. Their criticism only puts us further away from what needs to be done now.
You might hear some people say we can’t do it in just ten years.
Those people are wrong.
Some of them are well meaning and just don’t have the vision, resolve or ability to make great things happen.
Those people should get out of the way and let those of us who do get to work.
But many of people who say it can’t be done are part of an industry that has been lying and damaging our health for a long time and making huge profits off that business model. They will say and do anything to keep things the way they are. But remember this – there is no such thing as an oil or coal company that isn’t a climate killer and a carbon collaborator. It doesn’t matter how many ad campaigns Chevron, Exxon/Mobile or Shell Oil run. It doesn’t matter how much greenwashing they do. The truth is out there and it damns them.
The truth is that the scientists who know best have already told us that the amount of C02 in the air needs to be at 350 or below. Today it’s at 385 and climbing higher every day.
The experts I trust say that if we don’t turn things around in the next ten years – the ten years Al is challenging us with – then life as we know it will be over. They’re not fudging or factoring in wiggle room. Life as we know it now will be over.
Those experts are right and the people who dispute them are wrong. Listening to the people who are wrong, who have been wrong every step of the way, will only hasten the worst of all possible worlds. We don’t have any spare time left to mince words or be diplomatic about it.
Al said, “Those who, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part must either be persuaded to join the effort or asked to step aside. This is such a moment. The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk.”
When Al says they should “be persuaded” your Creative Greenius stands ready to help be a persuader. There are so many effective methods I’ve seen work. Some of them are really fun to employ.
Al says we need a whole new electric grid to transmit our 100% renewable power everywhere it needs to go. Al is 100% correct about that too and once we get the oil company lobbyist out of the White House and Vice President’s residence we should immediately initiate that work and fund it with a carbon tax on oil, coal and the people who burn them.
Al Gore proposes that we shouldn’t be taxed on what we earn, we should be taxed on what we burn, as in climate changing carbon. Al is right about this too. The sooner gas, oil and coal start carrying their own weight based on the damage and harm they’re doing the closer we will be to ditching these planet killers.
Al says we can also ditch gasoline and run our cars off the clean power our national electric system will offer. I’m sure plenty of the folks I’m looking forward to meeting at the Plug-In 2008 Conference this week will be ready. Hell, several of them are already there, having blazed the path for the rest of us.
Al Gore is seizing the moment just when it needs to be grabbed and run with. It’s too bad no one running for President is taking the leadership role this moment in our history demands. But we don’t need the politicians. We’ve got Al. And Al has got me.
Just try and stop us.
Creative Greenius 