Al Gore's Fight Against the Climate Crisis in Rolling Stone Magazine
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 06.18.07
Rolling Stone magazine has devoted a sizable portion of their latest issue (on newsstands until June 28) to talking about the dangers we face relating to global warming. They've enlisted help from some heavy hitters, including media juggernaut and "environmentalist-in-chief" Al Gore, who's been making the rounds lately. In an interview with the mag (read it here, listen to it here), Al talks about the rising tide of support for the climate crisis, whether or not we've reached a tipping point, and how events like Live Earth can help his cause. One thing he said really resonated with TreeHugger; when asked if he believes we can be saved by Priuses and new lightbulbs, Gore said, "I agree that we're not going to solve this problem by buying Priuses and changing our light bulbs. But driving hybrids and choosing better technology is still important in two respects. First, it makes a small contribution to reducing CO2. And second, when people make changes in their own lives, they are much more likely to become part of a critical mass of public opinion and to support the bigger policy changes that are going to be needed to really solve the problem."
This is an important point: individually, or as individuals, solving the problem isn't as easy as getting a new car or buying some new lightbulbs, but it's an important part of the evolution of the idea that everything we do and everything we buy and consume has a carbon cost. While buying a hybrid won't stop global warming, support of cleaner technology and greener practices is not only a way to reduce an individual's carbon footprint, but a way to begin to engage in social, moral and political activism that represents the "sea change" that Gore references several times in the interview. And he's still optimistic; About his current attitude toward the problem (including his vision for the short term) Al says he still thinks we can turn the ship around: "I will 'fess up to the element of 'hope being father to the thought' here. But I don't think it's an unrealistic hope at all. I believe that it's much more likely than not that we will see within the next few years a very dramatic political change in most of the world, including in the United States, that will sharply reduce CO2." Hmm...read (or listen to) the rest of Al's thoughts, including his latest answer for the million dollar question about returning to politics, at rollingstone.com. ::Rolling Stone
Although I am a Republican, I would support a Gore presidency on this issue. Something needs to be done, and he's the only political figure of note who has a comprehensive vision of the future.
What about aviation Al?
Flights by UK citizens already account for 20% of the UK's climate damage. Their Government is planning the biggest airport expansion the UK has ever seen. It's set to wipe out any other greenhouse gas reductions anyone else in the UK makes.
What an example to set the rest of the world.
What about aviation Al?
Flights by UK citizens already account for 20% of the UK's climate damage. Their Government is planning the biggest airport expansion the UK has ever seen. It's set to wipe out any other greenhouse gas reductions anyone else in the UK makes.
What an example to set the rest of the world.
its a shame that so many believe the slander thats being dished out on him. especially when it can be linked back to a certain oil company.
hopefully one day we can go back to not having to be actively choosing the right direction, when services and markets eventually roll over completely to a green cradle to cradle approach.
I was just discussing the same thing with my parents yesterday, Damo. Invariably, there's always that naysayer, the cynic who has enough spite to call someone with noble intentions a hypocrite. Whether that's the nature of some people, or how oil-lobbying propaganda works, I don't know.
But, considering Gore doesn't fly in a private plane (all commercial flights yeah?), and the shear carbon-reducing potential and wealth of his presentations, his efforts his would make up for his flight emissions. One flight by Al Gore does a lot more for the world than one flight by George Bush, let me tell ya. Anyhow, what's the old adage: "Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever." People and societies are not going to change their lifestyles with government mandated CFL light bulbs.
Something written by Paul Krugman recently: when FDR proposed his New Deal and other nationally run programs, the wealthy called him "a traitor to his class". Now, when John Edwards has a strong platform dealing with poverty in America, they call him a phony and ignore him. Even though he came from nothing. Instead, they like a good ole boy like W, who really means what he says. Though his family is probably worth more than every presidential candidate combined. Now people say Gore is a carbon-crite because he flies, works at a his (100% carbon offset) mansion, and eats meat (that was a big fuss back in late winter). Even though he has spearheaded the (ultimately if not already) largest movement of the 21st century.
So when did superhyped authenticity matter? What about the strength of one's ideas. That's what they're sharing with the world, not their eco-gossip. Gore teeters that line between politician, academic, and celebrity in a very gracious way. If he were purely an academic out of the public's eye, he wouldn't come under such hard scrutiny. Nor should he.