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The Global Warming Cause
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Loading...Letterman and climate change: “Thank you for scaring the crap out of me.”
Bill McKibben was on Letterman this week, talking about climate change, his new book, 350.org, the exciting (and growing!) 10:10 movement, and putting solar panels back on the White House. McKibben was both pessimistic and upbeat, while Letterman was serious and engaged. You can watch the segment here:
The most interesting quote (aside form Letterman saying “Thank you for scaring the crap out of me”) was McKibben’s explanation of the philosophy of his organization. McKibben said,
“20 years ago I believed that if we showed politicians that the world is coming to an end, they might do something…but we need to show them that their careers are coming to an end, and that might motivate them a little more.”
This is frightening if true.
So is a failure to act in the U.S. a matter of skepticism, or a lack of political will? What do you think?
Read more: 10:10, 350, global warming, sustaintmc
Photo: Flickr CC license Some rights reserved by goodrob13
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One aspect of his presidency that makes sense.....equality.
David booth will regret this exposure. He will surely feel sheepish to admit that he baited a bear to…
Thanks. Nice to know somethings are compatible
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+ add your ownDefinitely a lack of political will. Americans (like pretty much all humans) hate change, hate the idea of having to give something up, hate the idea that they need to be responsible for something greater than themselves. Politicians know if they do the right thing, a certain segment of the US populace will bitch and moan about their loss of "freedom" and will try to elect cretins who will let us do whatever we want, to hell with the planet. And, of course, there's the $$$ from lobbyists for the industries causing the problem.
George Soros is doing a great job with 350.org
In Europe where gas is 2x the price they live closer to work, ride buses, drive small cars or motorbikes and shop in small local stores. We need to get rid of the suburbs, raise gas prices now...
Last time I was in Barcelona with a rental car, took hours to go anywhere and $50+ to park. I walk or take the subway now.
Its simple, just raise gas prices to $10 a gallon, that will reduce consumption. Also raise electricity, at least double, preferably 10x. More people will ride bikes, go off the grid, and certainly drive less and use less electricity. We are running out of cheap gas, lets raise prices now before we are forced to.
I started educating myself on the global warming issue after the BP Oil spill. That was the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” for me. I am so OVER the Oil Companies I can’t tell you. Anyway, I am mortified at what I have learned. So I decided to create a web site on alternative energy to share the information I was learning. (See my page for the link if you’re interested) I did this because I realized that the transition to alternative energy is going to have to be grassroots because the government is run by these oil giants. And, Yes! Global warming is very scary stuff.
This seems to take a sort of elitist position that the American people are somehow incapable of deciding what is really in their best interests, and it is up the bulging brains of the Nanny State to Do Good to protect them from themselves.
Our nation was founded on the principle of self-government and equality. If a concept cannot survive in the marketplace of ideas, then people will not vote for it. They are willing and able to locate the relevant facts and make informed decisions in what THEY see as their own best interests, whether you happen to agree with them or not.
thanks for the article
I recently heard McKibbon speak in D.C., and he speaks the truth, which no one wants to hear, because it would change our American lifestyle. No matter that it means, not just our lifestyle, but our very lives! Well, get over it Letterman and anyone else who is a sceptic.
I, too, am discouraged and feel as McKibbon does that the politicians must feel threatened. I've watched for these two years, as Dems tried to help our country out of the mess made by the Repubs for 30 years of deregulation. They have not tried to help dig America out of our hole, but only tried to make Obama look bad so that they could get Repubs elected in 2010. This is a short version of what's happened, of course. But as America (Rome) burns, they fiddle.
I write my 2 Repub senators, and ask, "don't you care about your children and grandchildren, even if you don't care about mine?" -- and they obviously don't, because they continue to vote against anything that would help our world. Oh, well. I guess we're just up sh*t's creek.
Interesting.
thankyou for shareing
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