Change Moments, Big and Small
July 25th, 2008 | Posted by WeCanSolveIt
Change moments aren’t always evident in real time. We tend not to grasp the significance of events - public events or private ones - until long after they’ve occurred. We look back in wonder at a course of events, and don’t quite know how one thing led to another.
There are times, though, when the significance is apparent, and the prospect of change is obvious in its ripeness. The church bell is struck. The students identify the best chemical catalyst. The plan is hatched, eyebrows raise, and the entire team understands, finally, what’s about to happen.
Last week in Washington, we saw a change moment. Al Gore made the clearest of statements - shattering the glass of typical Washington-speak. He challenged America to generate 100% of our electricity from clean sources that do not cause global warming - and to do so within ten years. His challenge is hugely ambitious, but achievable. And achieving this goal would revitalize a sagging economy, enhance our national security, reassert American leadership globally and, yes, help address the climate crisis.
The response to this challenge has been staggering - and offers evidence that real change may well be possible.
We’ve seen scores of columns and editorials praising the challenge. They may quibble with the timeline or raise questions about how it can be accomplished, but there is strong agreement that he picked exactly the right target. That it seems so obvious a target - when it was unheard of days earlier - is significant.
Activists and bloggers are making it hard for political leaders to forget about the challenge. One of the first posts - by Jerome a Paris on DailyKos, had extensive analysis on the implications for the US electrical grid - and was posted before the speech was even finished. Gore’s appearance at the Netroots conference may have surprised audience members, but they weren’t surprised by the content of his remarks - they were ready with questions and challenges.
Up and running
With a national conversation ongoing about the challenge to Repower America, this seems as good a time as any to get our blog up and running. So here we are. Hello. There, that was easy.
We’ll start posting regularly, with an eye to keeping everyone abreast of the challenge to produce 100% of our electricity from clean sources within ten years. We’ll take some time to correct misperceptions about the challenge, set the record straight, and highlight what others are saying as well. We’ll take a look at comments and, hopefully, facilitate some good dialogue. This is important to us. It’s why we’re here.
This isn’t technically a blog just yet. We’ll have the technology embedded in a week or two — that’s when the comments can start. For now, though, we commit to regular updates. We do that because things can change quickly. That’s a good thing.
22 Responses to “Change Moments, Big and Small”
This is great news!!!
Noticed the powerful “We” promo during the Olympic coverage this week and wanted to let others know they can watch it here:
What times we live in. Govt officials who care more for their own good than the good of our country and world. Hopefully this will change after the election and our energy will go towards producing clean energy which don’t harm the environment…Thank you WE and Al Gore for all that you have done to further this cause.
Heard a geologist on television last week saying that ‘the world is running out of oil’. My thought was ‘it’s about time!” Why don’t the powers that be realize that alternatives are not “frivolous wishes of tree-huggers”, but an absolute necessity. I guess they are like Maxwell House Coffee drinkers wanting to squeeze to the very last drop!
I am petrified that McCain and his scary VP choice are gaining in the polls. She is also a terrorist of wildlife spending millions in tax dollars to unsportingly kill wolves from helicopters (14 baby wolves killed last week, and whole familes wiped out). Same mentality that would havoc hell on Earth with our environment. She is not even sure that global warming is a truth! Serenity now!! Sorry to have gotten off the subject a bit, but it is related.
As a native Floridian I saw two hurricanes in my lifetime from 1971-1992 that did damage to my state. David in 1980 and Andrew in 1992. This is not unusual in Florida as we have had storms and hurricanes that were severe in previous years. But now are state is more populated, are wetlands are almost all but gone and as the years passed I have seen with my eyes more freqeuent and deadly storms hit our coast sometimes over and over since the last 5 years Katrina, Charlie, Jeanne, Frances, Wilma, Ivan, Hanna and the season is not over yet I hope I don’t have to add another . As a lifetime resident who grew up here and from 71-80 and then 80-92 saw two hurricanes hit my state that was not abnormal but now these above named 7 deadly storms have battered our state and moved along and battered other states. One to a near death experience (Katrina), I can assure you that this is not our typical weather pattern to get two to four named storms a year now that batter our already eroded coastlines as well as our all but gone wetlands that help save our eco-system during these storms. It is not normal and to the nay sayers I have lived here almost my entire life
and this is the most terrible situation we have to endure now. I don’t need to see a chunk of Ice the size of Mannhatten fall of a Northern Canadian Glacier to prove it ..no offense we here know this is not normal and it only makes common sense the hotter the waters the more frequent and deadlier the storms will be.
Tara
And yes one more detail as Gustav has passed over our county in Key West as did Hanna that has killed many in Haiti and Cuba Gustav is now making its way into the Gulf and will again batter another state and those precious offshore platforms and oil refineries I hope we don’t have
a repeat of another disaster under a failed system
to protect us. But it is likely.
Hi!
I’m sometimes wondering why we have not started using Green technology for about 30-50 years back. For me this feels somehow too late to start innovate the planet now, why? Because we have the north ice glacier which has started melting and when something start to change in the nature we humans can’t stop it. – But that’s just what I think. I mean even if we at the end successes with the re-power America we still are far away from where we want to be, why? Because we still have other countries such China, Germany and other. Anyway that’s not the point in this discussion.
The greatest thing will be if all the companies stopped producing so much, like the car factories I mean, why produce so many cars every year? When people are having about 2-4 different cars staying parked outside their doors.
Another thing here is that sure we probably would reduce the 25% of the American green house gases to something lower, but we still not there.
OK, now to something that I want to discuss the thing is that they said that Einstein was wrong but at the end they saw that he personally was right with his facts.
The same problem we have with the scientists and Al Gore today, why is this a problem? Because the scientists doesn’t want to spread the fear in the people and it’s why they are argumenting against Al Gore, but I would say that Mr. Al Gore is right.
Have a great day…
Regards,
Fisnik
I think the reason that (We) as in our government not going green 30-50 years ago, is the same reason the tobacco companies lied to the American people for so many years. GREED.
Plain and simple the powers that be in Washington are paid to not want this and do everything in their power to make sure nothing of substance is put into law. Think about it.
Hi!
I am a computer/nerd but I still care about the nature and to live, why?
Because if you don’t live you don’t need a PC, Car, house and so one, we don’t know where we are going to be in the future.
We don’t know if our human future will end or not, I mean the energy will be gone like oil and other (IF WE USE SO MUCH ENERGY AS TODAY).
So it’s why important to not buy or eat so much food, or use so much electricity things.
I don’t know how they do in the United States but I live in Sweden, and they are using wind craft to produce energy (electricity).
Have a great day….
Regards,
Fisnik
Note: I’m sorry for my english I still go at school so it’s why I may have some problems.
Hi!
I am a computer/nerd but I still care about the nature and to live, why?
Because if you don’t live you don’t need a PC, Car, house and so one, we don’t know where we are going to be in the future.
We don’t know if our human future will end or not, I mean the energy will be gone like oil and other (IF WE USE SO MUCH ENERGY AS TODAY).
So it’s why important to not buy or eat so much food, or use so much electricity things.
I don’t know how they do in the United States but I live in Sweden, and they are using wind craft to produce energy (electricity).
Have a great day….
Regards,
Fisnik
Note: I’m sorry for my english I still go at school so it’s why I may have some problems.
Fisnik,
Don’t worry, your English is fine. Wind and solar power are what we are fighting for. But when I write to our elected officials it’s always the same. They don’t want to do anyting unless China and/or India does something too. When did we become such wimps??? We didn’t wait for the British to give us this country, we Fought for it. We had to fight for Women’s rights and Equal rights too. It’s time the American People and anyone else takes back their power and stand up to fight for this! We put them in office and we have the power to get them out.
Hi!
Thank you! For telling me that.
I’m sorry, but the world is somehow just going to fall down like the economy and other things.
I’ve been planning an idea for many years know and I finally got the best idea to cut down the CO2 gases.
I wish I could tell/show my representation of the idea but I don’t think that someone would/will listen anyway….
This is an idea which nobody have been working on (I think I have never seen anybody talk about it).
It’s of course my own idea and I really care about the world and a better place to live a great and a peace full live.
If anybody out there wants to contact me and see the plan:
E-mail: fizzy_41@hotmail.com
Have a great day…
Regards,
Fisnik
Oh my God I really hope people open their eyes and realize this is real. We need to act now and raise awareness. Like the older folks for example. My mom thinks global warming is propaganda when I tell her we need to recycle. And some like senator Palin think it’s not real and even says that bears are not an endangered species. It’s people like that who stand in the way of progress. And what’s up with all those wars for oil, they would rather kill innocent people then invest in clean sources of energy. What pigs!!
Correct me if I am wrong, but did not President Bush during his last campain speech four years ago, say that he was going to support the infra-structure for hydrogen technology? It seems to me that the planet being covered 3/4 in water and the hydrogen technology extracting the hydrogen from water would be an absolute cure to this dependency on foreign oil AND it has a totally non-poluting output, exhausting only water. I have seen newsclips of a company in Tampa that has been working on this and seems to be pretty far along with it, to the point of running a car on it and welding with it. Why are we not pursuing this more fervently????
I first saw the TV ad a few days ago, I applaud this cause and say it is about time!!! I will help spread the word, America needs a leader that is not bought and paid for.
TAX IMPORTED FOREIGN OIL. We need to put a stiff import duty tax on imported oil so that domestic energy production will be favored.
Will taxing imported crude oil and refined petroleum products raise the price of gasoline? Yes, and that is hard to swallow, but it is necessary to cure us of our addiction to imported oil.
The bright side is that the collected taxes on foreign oil could be invested in domestic infra-structure and development of new domestic energy sources.
Let’s face it; we all look for the gas station with the lowest price. If the cheapest gas happens to come from imported oil we are still going to buy it. By taxing imported oil we raise the money we need to invest in green energy, while at the same time encouraging a reduction in the burning of fossil fuels.
So are we mature enough to take the tough medicine that leads back to energy and financial independence? It’s my opinion that if we want to a healthy economy we need to put a stiff tax on imported petroleum.
George Einar Bussey
Stamford, CT
I am 11 yrs. old and I care about our envoriment. Save the planet from global warming. Clean Energy is a MUST have. I want my and all other peoples to have a good, nay, have a future.
-KFO
Hi!
First the global warming message comes on the screen. Second people seem not to care. And last today 2008 the economy fails and falls everywhere around the world. The reason that economy fall was because of GLOBAL WARMING.
If we would use green solution like wind-power and solar panels including clean systems for buildings and vehicles the planet would be clean and fresh. We humans would also live longer lives.
Did you know? If we would install solar panels in Africa people there would also get electricity and have their homes with lights and so one.
WE CAN DEVIDE THE ENERGY SO EVERYBODY ON THIS PLANET CAN GET A USE OF IT AND NOT JUST A PART OF THE WORLD.
PEOPLE SHOULD THINK THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENDS ON THIS PLANET OR EARTH WE WOULD NOT BEABLE TO MOVE AROUND IN PLACES BECAUSE GLOBAL WARMING WILL TAKE PLACE EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.
THE SOUTH PART OF THE WORLD WILL BE DRY, I MEAN EXTREAMLY DRY. THE NORTH PART OF THE WORLD WILL BE FILLED WITH WATER.
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT CLEAN ENERGY BUT ALSO THAT WE NEED TO STOP THE PRODUCTION OF NEW CARS, A NEW STUDY BY A BRITTISH SCIENTIST SAY THAT THE OIL WILL BE GONE IN ABOUT 41 YEARS. OOOPSSS!!!!!! IF THE CARS INDUSTRY CONTINUES PRODUCING NEW CARS EACH YEAR THEN THEIR WILL BE CARS EVERYWHERE AND WE WILL NOT BEABLE TO USE THEME ANAYWAY BECAUSE THE OIL WHICH WE HADE FOR ABOUT 41 YEARS AGO IS GONE (2008) AND NOW IT IS 2049 AND THE OIL IS GONE BELIVE IT OR NOT.
Regards,
Fisnik
Hi!
Is there anyway to contact Al Gore by mail?
Where can I find his e-mail?
Have a great day…
Regards,
Fisnik
Hi!
For some reasons it feels some how that we can’t make it.
Because the production and the industry were started about 100 years ago and we hade world-wide-wars which were causing damages on the planet and I’m talking about BIG damages. We humans are responsible of everything that happens on this planet. MONEY have flushed our heads and our lives, we shouldn’t think about MONEY — IT’s just some papers. We are killing each other for money we are desperately running for money we are killing this planet for money. By selling oil to people you will make money (We are talking about millions of dollars). IT’s WE WHICH HAVE SET THE RULES AND IT’S ONLY WE WHICH CAN DO SOMETHING TO STOP IT. SO please cooperate and help to make a change.
We have the green solution but it’s just a human choice.
Have a great day….
Regards,
Fisnik
I agree and have had some, if not all of the same feelings about the situation and Mrs. Palin. Still one person cannot be blamed for it all. I believe it is time to eduacate all of the children, at the very least to preserve the useage of what we have been having to use, the ElECTRICITY. At the very least it brings out awareness, and I have found that the children and their knowledge can go far. Also, I wonder why hasn’t Mrs. Palin done anything at all for our starving Polar Bears, its so pitiful, and unwarranted that they starve to death. While all of the earth’s creature deserve to live, seems to me most people look upon the Polar Bears as scary and not worthy to live, for eating and killing the seals, etc. comparitively speaking in reference to the less scary animals. However, as you probably know, they fit into the ecological plan. It is such an unacceptable situation, as is occurring with the Polar Bears, and right in the very state that higly supports the right to life, it should mean all life not human alone. ty
Reply to this Comment
Thank you! I am heartbroken that the polar bears are literally stranded in the north pole with too much sea ice between floes, even for a great swimmer like the polar bear. Certainly the polar bear is an iconic animal that should be preserved. Did you know that Sarah Palin actually sued the Bush administration for putting the polar bear on the endangered species list? So she is to the right of even Bush! She thought protecting them would interfere with oil production in Alaska and drilling prospects. These animals are slowly starving to death and drowning, literally stranded. The Bush Administration rewrote the science for 8 years about global warming - CRIMINAL! There is a new book released this week called The Last Polar Bear - sorry forget the author’s name. Thank you for caring. Linda