Why Do We Love to Ignore Al Gore?

Gore addressed Congress Wednesday arguing that the Senate adopt President Obama's economic stimulus plan. The plan includes investments in energy efficiency, clean cars, a smart grid, and renewables. Gore urged Congress to adopt the bill, but will they listen? And second, if this artillery is brought forward will Americans be willing to accept the sacrifices it will take to get this country weaned off of oil. As it most certianly not be easy since we have no model to base our success upon.

Those issues aside, Al Gore has done more to enlighten this country to the perils of climate change than any other environmentalist to date. Yet, we continue to ignore his (and) others pleas for action. I can't help but wonder why we love to applaud his commendable efforts and at the same time brush off what is at the heart of his arguments.

My first answer to this question is, simply, that we as a nation have grown accustomed to seeing Al lose. Ever since his failed attempt at the Presidency back in 2000 (his fault or not) we just can't picture him as a leader. My beef with that conclusion, however, it that I hope we Americans just aren't that mean. Everybody fails sometime. The fact that he lost the battle for the nation's highest office may be exactly what he needed to renew his conviction to bring attention to what, I argue, is America's greatest challenge and win the Nobel Prize.

My second answer is that maybe those leaders, on whom we depend on to bring in the heavy policy artillery needed to begin this battle, have just grown too accustomed to hearing his pleas--thus, losing their vigor. Gore has, after all, been fixture in American politics for over 20 years. Again, I find this unpersuasive because America has been listening to the voices of many political mainstays for just as long, if not longer (especially on economic policy i.e. Milton Friedman, Alan Greenspan, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney).

My final conclusion is that its not Al Gore, it is the packaging in which he brings his message. Americans have been listening to the doom/gloom of global warming for so long that it has lost its luster. It seems that the only remaining option is to repackage the idea. What we can learn from those proponents (see above) of laissez faire economics is that, any doom and gloom associated with your ends can't be the focal point of your address. The focus has to be the benefits, not the costs. To date, we don't, as Americans, have a vision for what our "New America" would look like. We need something to look forward to.

Sorry Al, maybe, just maybe, this time we will listen, but if not maybe it's time for some new advertising.

America's New Hope

Today, I return to writing after the world witnessed one of the most historic shifts in political office to date. I maintain a cautious optimism for the future of our nation. As the President (that feels good) reminded us the strength of our nation lies not only with those in Washington, but in the citizenry and our ability to affect change.

So while today we take in the moment, we must know that like our Commander-in-Chief the work of rebuilding our nation begins tomorrow. This is particularly important for the youth of our nation. The environmental movement is only as strong as those who will sustain its future. It is imperative that we move forward as a nation making the sacrifices it takes to live a smarter more efficient lives.

If there was ever a time for the environmental movement to make its case, it begins tomorrow. Just like getting in shape, it will take hard work, sacrifice, and resolve; but the end result will be a healthier America. Let it begin.

Is the way out of recession through a new economic perspective?

In a recent article on Yale Environment 360 author Richard Conniff suggests that Congress adopt a set of criteria that would assess how "green" proposed projects actually are. Arguably the reason we are in this recession is partially because our government has not been accountable for how its spending taxpayer money to begin with. Conniff specifically points out that our current transportation formula is based on the 1980's package established under Reagan. A formulation that calls for 80/20 highway/transit allocation of spending. The way out of oil-addiction should not be be based on a spending plan that's almost three decades old.

The only issue that I have with this idea, is that it assumes that our proper economic system is capable of determining the proper valuation of what is "green" and what is not. The idea that we need a way to adapt our economic system to properly account for the environmental functions is not a new one. While I was in college I took a course on Ecological Economics. The concept challenges the way we value resources by taking into perspective the environmental costs that go in to their production. The contrast with the classical economic system we use today is that resources are valued based on the premise that we have enough for sustained growth; where ecological economics values resources based on sustainable growth via the three pillars of sustainable growth.

My argument is this, while creating some kind of "green" score would be a good approach to making sure that we spend our money in a more environmentally friendly way, why not take it to the next level. Why not abandon the classical model of economics and adopt one that looks at the real natural costs of what it takes to run our society? If we are truly trying to end our addiction on oil we need to also end our addiction to an economic system that skews the way we value environmental functions. If we are going to attempt to curb the reach of global warming we need to big changes. Scores are good but only if they can reflect the true value of what impact those programs will have on our natural capital.

Cancer and Climate Change?

Cancer is a word now common to our vocabulary just like global warming. But what is their connection? Cancer is devastating disease that has increasingly impacted too many individuals and families. Global warming is a global phenomenon that will affect us all without treatment. Conceptually, they are the same, something foreign that has potentially devastating effects to the necessary functions of our life support systems.

It is often argued that global warming is a farce because we do not feel the effects. This is for two reasons: The first reason we don't always feel its effects is because it is not an attack on our systems, instead it is us attacking. Second, we are talking about long-term effects that will effectively disable or seriously disrupt some of the planet's most important atmospheric, biological, and hydrological functions; gradual changes not apparent in our everyday lives. This is not unlike cancer it eventually starts out as a minor disruption in our body that eventually if left untreated devastates our biological functions.

How we solve our climate change problem will be very similar to battle to overcome cancer. Survivors of the disease may be some of our best allies in this war because they are familiar with the sacrifices it takes. Cancer survivors understand that the immediacy with which they pursued treatment greatly affected their ability to over come the disease. It was the help and support that they received from everyone around them. I was the help of experts and science.

Unfortunately, this is not always enough. But that is not our diagnosis. The science and experts are telling us that we can beat this if we take action. The problem is that we must shift from being the comfortable aggressor to the recovering patients. So where can we look for strength?

Survivors. We have a new moral and ethical obligation on our hands one that requires a complete restructuring of the way we live. So let's let those who have overcome such a terrible disease be beacon as we attempt to navigate to a new future. As survivors know; the ability to overcome first requires the ability to change.

Santa's suit is red but his idea is 'green"

This holiday season brings a lot to think about. With the tough times we are all trying to cut back. My family has decided to forgo the presents and enjoy the company. I know we are not the only ones going this route. I can't help but wonder if this will become the new Christmas tradition? For me as a struggling student, this means more than just a weight off my pocketbook, it makes the holidays a more welcome time.

Don't get me wrong, as a child Christmas and my Birthday were two of the most exciting days of my life. As I grow older, however, it just seems to add more stress. The first stress of it all is shopping, I never know what to get, nor do I ever know what I want. Part of this may be because my stress level is already at it max trying to deal with law school exams. The other stress is because of what I've seen Christmas become throughout my life.

It begins with the day after we all come together to give thanks for all the blessings we have had in our lives during the past year. We celebrate and then flock to the stores all for preparation for what is supposed to be one of the most sacred times of year (both Christian and Jewish). Along the way we do almost anything (even kill) to complete our consumerist ritual. Then on Christmas day we tear them all open in a flurry of emotion. For me this was always the best and the worst part. We all like to get something as well as see the joy in the faces of those we give to (best part). The worst part was after it was all over, whats left a giant pile of trash.

The real conflict is this, how can I rationalize trying to become a more eco-conscious citizen when I participate in a holiday that generates so much waste. Its not that my family had so much trash, it is that a majority of families are all generating so much waste. A single day can make me cancel out half of a years attempts at living more sustainably. I'm not trying to be a Scrooge, it is just that a little reflection might help us all realize how ridiculous and out of proportion our consumerism has gotten.

Lest we forget that the whole notion of Santa is that he and his elves make all the presents they give. It would seem that we have taken the spirit from what even Santa wants Christmas to be about. This year I'm looking forward to the tradition of getting back to what the Holidays are all about, that is, making memories and spending time with those I love. I may not come bearing presents, but without a doubt I will bring more of the gifts that really matter: happiness, joy, laughter, and plenty of hugs for the ones I love; wouldn't you know they are all free.

Winds of Change: are they finally blowing?

Recession, Global Warming, and Bailouts are the talk of the world right now and we stand waiting to see what will happen. What does the moment mean? We Gen-Y's have a unique perspective that should not be wasted. We have the ability right now to determine what the history books will say. I know that sounds cliche, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. History presents every generation with one or more defining moments. What happens right now will be ours.

Some thing(s) will be asked of our generation, things that will not be easy to hear, see, or do; but make no mistake we will be called to answer. I argue that it is time to stop being so complacent about the issues that are confronting our world right now. Patiently waiting for markets to correct themselves, the planet to re-balance, corporations to accept responsibility, or the government to bail us all out is not going to solve our problems. We need to stop re-evaluating how we live and start changing the way we live. We must roust the same kind of national spirit that most of our grandparents did in their successful attempt to combat and overthrow Nazism.

Gen-Y is not going to be able to live the way past generations have. We need to do more with less and adopt a new approach to what it means to be a human in this world. We essentially will be responsible for regulation of all Earth's regulatory systems. This means that we cant be lazy or hasty in our decision. The mechanisms are in place: Today, the United Nations called for "A New Green Deal" asking that we to "re-commit ourselves to the urgency of our cause." Thomas Friedman has explained why and how a green revolution is a must. The President Elect has appointed a team ready to tackle the issues. It seems the winds of change have have begun to blow.

It is now upon us to forge ahead and get behind our leaders, after all we elected them to lead. Get away from the old classification of what it means to be an environmentalist. In today's changing world everyone should be, we all have an impact, and because of that impact we all have a responsibility to account for it. The wisdom once imparted on a generation before ours is now alive again and more important then ever.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." ~JFK

Bailout Plan: How the Big Three should really be restructuring.

Look, I'm all for helping out the Big Three auto companies. A bankruptcy would not be good for an industry that has been an American focal point for so long. However, I don't think that the top executives (and their kin) are in the right mindset when thinking about where to take their companies. Foreign automakers will continue to have a hold on the market regardless of any "innovation based plans" that the Big Three seek to implement.

The Big Three are already years behind, that is after all, why they need a bailout. However, by the time they bring their infrastructure up to date, they will only find themselves in the wake of the leaps and bounds that the foreign autos have gained waiting for them to catch up. The amount of time on top of that it will take to recapture American's desire for their products is also futile. I'm not trying to sound anti-American, but the reality of the world we now live in is that competition drives a global market. The failure of our own American car companies to realize and keep up with that has made more efficient foreign alternatives a better buy. Driving a car today is not about being American like it was for other generations; instead it is about getting smarter about what we drive in a world facing shrinking oil supplies and global warming.

Right now the top executives need to think about a different direction: public transit. Yep, the very sector that GM so gleefully helped dismantle. In his new book, "Hot Flat and Crowded" Thomas Freidman points out that in the next 30 years it is predicted that more than 5 billion people will move to cities with populations of 500,000 or more. This means that crowding, parking, and transit are all going to be major issues for these cities with lacking infrastructures. Since there isn't going to be great stress from more people, let alone cars, the Big Three are in the best position right now to capitalize on solutions in public transit. Who better if not the largest companies handling the way we commute for the past century?