And Al Gore Endorses . . . YOU.

Back in early March, Al Gore gave a talk at the 2008 TED Conference about— you guessed it— global climate change. TED recently released a video of the speech on their website.

As you'll see if you watch the video, at the end of this speech, one of the program presenters asks Gore: “When you look at what the leading candidates in your own party are doing now, are you excited by their plans on global warming?”

And the former Vice President responds with a very long sigh.

“The answer to the question," says Gore, "is hard for me because, on the one hand I think that we should feel really great about the fact that the Republican nominee, certain nominee, John McCain, and both of the finalists for the Democratic nomination, all three, have a very different and forward-leaning position on the climate crisis. All three have offered leadership, and all three are very different from the approach taken by the current administration. And I think that all three have also been responsible in putting forward plans and proposals."

But he points out the glaring lack of discussion of global climate change during the presidential debates, saying:

The debates have all been sponsored by something that goes by the Orwellian label "Clean Coal." Has anybody noticed that? Every single debate has been sponsored by clean coal. "Now even lower emissions." The richness and fullness of the dialogue in our democracy has not laid the basis for the kind of bold initiative that is really needed.

So, they’re saying the right things, and they may, whichever of them is elected, may do the right things.

But let me tell you—when I came back from Kyoto in 1997, with a feeling of great happiness that we’d gotten that breakthrough there, and then confronted the U.S. Senate, only one out of 100 Senators was willing to vote to confirm, to ratify, that treaty.

Whatever the candidates say has to be laid alongside what the people say.

And getting the people of the United States on board with his message and actively engaged in convincing their elected leaders to pass climate-friendly legislation is Al Gore's latest initiative.

If, like me, you happen to be a Daily Show and Colbert Report junkie, you may have recently noticed a new ad campaign running during those shows' commercial breaks for a website called wecansolveit.org.

And if, like me, you've grown rather skeptical of TV ads promoting environmental consciousness after the recent deluge of shiny happy greenwashing drivel from big oil-based energy companies like BP, you may have initially ignored those ads.

But the We Can Solve It website is the real deal. The site and the ad campaign are actually part of a 300 million dollar initiative on the part of Gore's organization, The Alliance for Climate Protection, aimed at raising public awareness regarding the global climate crisis. And Gore hopes American citizens themselves will come together to force discussion of alternative energy and conservation into the spotlight during this presidential election season:

"Be optimistic in what you do, but be an active citizen. Change the light bulbs, but change the laws. Change the global treaties. We have to speak up. We have to solve this democracy. We have a sclerosis in our democracy. And we have to change that. Use the internet. Go on the internet. Connect with people. Become very active as citizens," says Gore at the end of his speech at TED.

Perhaps Al Gore hasn't yet endorsed either Clinton or Obama because he has learned to care far more about getting the ear of the people who are really supposed to be in charge of the United States government: ordinary citizens, like me and you.

Is your favorite candidate doing enough to protect the environment for the next generation?

When Jaelithe isn't stalking Al Gore, she writes stuff about her personal life at The State of Discontent.

Comments

[Glennia]

Another reason to love Al Gore. And Jaelithe.

I don't think anyone needs to wait for the election to be over to work on these issues. The longer we put it off, the worse it becomes.

[Julie Pippert]

It is the day-to-day and small and large things. People think cars and emissions, but it's also using one rinse instead of two on your wash.

Thanks for bringing up the environment. Great post.

[cynematic]

Great post. I've had a post brewing for a while on Obama and iffy things I understand he's said on "clean coal." But maybe it's something you'd care to follow up on given this wonderful start? Or I could run with it.

[Deb]

And it's why my shower phobi-- uh, my reasonable showering schedule is so vital, people. I'm CONTRIBUTING to the SOLUTION.

Doy.

uh, yeah.

[jaelithe]

Cynematic, dahling, I am sure there is enough Obama to go around.

How about you run with your clean coal bit, and I'll whip up a post on my concerns regarding Obama's apparent addiction to corn ethanol, in light of the current food price crisis and recent studies indicating that corn ethanol is perhaps not really as eco-friendly as once thought?

(The corn ethanol issue is one I understand pretty intimately, living as I do in the Midwest, right next to the Senator's home state of Illinois, where Corn indeed is King.)

And do any Clintonistas present want to express their wishes/worries regarding her environmental policies?