Last night, I hopped in the gas-guzzler and made my way down to San Francisco, where Earth Policy Institute founder, Lester Brown, gave a riveting talk at the World Affairs Council. The talk was part of his book tour for the recently released “most important book on the planet,” Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization. If you care about the future and you haven’t read the book, you need to correct that mistake pronto. I cannot possibly urge you more strongly. Please. Read it for yourself and for those whom you care about.

I can’t say it LOUD ENOUGH!

READ THIS BOOK.
I won’t summarize a one-hour talk that summarized a book you will be reading shortly. In fact, you can read it for FREE, online, RIGHT HERE. What matters most is that we’ve twelve years (until 2020), to reduce our carbon footprint by 80%, or we’re absolutely cooked. Will the will to achieve this achievable goal manifest? I’m not betting on it, not when I look around and within. Around me I see the majority of people, even the “Treehuggers” who aren’t ready to really commit to the changes required. Aren’t ready to do more than buy a Prius and some carbon offset passes. Within me I see a person who can rail at the lack of will in others yet who does so out of frustration that he isn’t likely to make those changes either. Oh, I’ll try, but 80% in little more than a decade? It’s going to take more than incremental baby steps.

Some of you know that I refuse to come out for any of the current presidential hopefuls. I don’t see any of them as qualified, untainted, or possessing the fortitude to do what is right for not only our country, but the world. That said, hearing one of my true heroes come out in support of Obama, gave me pause. Brown sees Obama’s message as more forceful than a handful of proffered solutions to the topical (my word, not Les’) problems that fascinate us (war, economy, health). He finds Barack to be a leader whose VISION will offer new solutions to many problems, including environmental. He sees Obama as the only candidate that will bring about the environment in which bold solutions will be not only dreamed up but executed. What’s more, Brown finds hope in the millions of youth who are whole-heartedly adopting Obama’s “Yes, we can!” message.

I don’t know that I flat out disagree with Les, but I’m not as hopeful. I saw millions of youth getting behind Clinton. I was one of them. We helped put him in office. And once he was there, we all sat back down. We held his feet to the flames not one time. And he got away with murder during the next eight years, putting into action not one of his liberal promises. Instead, he allied himself with big oil, with Monsanto, with the Bush family…he betrayed us in the worst way and oversaw/endoresed environmental transgressions of the worst kind. No, Obama isn’t Clinton. But I’ll tell you what, I’m gun shy as hell about the Democrats and their ‘promises’.

If Obama will press charges against Bush/Cheney, bring Edwards aboard as V.P., AND provide solid details about the people he will put into cabinet positions, he will earn my note. Otherwise, it will be my first (and likely not last) None of the Above vote. Sorry, Les. I want to agree with you, but I can’t. Yet.

Tags: 2008 Election, environment, Plan B

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