Al Gore introduced a five point plan that “…would simultaneously move us toward solutions to the climate crisis and the economic crisis–and create millions of new jobs that cannot be outsourced,” at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. Gore claims that the two major crisis’s we currently face can be alleviated through the same steps:
- Incentives for construction of concentrating solar-thermal power plants in the southwest, wind farms in the Midwest, and plants in geothermal “hot spots.”
- A $400 billion investment over 10 years to build a “national smart grid” to distribute renewable energy.
- Aid to automakers to convert to the production of plug-in hybrids. Smart-grid technology that enables the cars to be charged during off-peak hours.
- A nationwide effort to retrofit buildings, which account for 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, to be more energy-efficient.
- Climate regulations to cap carbon dioxide emissions.
After two standing ovations, Al Gore left the crowd feeling inspired and empowered because he not only gave us hope that we can get out of this crisis but we will do it unified as a country. Gore reiterated the plan in a New York Times op-ed. Watch the video of Gore’s keynote at the Summit below:
Part 1: Al Gore’s Speech
Part 2: Al Gore talks with Tim O’Reilly and John Battelle
Part 3: Q&A with Al Gore
Learn more about Gore’s plan at http://www.repoweramerica.org/.
Photo of Al Gore by Brian Solis.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:49 am
IT’S A GREAT START
SINCERELY
PEDRO SOUCASAUX
November 14th, 2008 at 9:15 am
http://ubbms.blogspot.com/ (has photos)
Imagine:- GM & MILITARY INDUSTRIAL GIANTS TO BUILD HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM.
GENERAL MOTORS are good at building large vehicles that are too large for a sensible fleet of road going people movers. They suck gas.
The brains of America (and many immigrants from foreign universities) are employed by the likes of GE-NBC & Bechtel in the military industrial complex, working away on ideas to kill people via fighter aircraft, drones and modern electronic devices. Why waste these brains? Let’s re-employ them to design the best most efficient people movers in the world.
You have probably read or even traveled on the trains of Europe. They travel at up to 100 mph and are fuel efficient. The large diesel engines used on freight trains are 20% more efficient at moving freight than diesel trucks. Electric passenger train systems are even more efficient. With more research, these efficiencies will improve even more.
China has a new monorail system, Maglev. The trains travel at 265 mph and the system was built by Siemens a German company, a huge foreign development contract that will earn money for the German economy for years to come.
MagLev, the magnetically levitated train, is the fastest of all land transportation vehicles with a high speed of 267mph. Opened in 2002 it runs between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Station. (During Siemens’ testing it was clocked at 380mph).
We could build an electric intercity mono-rail down the center median of our Interstate Highway network. An extended freight-train system would be be cheaper and more efficient than the current dependence on long-haul trucking. Imagine an Interstate with just a few large trucks using it, refrigerated food trucks, local delivery trucks and mostly local car traffic as people take to the trains for a more relaxing way to travel long distances.
This transformation would go a long way to solving both our energy and our climate changing weird weather problems, two birds with one stone.
By having an efficient rail system between American cities we could travel between those cities faster than by plane. This would lead to plane travel being used mainly for travel over seas. Air travel is a double edged sword of energy waste and climate damage. By switching to trains we would again be two steps ahead.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I hope that President Elect Obama works closely with people like Mr. Gore and Govenator Schwarzenegger on bringing major changes to USA environmental policy. This would include saving the Alaskan wilderness, stopping offshore oil exploration which will have high impact on the oceans, escalating the use of alternative energy and fuels, and supporting efforts in reversing the damage of forestry and mining on ecosystems.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Thanks to Al Gore for putting together a specific and sensible plan that will start things moving. He has my admiration and support. I’m really grateful for his intelligent solutions and continued efforts to protect our environment.
Paula
November 14th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Plug-ins are only a stepping stone to our energy independence. Please have much more on hydrogen technology. We need to educate the public and fund this important technology. The sooner we look to a technology that will really be efficient (hydrogen and fuel cells), the sooner we will be economically and environmentally secure. Thank you.
November 14th, 2008 at 10:00 am
gore should be in obama’s cabinet - as energy minister, since this is obviously the biggest priority - as acknlowdged by Obama himself - so if that position is not already there, high crisis time to create it and keep it linked with grass root support from the internet revolution and bottom up democracy
November 14th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I wish we had a way to spread this message faster. I am tired of apathetic and ignorant lighting buyers that think thier actions have no effect on the enviroment. If there is anything I can do to help this cause, please let me know.
Jon Burridge
President
U.S. Lightworks
November 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Great Stuff Al! Here’s a perspective found on a pretty cool web site:
http://EnergyInOurHands.com
http://TheWarOnOil.com
It Is Time to Decentralize Energy & Take It Into Our Own Hands. The electric grid & gas distribution system is like a leash around our neck, & when that leash is yanked, like we know it will be again, we are at their mercy. We are ‘Milked’ like cows in a field for oil money. Using Nuclear only gives other countries & ‘Excuse’ to use it too, & therefore enrich uranium. Let’s build clean sources & sell them our clean technology instead of our mass destruction technology.
“Let’s move right past American Energy Independence & move directly to Individual Energy Independence”
If this is preaching to the choir, remember… the choir sings! So pass it along…
November 14th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I can not believe so many people have their heads in the sand about global warming and the energy crisis that we are experiencing especially when the solutions are right in front of and would substantially help the financial crisis that we are in as well. People before me have spelled it out, seek the alternatives to oil and gas and retool and retrain the millions that are out of work. FDR’s new Deal and work programs. Don’t just hand someone money teach them a trade and that would be in the renewable energy sector. Don’t bail out the “Big Three” help them retool to build more efficient vehicles with the technology that they already have but won’t use because they wouldn’t be getting billion dollar bonus’. What is wrong with these people and every one that thinks like them?? You can make money and still make a difference. The out right greed has to stop and common sense has to prevail now or we will all be the losers.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
These are a strong, strategically focused five points as would be expected of Mr. Gore. To move quickly enough to curb the climate crisis, I believe we now must have the political will to set policy towards achieving these key goals so that the necessary dollars will follow. Without focused government policy, both in the U.S. and across the globe, it is difficult to imagine being able to act fast enough to make a difference, especially since so much precious time has been lost in the last two decades. We need breakthrough change, not incremental change at this point, just the kind of change these 5 goals embody.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
u r doing a great job. And I d like to have more information so I can show it and make my students more conciouson this issue. I m an English coordinator and also a teacher in junior high in Mexico City.LETS WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR PLANET.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Canada Calling….This man is answering the Call. The Film in ‘06, then 7/7/07, and now the 5 point plan. Heart and spine chill thrilling! If he doesn’t serve as Climate Secretary for the Next NEW (CLIMATE) DEAL then what’s is needed is someone who acts like his Undersecretary. Al Gore for Climate Secretary. Al Gore for Climate Secretary!
November 15th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Dear Al Gore:
I and millions of my friends refuse and we struggle against those presently attempting to replace our basically free interactive World Wide Web with profit oriented commercialized Television. Presently cable Television is filled with corporate profit oriented advertising videos. Live broadcasting is restricted to News programs and those News broadcasts are chopped up with advertising almost every sixty seconds. It is presently difficult to tell the difference from what is News and what is advertising. Even Reuters now has an annoying commercial Video presented with its News.
T.V. Videos are not interactive and if they were to inundate our Telephone controlled socially fragile World Wide Web, they would destroy the Web.
Presently, the Web is best served by educational authorities and average people who need to communicate and express themselves. Yes, I do include myself. I do agree that governments and government politicians and large money oriented corporations should keep the hell out of our Net, or at the most, restrict advertising to their own own Web Pages.
I’ve read one of your books and I do agree with the facts you mentioned in your videos both on the Internet and on Television, but as you can see, this small comment box is no equal to the power of Videos. What if the comment boxes were completely removed from the World Wide Web and the people were given nothing but Videos?
How many would shut down their computers?
I have done more than my part to help you and Barack Obama win as much power as possible in order for honest change to happen as quickly as possible, but make no mistake, most of us on the web are also highly intelligent and most of us do understand when the profit motive threatens the free interactive ability of our fragile World Wide communication Web. The Web is our Puppy and we protect it using Law Suits and Mass Communication, which is the reason it is so attractive to politicians and corporate interests.
Television and the Web do not mix. Thanks for reading this message and thank you for the great work you are doing protecting the environment.
Signed: Joseph Raglione
Executive director: The World Humanitarian Peace and Ecology movement. A non-profit organization.
November 15th, 2008 at 4:45 am
Al is the real driver of change in the 21st century! Unfortunately economics - not concern for the environment will be the driver towards cleaner energy sources. Most people are focused on the here and now or they just don’t care. Just look at what has happened in the short time since oil went back below $100 a barrel.
November 15th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Why can we not keep daylight savings all year since this requres more electricity due to the fact in Ca, it gets dark now at 5pm?
November 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Thanks Gore. I would express my full support far from Hong Kong. We need US to take the lead to solve this global crisis.
November 15th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
God bless you in this moment. We have to work to save the planet; we don´t know what to do, but you lead us. Also the goverment won´t listen us, but they will listen you.
November 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Keep up the good work everyone and spread the word. We have to give our future kids some solutions to the problems with the planet that we are responsible for and handing to them.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Al Gore should be President Elect Obama’s Energy Secretary. He’s the ONLY hope we have!
November 16th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Thank you for all of your tireless work on the climate crisis. Now that you have made us aware, please work on educating the public by more films, and by working closely with the President Elect Obama. We need your expertise, influence and vigor to change our world for the better.
Thank you again!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Too bad he wasn’t the President (well, he was and then he wasn’t). We would be well on the way by now instead of being way behind. Thanks Al for staying the course. Maybe one day you can say honestly “Mission Accomplished!”.
November 21st, 2008 at 1:25 am
I have thought for a long time now that something must be done to reverse our global population growth. As we all know, our population is exponentially growing at a faster and faster rate. Check out this amazing World Clock: When one looks at all of our global environmental problems, overpopulation seems to lurk behind each one–global warming of course, food shortages, territory disputes, overfishing of the oceans, clearcutting, air pollution, and animal extinction (for me, one of the worst). The pace of the degradation of our planet’s resources quickens as each generation is born into a new norm. This is a delicate issue. The decision to limit childbearing worldwide could be encouraged with incentives by governments as it has been in China but ultimately would have to be voluntary and would require massive education on a global scale. If we could devise a strategy to reduce the number of births worldwide and set a reduction quota for each country, we could slow down the destruction, which would give us more time to solve some of the problems being caused by too many people vying for the steadily declining amount of resources available.
November 21st, 2008 at 1:40 am
In my prior comment, the URL for the World Clock did not print. Here it is (I hope it prints this time):
http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/WorldClock.php
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I am a ferm believer of Mr Al Gores principles after I was captivated by an outstanding if not more life chaging presentation he gave for the “Incivinient Truth”.But I am on a daily basis faced with a challange of or shall i say a dilema whereby the very institutes equipting us with skills they presume will play a role in reversing the climate change crisis are not practicing what they preach. What can WE or I do on a small scale to mobilise others like me to take an intiative towards change,I will welcome any ideas or comments.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
es importante apoyar este movimiento en favor de nuestro medio ambiente, animo Al Gore, el mundo necesita de personas como vos
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:25 am
is important your participation in this plan for the planet