To whom it may concern,
I'm of the opinion of Lamiri who's blog posted on Jan 27 '09 was the best Iread overall.With the known developed world using most fossil fuels to energize their own industries of car factorys,metal founding and ore mills,shipping and other machinery,we must now see if we can curtail or put a control on these harmful and exploiting activities.Recycling most or all metals,paper,green waste will remedy more than is currently mined.Better alternativeforms of fuel for travelling,producing food and agriculture staples will reinvigorate the natural Earth processes for a durable existencefor all who rely on our planets many life preserving processes.The four elements of earth,wind,fire and water will remain constant for centuries as history shows in relics from our past.We must aid and not be in conflict with the earth's species,water cycle and other functions and processes but take the best it can give and never take it for granted as Mother Earth can show us in natural disasters which are more common.A gradual but not rushed transformation what we can achieve must be a requisite and as fossil fuelhas enabled our way of life up to now-use it to introduce these new alternatives thus slowly phasing out gradually so it can be used as sparingly as possible for future generations.To repower USA as the term implies doesn't mean use their remaining fossil fuel supplies but transforming the vast knowledge of solar,area of unused terrain e.g wastelands in New Mexico,Arizona,Utah,Texas,etc and incorporating it into general living buildings with solarphoto voltaic panels on roofs,biodegrable waste systems and recycling water and materials e.g,plastics,paper,metal products etc.I truly hope the new President in America will succeed-the alternative won't be very great for those who come ater us.

Make the economy greener by total stops for The Space Shield in Europe and further developments of nuclear weapons. And use the money for the environment,extremely green technology,no use of coal, and so on.
In Europe we will demonstrate against the Space Shield in Brussels.
Best wishes and good luck.
Bodil Cermak Nielsen,Denmark.

Now, I'm even more convinced you literally have to "buy in" to the theory of global warming. Can anyone have a calm, reasoned discussion about the staggering costs associated with switching over to renewables? Is this discussion group only for those who know for sure, period. I am studying examples I think are microcosms of how renewables will realistically be accepted in general in the US. Am I the only one who thinks it's basically political and impossible. But I'm a pretty nice guy, still - even though my wife has asked me if we could please "talk about something else."

To #34 arie mckinley: You will be just fine. You and your friends study hard - and perhaps you can figure out the world of Renewable Energy Certificates, because it's the currency of the future. Perhaps you will be the one who can say it clearly enough to expose the hoax on many levels.

to #34 arie mc -- contemplate this: the year 2012 is an arbitrary calendar designation created by the Myan civilization. They have been an extinct civilization for hundreds of yers. Suppose our civilization becomes extinct and in 500 years someone discovers a calendar from our era, and discoveres that we marked the year 2000 as a significant date and in fact count in 1000-year units. All of these calendars derive from the movement of the sun, moon and stars. If you watch the History channel you will know that the planet, the sun, the moon and the stars have been around much longer than people who have been creating calendars.

The year 2012 is one of those fun things that comes around every now and then and we you are 80-years old you will be able to notice that life goes on regardless of calendar dates.

As for the environment,

LET'S INSTITUTE A RAINWATER COLLECTION POLICY.

The biggest and foremost environmental problem is overpopulation. It needs to be addressed. Every other challenge facing the environment is magnified by the population bomb.

The Obama Administration should require that all government offices purchase recycled paper and paper products, and implement recycling of all paper, glass, metal and plastics. The price of recycled paper has decreased significantly, and if all government offices started to purchase recycled paper, the price will decrease further due to the large demand. Additionally, government offices should replace incandescent lights with energy efficient lighting, and computers, as they need replacing, should be replaced with energy-efficient models.

Promotion and incentives for biodiesel use. Many auto manufacturers are bringing diesel models on-line - biodiesel fuel efficiency is approx. 97% of diesel and reduces greenhouse emmisions by up to 94%. Great fuel for trucking industry and marine industry as it is 100% biodegradable. Ethanol efficiency is only 40% compared to gasoline.

Work to move away from petroleum fuels.

Conventional farming practices must be revamped. Farmers should be incentivized to turn organic or at least transitional. There can be no talk of healthcare or environment without addressing our food supply & how it affects our air, soil & water. Businesses should be incentivized also to go "green." Consumers should be incentivized also to go green by businesses, Whole Foods and small co-ops are already leading by example here. There should be a massive publicity campaign nationwide to promote recycling, green living, etc. so everyone from worker bee to CEO, thinks before acting. Plastic bags should be banned.

Make the government (we the taxpayers) equity partners in the most promising clean renewable energy businesses. Many of these companies are struggling to find the funding they need to bring production up to scale. Once scaled, the dollar cost, the environmental cost, the operating costs and the jobs created will blow coal, nuclear, gas and oil out of the water.
Relatively small cash infusions into the best of the proven clean renewable energy technologies will lead to the rebirth of our economy and the healing of the planet.

All local, state and Federal gov't agencies (from the Mayor's office to the prison system) should be required to use recycled paper products and to recycle paper, toner cartridges and anything else that can be recycled. An initiative to encourage ALL private businesses to do the same should be pursued.

Please use any and all resources to begin the process to get all government agencies to recycling. People will respond in kind to the government doing what we all need to do. When individuals see that they can make a difference and that their government believes this issue to be important.
Thank you

Focus on what every citizen can do walking out their front door every day: pick up trash. The beauty of this country is being camouflaged by the trash and debris from our disposable society. Next, get the consumer product companies to research better packaging that doesn't just end up in a landfill or beside the road. Create marketing campaigns to make littering "uncool" and a "dis" to Mother Earth. The rest we will figure out when we can walk without stepping in garbage.

i think we should visit building codes,
requiring all new structures to be a ceratin % energy clean.
i also think in situations where the grid is over taxed, green investers should be given tax incentive to relieve the stress on the grid.
such as in new york i think, has a steal plant only able to produce at night cause the grid can handle it only then.
good place to start going green, and create two fold job creation.
j

The problem of climate change

The environmental problems become more and more among the most pressing concerns of our time. What calls an immediate and constant action on behalf of all?

All started with the industrial revolution of 1750 which gave beginning with the capitalist system. In two centuries and half, the countries called “developed” consumed most of fossil fuels created in five million centuries.
Today, our planet is sick. Since the beginning from the 21ème century, we lived the years MORE HEATS of last the miles years. The reheating of planet causes abrupt changes in the climate among which it y a: the retreat of the glaciers, the increase in the sea level and the flood of coastal territories in the neighbourhoods of which 60% of the world population saw where some nations are condemned to disappear, the increase in the processes of turning into a desert and the reduction of sources of fresh water, the greatest frequency of natural disasters, the extinction of animal and vegetable species and the propagation of diseases in zones which were before free for these last….etc
The competition and the thirst for unbounded profit of the capitalist system destroy planet. For capitalism we are not human but consuming beings. For capitalism there is not the mother ground but the raw materials. Capitalism is the source of asymmetries and imbalances in the world. It produces the luxury, ostentation and the wasting for some while million dies of hunger in the world. In the hands of capitalism all is transformed into goods: water, ground, the human genome, ancestral cultures, justice, ethics, the death… life itself. All, all, are sold absolutely and it is bought by capitalism.
The “climatic changes” placed all humanity towards a great dilemma: to continue on the way of capitalism and the catastrophes, or to undertake the way of the harmony with nature and the respect with life.
In the Protocol of Kyoto of 1997, the developed countries and economies of transition were committed reducing their gas emissions of effect tightens at least of 5% since the 1990, with implementation of various instruments between which the mechanisms of market prevail. As for the mechanisms of market applied in the developing countries did not obtain a significant reduction in the gas emissions of effect tightens. Until the 2006, the gases for purpose of greenhouse (persons in charge for the climatic changes and in particular the carbon dioxide), which is far from being reduced, were on the other hand increased by 9,1% compared to the levels of 1990, by showing this manner the non-accomplishment of the compromises of the countries developed.
The market is unable to regulate the system financial and productive world, It is also not able to regulate the gas emissions of effect tightens. The health of our planet is much more important than the purses of Wall Street and the benefit of the multinationals.
The logical capitalist promises the paradox whose sectors which more contributed to deteriorate the environment are those which profit more of the programs related to the climatic changes. In the same way, the technology transfer and the financing for a clean and bearable development for the countries of the south always remain in speech.
To rectify this situation, it is necessary to support the developing countries in the implementation of plans and programs to the adaptation and the mitigation of the climatic changes, in the innovation, development and technology transfer, in the conservation and the improvement of tanks, in the actions of response to the serious natural disasters caused by the climatic changes and in the execution of bearable and convivial plans of development with nature.
The financing should not concentrate only with the some developed countries but must give the priority to the countries which contributed less to the gas emissions of effect tightens, those which preserve nature and/or which suffers more the impacts of the climatic changes.
In conclusion, the climatic changes can constitute to a certain extent an opportunity for the world by offering the occasion to him to gather to forge a collective response to this crisis which is likely to slow down progress and to support poverty. Indeed, humanity is able to save planet if it recovers the principles of solidarity, the complementarity and the harmony with nature, in the contraposition with the empire of competition, the profit and the consumption of the natural resources. It is the favourable moment so that the will of the International Community is stronger and more credible to control and even sanction certain multinationals which pollute too much with premeditation. structural of the changes climatic. As long as we will not change the capitalist system by a system based on the complementarity, solidarity and the harmony between the people and nature, measurements that we adopt will be palliative which will be limited and precarious. For us, which missed, it is the model of “better living”, the unlimited development, industrialization without borders, the modernity which scorns the history, of increasing accumulation at the price of the other and nature. This is why we must recommend “To live Well”, harmonizes some with all human beings and our Ground.
The developed countries need to control their owners of consumption - luxury and wasting, especially the excessive fossil fuel consumption. For example, the subsidies with the fossil fuels which rise with the top of 150 billions dollars must gradually be eliminated. It is fundamental to develop alternative energies like solar energy, which are geothermic, the wind power and all that is hydro-electric ET to prevent what is agrocombustibles because it is proven that they are not an alternative because that led to another problem is that of food of people or that of the cars. The agrocombustibles ones extend the agricultural border by destroying the forests and the biodiversity, produce monocultures, promote the concentration of the ground, deteriorate the grounds, exhaust the sources of water, contribute to the rise in the price of food and, in much of case, consume more energy of which they produce.
In recognition with the historical debt ecological which has with planet, the developed countries must create an Integral Financial Mechanism to support the developing countries in the implementation of plans and programs to the adaptation and the mitigation of the climatic changes, in the innovation, development and technology transfer, in the conservation and the improvement of tanks, in the actions of response to the serious natural disasters caused by the climatic changes and in the execution of bearable and convivial plans of development with nature.
The financing should not concentrate only with the some developed countries but must give the priority to the countries which contributed less to the gas emissions of effect tightens, those which preserve nature and/or which suffers more the impacts of the climatic changes.

In conclusion, the climatic changes can constitute to a certain extent an opportunity for the world by offering the occasion to him to gather to forge a collective response to this crisis which is likely to slow down progress and to support poverty. Indeed, humanity is able to save planet if it recovers the principles of solidarity, the complementarity and the harmony with nature, in the contraposition with the empire of competition, the profit and the consumption of the natural resources. It is the favourable moment so that the will of the International Community is stronger and more credible to control and even sanction certain multinationals which pollute too much with premeditation.

Why not develop lots of desalinization plants in coastal areas and a pipeline to deliver the desal water to the areas needing it badly? If we are going to have so much water that it buries our coastlines with the eminent global climate change, we should preempt that by using ocean water at a rate that will compensate for the "flooding" we expect in the future!
Also, we need to fund our finest scientific minds to come up with technology that can deflect the sun's rays enough to possibly turn global climate change into a thing of the past!

Free or partial college tuition credit towards performing community service work to change to "green" communities. Also, creating special college degree programs centering around "green" degrees to jump start a "green" America.

Of course, rampant OVERPOPULATION here and across the globe (and the related issue of global warming) must be considered the paramount and most compelling environmental problem of all. We must face and begin to deal with this REALLY inconvenient truth if we want to save this Planet's environment. It is a thorny & complex international problem, but I hope President Obama will make it an urgent, very high priority focus of his Administration. Without beginning to control and eventually reducing the world's exploding numbers of human denizens, eventually, all else will be lost.

Meanwhile, on the home front,an area of reform which is more tractable, but which one does not hear nearly as much about as it deserves considering its vast impact on energy and other resource use, is that of the national and local building codes.

By and large, local codes are based on, and conform to, the national UNIFORM BUILDING CODE (UBC). This fact means that aggressive, carefully crafter "green" revisions to the UBC can, and will, have tremendous impact. The needed changes will be viewed as radical by some, but these are ecologically speaking, desperate times, and we must apply seriously smart and progressive solutions.

For example, there is absolutely no excuse for not changing the UBC to require that ALL new construction units and wherever possible, all remodel/addition projects must be appropriately sited on their parcels, and be built to provide sufficient south-facing roof surface (or provide a separate array structure), to accomodate enough solar generation equipment to make the building at least electricity use neutral. The only exceptions which should be allowed would be those in which the building site is such that compliance with the above requirement would be literally physically impossible. For these cases, a waiver could be allowed, or, the Government should purchase the parcel at fair market value and take it out of development or see that it is combined with an adjacent parcel so the power generation requirement can be met.

Further, the UBC should require that the solar power feature must be installed and operational before a final certificate of occupancy is granted by the local authority. During a suitable period of transition, the Federal Government should act to provide subsidies to assist builders and property owners with compliance in order to include the necessary solar power (or equivalent wind power) to make each home and business structure, at a minimum, electricity neutral. Property owners who can afford the extra cost should also be encouraged to maximize their power generation capability by allowing them to sell their excess power to sell back to the grid.

These subsidies should be continued until such time as the market adjusts to the new reality, and the inclusion of renewable power generation units on all buildings is seen to be as basic as providing plumbing and insulation.

There are a hundred other ways to improve and simplify the UBC and local codes, in order to powerfully discourage environmentally harmful materials and practices, and to make much better use of energy and our other vanishing resources. We simply have no choice now but to think out of the box, and change the whole economic and social paradigm from its current disastrously unsustainable basis, to one that will allow us, our descendents, and the millions of other species with whom we share this fragile Earth a future! Reforming this country's antiquated building codes would be a giant step forward!!!!

While traveling thru AZ recently, we saw nuclear power plants where we should have seen acres of solar panels. We did see windmills for energy in SoCal, but those are bad for birds, and more solar panels would have been better there also. So, rebuild the infrastructure of this country as green as we can, putting in place first as much green energy as possible.

Windmills and solar panels are a well intended effort but I believe the real solution will be found with the commercial development of the Zero point energy technologies.
Please visit: http://www.panaceauniversity.org/
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build more mass transit. high speed trains connecting major cities. new railroads getting cargo and semis off the highways and onto cargo trains. relieves traffic congestion and need for more roads/lanes. that money could then be focused on mass transit.

I authored a resolution againstt Depleted Uranium in US weapons (and now Israeli) at the national Synod of our Church (UCC) a year or two ago, and it was passed enthusiastically. One important point is that when the battle is over the uranium contamination lasts on about 4.5 billion years. The US military has treated this contamination as harmless (a) because they don't want to give up a cheap and available weapon made from the waste of nuclear power plants, and (b) because admitting the harm would obligate them to indemnify the victims of this war crime, which could run in the billions of dollars. I therefore recommend the banning of all radioactive weapons, not just the terrible bombs associated with nuclear weapons. Recent evidence points to the spread of DU weapons, with their contamination of the environment to the Isreal and Palestine conflict. Ignorance of the harm of DU weapons is especially bad in this highly populated area. US lies based on pentagon wishful thinking are responsible for this. The negative consequences last 4.5 billion years--quite a while into the future, contaminating the land and poisoning its inheritors. Very sad.
If you are unaware of depleted uranium and its use by the US in Iraq and elsewhere, just put the term on google. You will get ample info. Obama seems unaware, judging from his appointment of an advocate of nuclear energy as energy secretary.

In South Africa, issues of sustainability are echoed in many of these letters, but especially in the comments by Lamiri Mustapha above and in those relating to overpopulation.

Pres Obama's continual reference to history in his inauguration address was refreshing and inspired hope to most of us in SA. Many civil and regional wars in history are revolutionary in origin...the Haves vs the Have-nots!! The wars on terror currently being waged by the USA are no different, except that the global village scenario has pitched us all as neighbours!! Those hatching plans of how to destroy, have nothing worth living for and no hope for anything better. Rather than trying to convert their enemies to the American ideaology, America could better spend their defence budget on giving the "Have-Nots" a reason for living and something to preserve for their future generations....education, education and education, establishment of small businesses, partnerships, technological and infrastuctural support, capacity...in the form of real and courageous people who are prepared to step out of the box of their own comfort zones, in foreign/enemy countries, to really walk and listen to their global neighbours. Through a path of true sacrifice, this will open America's eyes to what shapes a person's/nation's frame of reference and thus enable reciprocal learning , creating a better life for us all!! And will solve the population explosion at the same time!!

We are excited to hear rumours of Oprah Winfrey in negotiation to become the next ambassador to SA...she espouses the holistic approach we need here, and has the ability [as does Pres Obama, it appears] to truly listen AND hear what is needed to inform and change in the USA and via its global influence. Only ongoing "listening" and analysis, debate and broad input, can construct the path forward for each country and its problems, rather than what we have seen in the past... the USA/big governments presupposing and imposing inappropriate policies that are not alive and adaptable to local issues.

Getting rid of agricultural subsidies in the developed coutries would go a long way to levelling the playing fields and allow Africa to emerge as the player it should be in feeding its own. The real task is persuading the First World to downgrade their lifestyles, standards of living and freedom of choice....to respect the impacts that these, motivated by greed, have on fellow global citizens ..... to "live simply, so that others may simply live".

There are two bills, S. 3233, the 21st Century Energy Technology Deployment Act, and S. 2730, the Clean Energy Investment Bank Act, both created to resolve the energy-climate problems that will define the stability of the 21st century. It is urgent that we act now; these bills make the perfect cornerstone for building the stimulus package.

If you go to: J.Hull-energy.senate.gov you can read the concise testimony supporting these bills as delivered by Jeanine Hull before the State Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 15, 2008.

Hull is of counsel at Dykema Gossett, PLLC.

Her testimony before the Senate subcommittee is as important as the Declaration of Independence.

We must establish in the popular mind the primacy of the reversal of degradation of the enviroment and the greenhousing of the atmosphere. Then all policies can be set against whether they enhance or hinder the ecological wellbeing of the planet on which we depend and from which we cannot withdraw ourselves.

Only then can we begin to be guided by the question does it help or does it hurt? And we must understand this at a level that causes us collectively to make no more excuses, no more allowances, and no more relegating to secondary importance questions about our ecological survival. The science is in. Human will must follow on all counts.

It is easier to save energy than to make energy. Energy efficiency and conservation of energy is a low cost solution to climate change and saves money in the long run.

Raise efficiency standards for appliances and electronics. Especially appliances that run continuously such as refrigerators, televisions, heating systems and air conditioners. Increase research into more energy efficient lighting. This will save the american public money and help cut our carbon emissions.

Support conservation programs to educate the public on how we can save water, gas and electricity. California has an excellent conservation program that could serve as a model.

I do believe there is a need to transport water to different areas in America. The ancient aqueducts used materials already found in the environment. The Puquois in Peru are fascinating; no one is sure when they were built--but they were first written about around 1600, and most of them are in use today. Building a system to transport water across this country for clean drinking water supplies and irrigation would provide many green jobs by utilizing natural resources. Someone pointed out earlier that we should use ocean waters that are rising, which is an excellent idea.

To help the average Joe afford solar PV, the IRS has removed the cap and many states are offering grants. But did you know that the IRS taxes state grants as income? How stupid is that? If they are trying to provide real incentives for using solar, the green energy portion of the stimulus package needs to eliminate this tax.

The use of diesel fuel is a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming; the Obama administration should make it a priority to convert diesel vehicles, especially diesel school buses to an alternative fuel, either natural gas or electricity; if you want to see some electric city buses go to Cambridge, Massachusetts. I would like to sell
T-shirts with the following slogan
"BAN DIESEL FUEL"; let me know if you are interested and want to buy one.

Instead of focusing on better combustible engine emissions, strongly support businesses in the manufacturing of Electric Cars. GM's EV1 was clean, maintenance-free, and wanted by lots of Americans like myself... A totally viable source of transportation! Build solar-powered charging stations.

Also, revive the rail system, push them into new technology- a fast, environmentally friendly network all across the country. Get those travelers out of the jet-streamed skies.

I would also like to sell a bumper sticker that states "BAN DIESEL FUEL!"

I think that president Obama should cut back on the bull dozer drivers that tear down trees like they're going out of still and employ more "treehuggers" as some people would call them.People that truely care about the natural beauty of nantional and natural forests

sincerely
Leah Bennett from Australia

Message from the Netherlands

Subject: Reducing Size, Weight, Power and Speed of Vehicles most urgent solution to America's oil addiction

In Europe and North America car manufacturers keep themselves and consumers captive in an endless upgrading of every car model in size, power and performance. Through costly add-on technology manufacturers try to improve both fuel efficiency and performance. Nevertheless, growth trends - in all size classes - have offset most technological improvements towards energy efficiency. In Europe today's middle class family cars averaging 140 HP/1400 kg and >200 km/h top speed easily outperform classic sports cars. In three decades (two for diesel) average power levels have doubled! Not consumer demand but supply side marketing priorities ("more = better") made all size classes upgrade at least two grades. Recently, some downsizing of engine size has begun (still rising power) reducing test cycle CO2 emissions, but hardly real time fuel use. Reducing dimensions, weight, engine displacement and - most of all - less power is the most cost-effective way of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

For America's beefy car fleet there is not substitute for downsizing! All American car and light truck model classes need reductions up to 50 percent, to start with cubic inches (engine displacement), horsepower, body dimensions and weight. Hybridizing is okay, but downsizing is a major step towards sustainability.

Ahead of their time European transport ministers agreed, in ECMT’s 1991 ministerial meeting, on a Resolution nr. 66 “on Power and Speed of Vehicles” [try Google it!], proclaiming the need for less powerful and speedy cars to reduce road casualties, emissions and fuel use. Since the US are now member of ECMT's successor International Transport Forum (ITF), implementing that resolution through regulatory limiting specific HP/kg ratings, top speeds and body size/weight, is what the new US administration can do - better than EU's recent deal on (soft) new car CO2 standards. EU and US governments must act because the car industry will always be captive of competition and upgrading pressures. Returning to European performance levels and vehicle dimensions of the 70s is more cost-effective than add-on technologies in reducing oil addiction, CO2 emissions and road casualties.

Martin Kroon, mc.kroon@hetnet.nl

Formerly member of ECMT's Working Group on Transport and Environment

Leiden, the Netherlands

Downsizing power, speed, engine size, body dimensions and weight of new cars is the most effective step in automotive CO2 reductions the new Administration can set [see above contribution]

Google: ECMT Resolution 66 on Power and Speed of Vehicles
For trend analysis Google: Martin Kroon Downsizing Power Speed Vehicles Energy

I believe the high speed trains to major cities across the country and rolling out electric vehichles as soon as possible are most important. Also allow us to take out money in retirement accounts to use toward personal solar/ wind technology as well as our small businesses and education, without taxes or penalties. We also need to build the desalinization plants for the near future. Give grants to the states to make all government buildings self sustaining.

High speed trains all across our country

We need to stop burning oil, gas and coal for our energy needs ASAP/PDQ! And not just because of global warming; there are so many reasons, most environmental, but also economical and other reasons. I am 100% in support of any truly clean energy. Solar and wind power are the most well-known, but there are others: ocean wave/tidal, geothermal, and hydroelectric. Even less well known and possibly more promising is Zero Point energy or some other kind of Over Unity energy system. Most of this has been suppressed by Big Oil and other interests who, frankly, need to go the way of the dinosaur. This has to stop.

I hope that if Obama implements a cap and trade program that at least emissions will need to be reduced FIRST for those companies and then a cap set. Otherwise, it is sort or like paying for something after you have already used it. Defeats the purpose.

ok well i guess this dosent really matter to who ever reads this but im 15 in high school going to graduate in 2012. that year the worlds surpose to end. so alot of people are afraid to gradute……some are droping out to enjoy the world now. so idk y im even talking to who ever or what ever reads this but naybe have that huge concert again 2012 so people wont be so afraid for there lives! theres even a movie coming out about the world ending….so who or wht ever reads this i hope it makes sense to u and it goes far but no hopes for something like this! Just kinda hope this does something but please do that concert thing again or something! hopefuly this gets read....this is also talking about everything melting ice capsoles gasses! everything wrong with the earth! i want 2 live till atlest 70 or 80 so please help mine an our generatin!

thanks arie mckinley

President Obama could ask Tom Friedman and Al Gore to produce a movie of "Hot, Flat & Crowded", because most of our population will rent a movie rather than read a book. Friedman's book is enormously informative and would educate the world's population as to the URGENCY of our situation and the need to act NOW. I sense that most of the world - especially the USA - does not realize this. Thank you.

We should enforce the Clean Air & Water laws that we already have and which have been ignored. No one can survive without good clean water and air. We can help the planet's air by stopping cutting down trees. Are we crazy? We need all the trees we can get! Save the trees!

More green mutual funds in both energy and manufacturing are coming to our attention, and probably my husband and I will look at making a significant investment toward our retirement in this way. But my idea was simply this. What if an average household could contribute say $20-$50 or more each month to the development of their local 100% green utility. I know we are a few years off from being able to deliver clean energy. So what if this "seed money" resulted in a utility credit, for each household that contributed, redeemable when the utility service was online and available. It's taking the long view, but, we know we are all going to be consumers of energy.

Same with the electric car. I will own one as soon as its available. But what if I could contribute $20-$50 a month to the auto manufacture now and have that go toward the purchase on my new vehicle when it's available. If millions of people were able to do this across the country, millions of dollars could be raised each month. With a small monthly sacrafice from the individual, everybody would win. Americans could make an investment and have a stake in our future.

How about a mortgage refinance package made available to home owners that could deliver 1) a lower interest rate 2) a lower monthly payment 3) $50,000 to $100,000 additional to install solar, geothermal, or something sustainable and renewable to power the home. It would add value to the devalued home and give millions of Americans the means to bring "the green" into our homes.

President Obama needs to focus on bringing back small, localized, and self-sustainable communities. Providing incentives for local, organic farmers. Stop giving incentives to farmers to mass-produce row crops (corn, wheat, soy) by weight rather than nutrition. Outlaw fertilizers and herbicides that have links to Cancer - the E.U. and Wisconsin have. No more trucking produce thousands of miles to a huge grocery store. No more huge businesses and banks that have salary ranges from 50,000-50,000,000. We can make sustainable communities, but not if our towns are sprawled across the whole landscape. Support local farmers in cities and towns, support local producers, craftspersons, small businesses, family owned shops.

No more big-box, 1-stop shopping, where are we going to draw the line for convenience? If one purchased all of the things typically bought on a trip to Wal-Mart or Target, K-Mart, etc. at locally owned stores so many more people would benefit from those dollars spent. Spread the wealth to those who need it - not those who just want more of it.

Overhaul (or start from scratch) with the FDA. Don't let these "good-for-you, bad-for-you" fads continue. Everyone has seen the billboards from hundreds restaurants that scream they don't use trans-fat anymore - not too long ago the FDA told us trans-fat is great for us. Science can only tell us what we know now. Do you really think that nature (our bodies, the earth, the food that grows in the earth that we put in our bodies) only needs nutrients, sunlight, and water to sustain itself?! There's more to it than that. Our Earth is a system. Our bodies are systems. My gut sure as hell doesn't know what to do with hydrogenated vegetable oil - that doesn't exist in nature! Pop-tarts WHAT ARE THOSE?! Why can't we use real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup? Or worse Splenda?!

Obama can create so many jobs by changing the way we produce, sell, and consume food. The environment would be protected in so many ways if our agriculture/food market/dietary system was reorganized and refocused on facts, nature, and common sense. CO2 emissions would be down from less transporting. Stores would have smaller footprints (carbon and physical). Our water would be less polluted if toxic chemicals (poisons) were eliminated - which would also protect both human and wildlife health. Not too mention we would all eat a lot better if we ate organically with a wide variety. If I could keep going... raise (and enforce) standards on fast food (help the obesity/type II diabetes rate and significantly bring down the amount we spend on healthcare), educate in schools more on health foods (not fat-free, lab created, weight-watchers bull-shit *sorry*) REAL health foods. Demand better food for schools.

As Americans it is undeniable that our lives revolve around food. Why don't we treat ourselves to things that are good for us?! Take care of our bodies, environment, and businesses. Localize and naturalize. That's what Obama needs to do to help the environment, our quality of life, and healthcare.