"You're right, but..."

ear Mr. Vice President,
I would first like to thank you for you service to your community in Tennessee as a congressman, and for your service as our vice president for eight years. As you have shown in your movie, an Inconvenient Truth, you have served in office and attempted to protect the environment from any further damage. You have used your position for good, and have attempted to make a difference in our country and the world.
It does not truly matter if I think what you said was right or wrong; in fact, I think that you used every resource available to present truth to the public. I do think your movie was a bit showy, but you clearly communicated your message that carbon dioxide is contributing to global warning and that it is our fault. Good job.
As a teacher and former student I understand the utility of information, but if the information does nothing to alter how we think, then it was a waste of time. If we want to learn about global warming, most people can simply do a Google search and check out the top twenty hits. Give us ideas, not facts.
In your movie, you claimed to have given your lecture 10,000 times to thousands of people, but you did nothing to talk about how we can change. In one graph you suggested the use of fuel efficient cars, swapping for more efficient light bulbs, and people insulating their homes better-- one graph for 2 hours. You went all the way to China to convince people to use different light bulbs?
You're right, but isn't there more that you can say to people. Luckily, this is the summer for movie sequels, so if you were to talk to those people again, maybe you could say this:
My fellow human beings, please help future generations by not making any more stupid decisions. America, you are the #1 producer of greenhouse gasses, and create more carbon gasses than the entire continent of Africa. According to the UN, you create 1/4 of all the greenhouse gasses each year-- for the whole world. (China, although you deny it, you will be #1 next year... and yes we understand you represent 1/6 of the world's population.) You might remember two years ago when there were serious power issues in California and then later in the New York area. This is partially because of increased populations, but mostly because people can't stand to have their homes any warmer than 79 degrees when it is 110 outside. I think that might use a bit of energy when you house is 10,000 square feet (I know I know, I have a house this big, but when you are the Vice President, you can do whatever you want and hold others to a higher standard). The bigger the house, the more toys, and the more comfortable you get, the more energy you have to use. I understand you can probably pay for your utilities, but unless you live near a nuclear power plant or Hoover Dam, you are buying energy from a company that burns fossil fuels. Thus,
More things = more energy used = more greenhouse gasses.
At this point, I could go on an on about more fuel efficient cars, letters to congressmen about laws that should be passed limiting industrial pollution, delegations sent to the PRC encouraging them to practice cleaner business, but I would rather tell you this:
please do everything you can do to help prevent any further environmental issues. To help you, I have made this list to get the "juices" flowing:
  • Live in smaller houses, stupid. I live in a 10,000 square foot house, and let me tell you the utility bills are a killer.
  • Get off your butt, and use your legs to ride a bike instead of pressing on the accelerator.
  • If you own a business, make decisions that help reduce energy usage.
  • If you are a politician, stop being so political and change the legislation.
  • "Open up the windows, and let in the air." The sun is plenty bright enough to light up a room.
  • If any of you have carpooled, this should be new, but familiar. If there is a show that you and your friends all enjoy watching, invite them over to watch it with you. We can call it TVpooling. The added bonus is, of course, community.*
  • Turn off your computer more often, and perhaps even quitting facebook and talking to your friends in person.
Each person is only one person in a throng of individuals, but if we all begin making better decisions, then we will be able to see greater change. Please, stop being stupid.
Thank you for your attention,
Al Gore


*Some of my fondest memories of the Sig Shack is KFC, watching 24 with JGay and the boys, and watching the military channel with all my roomates. Super bowl parties are rarely about watching TV-- they are about the community.

!!In the Inconvenient Truth he talked about American cars not being sold in China because they would not pass emissions. I am no emissions expert, but that statement made me laugh out loud. It was the most rediculous thing I heard, and it seriously put the rest of the movie's credibility into question. (Translation, I think he is wrong about that statement.)

Comments

  1. lol, great post!

    Al Gore preaching global warming is like Bill Clinton preaching marriage fidelity!

    ReplyDelete

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