Climate: The good news - We have taken the high ground

[greenman3610]

We have won the scientific battle. We have taken the high ground on the
political and economic side. We are controlling the framing of this issue.
Still lots of work to do, but the people who pull the levers, economically
and politically, are moving in our direction.
The deniers and skeptics are like those Japanese soldiers holed up in
caves 20 years after the war ended. They are isolated and talking to
themselves.
We could still fall short if we are not diligent, but allies are springing
up everywhere.

Some examples:



http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/business/28leonhardt.html?n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fL%2fLeonhardt%2c%20David

The politicians who deny that global warming is a problem used to be the biggest obstacle to a solution. They’re not anymore. They have lost the argument.

When former Vice President Al Gore came back to Capitol Hill to testify last week, a few of the global-warming holdouts in Congress confronted him with their usual tactics. They took the actual uncertainties over climate change — how fast seas and temperatures will rise, how serious the effects will be — and tried to make them sound like uncertainty over whether human beings were making the planet hotter. But the skeptics didn’t get very far. In the last few months, this debate has shifted incredibly quickly.

As Representative Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican (lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union: 90 out of 100), told Mr. Gore, “I think everyone recognizes — as you have said and the scientific community agrees — that there is global warming caused by human activity.” On Monday, Gallup released a new poll conducted before the hearings. In it, 86 percent of respondents said they favored new action to deal with environmental problems.

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http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=34740

$4 Trillion Backs Latest Call for Action on Climate Change
Source: GreenBiz.com
WASHINGTON, Mar. 19, 2007 -- For the first time, dozens of institutional investors managing $4 trillion in assets today called on U.S. lawmakers to enact strong federal legislation to curb the pollution causing global climate change.

Joined by a dozen leading U.S. companies, the investor group outlined the business and economic rationale for climate action as they called for a national policy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions consistent with targets scientists say are needed to avoid the dangerous impacts of global warming.

(get it? these are the money people. They will be evaluating any
project they invest in according to its carbon footprint - that kind of
money talks BIG)

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http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47746&src=rss

Bank of America announced a $20 billion initiative to support the growth of environmentally sustainable business activity to address global climate change. The ten-year initiative encourages development of environmentally sustainable business practices through lending, investing, philanthropy and the creation of new products and services.

(how long would it take Congress to appropriate this much?)

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http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/branson_offers.php

Sir Richard Branson is at it again. After making headlines last year for pledging to invest $3 billion in renewable energy technologies, he's upped the ante on curbing climate change by offering a $25 million prize to whoever comes up with the best way of removing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.


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Now, here's some practical action for today -
first, spread this video (12 minutes) far and wide

http://www.seastudios.org/ahead_video_qt.php
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Next, print out this checklist, best I have seen, for
individual action:

http://www.seastudios.org/climate-friendly%20checklist.pdf

have you installed new windows lately?
replaced an appliance?
inflated your tires?
You may already be taking powerful
action!!

Stay calm, be focused and positive. These are exciting times, tho
we will indeed see some harrowing passages. We
are now controlling the framing of this issue!!

[riverdeep]

1. Good news?

How dare you post good news on the environment!

Seriously though, this stuff you bring up is important to keep perspective. There ARE those who believe our slide to ruin is inevitable and anything we do is doomed to failure, so why even try. I suspect they will be offended.

But also like you say, we have a looong road ahead.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. How can we maintain our "black pit of despair" if you post encouraging news like this? nt

:sarcasm: