Former American Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore was a guest on both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report this past week. His book, “Our Choice” , a follow up to ‘The Inconvenient Truth”, was released internationally on November 3.
The links I’ve used will work in Canada, where we are not allowed to access these episodes on You Tube like the rest of the world:). Hope you have a few minutes to watch them – I especially enjoyed Gore’s cameo on the Colbert Report.
It’s very important localize and personalize climate change causes and solutions. For example, Manitobans are much above average consumers of carbon based fuels for heating and for transportation because of our geography and demographics. We are also blessed with reasonably priced hydroelectricity, plus potentially economic solar and wind energy.
What if 10% of us per year converted to hybrid/fully electric vehicles for all new purchases for transportation and to geothermal pumps for all new home heating installations? We would thereby reduce both our per capita carbon emmisions and our personal annual expenses dramatically. We would receive world recognition and could become leaders in the new green economy within ten to twenty years. Add to this the conservation practises which would just increase these annual financial bonuses.
Good points! What a concept – to be leaders in the green economy rather than be dragged kicking and screaming in that direction!
I think, though, that some people are put off by the initial cost of both geothermal heating and hybrid cars. This is where government initiatives can help – and there are some out there. Here in Canada, several provinces, including Manitoba and Ontario, have some funding available for geothermal installation. Here’s a link to more information, including joint provincial-federal programs, from the Government of Canada website:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=A99C7098-1
If anybody knows of more specific information, feel free to share it!.