Al Gore Discusses Obama's Nobel Prize, Green Jobs, Copenhagen & More On 'The View' And 'GMA'

[Turborama]

Run time: 08:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIKNOkXDVI   Posted on YouTube: November 04, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: November 05, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 643

 

His interview on GMA in which he also answers Glenn BecKKK's challenge to go vegetarian...

In an interview on "Good Morning America" this morning, the climate change guru commented on a quote from a story in Tuesday's New York Times that referred to Gore as the first "carbon billionaire" and said he profited from policies he supported.

Gore said the comment was from a "denier" and "certainly not true.

"I am proud to put my money where my mouth is for the past 30 years," Gore told Diane Sawyer. "And though that is not the majority of my business activities, I absolutely believe in investing in accordance with my beliefs and my values."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/al-gore-green-investments-politics-climate-change/story?id=8979747

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Excerpt from his new book, http://www.amazon.com/Our-Choice-Solve-Climate-Crisis/dp/1594867348">'Our Choice' (The Amazon reviews are getting trolled by deniers)

Not too many years from now, a new generation will look back at us in this hour of choosing and ask one of two questions. Either they will ask, "What were you thinking? Didn't you see the entire North Polar ice cap melting before your eyes? Did you not care?"

Or they will ask instead, "How did you find the moral courage to rise up and solve a crisis so many said was impossible to solve?"

We must choose which of these questions we want to answer, and we must give our answer nownot in words but in actions.

The answer to the first questionwhat were you thinking?is almost too painful to write:

"We argued among ourselves. We didn't want to believe that it really was happening. We waited too long.

"We had so many other problems crying out for attention. I know this is of little comfort, but we did try. I'm sorry."

The second questionhow did you solve it? is the one I much prefer that we answer, and here is the answer I hope we can give:

"The turning point came in 2009. The year began well, with the inauguration of a new president, who immediately shifted priorities to focus on building the foundation for a new low-carbon economy. The resistance to these changesespecially by corporations that were making a lot of money from coal, oil, and gaswas ferocious.

"But the truth about the global emergency gained ground. The evidence presented by the scientists accumulated, slowly at first, but then a few of the opponents of change changed themselves.

"Whatever happened, it made a powerful difference when these former opponents became passionate advocates for a new direction. The momentum shifted. One by one, others joined in a powerful consensus that we had to act, boldly and quickly. At the end of 2009, the United States passed legislation that changed the way business and civic leaders made plans for the future.

"By putting a price on the pollution that had been previously ignored, the United States established powerful incentives to begin the historic shift. The new incentives to shift our energy production from fossil fuels to solar, wind, and geothermal sources unleashed a wave of improvements in renewable technologies.

"All over the world, as awareness of the climate crisis grew, people concerned about you found ways to put pressure on their leaders. Hundreds of thousands, then millions of grassroots networks emerged.

"Although leadership came from many countries, once the United States finally awakened to its responsibilities, it reestablished the moral authority the world had come to expect from the U.S.

"The most important change that made this transformation possible is something that is hard to describe in words. Our way of thinking changed. The earth itself began to occupy our thoughts. Somehow, it became no longer acceptable to participate in activities that harmed the integrity of the global environment.

"I know that we waited too long. I wish we had acted sooner. But the outlook for your future is now bright. The wounds we inflicted on the atmosphere and the earth's ecological system are healing.

"It seems ironic now that our commitment during the Great Transformation to a low-carbon economy was what restored economic prosperity. Once the world embarked on the journey to heal our world and save your future, tens of millions of new jobsincluding whole new professions began to emerge.

"I ask only one thing of you in return for what we have done on your behalf: pass on to your children the courage and resolve to act boldly and wisely whenever the future is at risk. You will be challenged, as we were. But I know that you will not fail those who come after you, as we did not fail you.

"The choice is awesome and potentially eternal. It is in the hands of the present generation: a decision we cannot escape, and a choice to be mourned or celebrated through all the generations that follow."

[juajen]

1. I have a small ecological problem developing in my neighborhood

We were once surrounded by beautiful trees, pine, magnolia, cedar, oak, chinese tallow, etc. One by one, one neighbor has encouraged at least eight neighbors to cut their trees, to save him money. I heard he got a reduced rate percentage for every tree cut. None of these trees were diseased, they just did what trees are supposed to to, shed leaves.

I cried and cried when two magnificent 30 year old magnolias were cut across the street from me. I've been in this neighborhood loving them and enjoyed the wildlife living in them for 30 years. It was heartbreaking.

Does anyone know how it raises the temperature to cut down grown trees? I know it does, but don't know what to look up. If someone knows offhand I would surely like to impart this knowledge to the man I used to call my friend.

I have about ten trees in my normal sized yard, and do not want to part with any of them. My air conditioning bill in the summer is a lot less because of these trees, and I know I breathe much better for their wonderful anti-pollution properties, not to mention the increase in value my trees give my property. There should be a federal law that no trees can be cut without good reason. After all they help cool the planet.

Rant over.

[FlaGranny]

2. I don't understand how

this man saves money by his neighbors cutting down their trees. Could you explain? Who is giving a reduced rate, for what? Garbage collection? Do the other neighbors get this reduced rate?

Each of these neighbors is probably reaping the "benefits" of higher electric bills in the summer, certainly, so your neighbor, at the least, is taking money from their pockets to put it in his own? Trees and all plants produce the oxygen we breathe and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale (they breathe), they cool us with their shade, and their leaves fertilize the soil when they decompose. Animals are symbiotic with plants. Neither could prosper or survive without the other.

I once had a neighbor who moved 3 different times in the neighborhood and cut down every tree on each of the properties. He was afraid trees would fall on his house in wind storms. I, on the other hand, have planted as many trees as my yard will hold.

[stlsaxman]

3. Gore is THE BEST... and what cool boots, huh?!?!

[ProgressOnTheMove]

4. The less we act now the more we'd have to act later. Smaller families less footprints, worldwide...

I think this year I'll give presents without parceling. Firstly I can't be bothered, secondly eco friendly win, win.

[ihavenobias]

5. K & R n/t