HuffPost Game Changers: Who Is The Ultimate Game Changer In Green?

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HuffPost's Game Changers celebrates 100 innovators, visionaries, and leaders in 10 categories who are harnessing the power of new media to reshape their fields and change the world. With your help, we've picked 10 people who are changing the game in Green. We honor and salute them.

Now it's up to you to pick the Ultimate Green Game Changer. Click through the slideshow below, get the lowdown on why we chose them, then VOTE. We'll reveal the Ultimate 10 in November.

BILL MCKIBBEN

Current Status: Author-turned-impassioned environmental activist



Changing the Game By: Taking an apocalyptic piece of scientific data and using it to launch a worldwide grassroots campaign -- 350.org -- to fight global warming. McKibben’s goal is to have “350” become symbolic of a life-and-death effort to reduce the presence of CO2 in the earth's atmosphere to a safe level: 350 parts per million. 350.org uses the Internet to help people organize in the flesh: On October 24th in the run-up to major climate talks that will take place in Copenhagen in December, McKibben has orchestrated what he hopes will be the largest day of climate-centered protests in history --- complete with scuba divers in the Maldives and monks in Tibet.



Scary Stat: Percentage that 2008's Arctic seasonal sea ice melt outpaced normal levels: 34%.



Key Kudos: “McKibben is one of the main drivers in moving this thing from the cafes and blogs into the streets,” says ousted White House adviser Van Jones.



Must Click Link: 350.ORG

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Comments

[Bytown]

04:40 PM on 11/03/2009

It looks cold on that picture.

[chicken alfredo]

03:10 PM on 11/03/2009

Climate change hysterics, both unfounded and unnecessary, are not the way to make the positive changes that we need. Better to care about people more than wall street bankers who are the only ones who stand to gain from the proposed carbon tax and trade market. People should listen to Bjorn Lombord who has run the numbers and cares about people not profits.

[dnegri]

02:40 PM on 11/03/2009

James Inhofe?

[WilliePilgrim]

10:54 AM on 11/03/2009

In a word, no. A real game changer will be when we discover that the cumulative effects of our bad management of resources and not the mere correlation to a number which for most of its record in history has been arrived at by proxy is the real problem. We already know that co2 varies and trying to control the climate by controlling co2 is like trying to put out fire by controlling the smoke.
Furthermore the physics of it are such that no matter how much co2 you put in at this point the saturation point has already been reached. It will not interfer with any more IR...it doesn't really "absorb" heat anyway...another misconception that is often employed. For instance does our jacket absorb heat? Not much unless it's made of concrete. You need mass to absorb energy. The mass of the co2 in the atomoshpere even at current levels is vanishingly small. We'd be better off putting our resources into other methods to address climate change just as the dutch and many civilizations have done to make the world habitable for a long time.

[WhirledTraveler]

09:37 AM on 11/03/2009

Test subject number one should be Dick Cheney.

Grill him on pre-9/11 and post-9/11 intellegence, KBRs no bid contracts, who died for what cause, and how and why he never served his country while those around him served and were wounded or died - as did those who were sent while he was VP.

Then ask W - keeping in mind that the interviewer will need flashcard for that.

[Adam Bomb]

07:27 AM on 11/03/2009

This video is alright, there is a bit of wordplay acrobatics in respect to the facts designed to sensationalize and cause a sort of fearful urgency. She kinda tends to say things as though she's making your conclusions for you, something kids won't pick up on or explore more deeply. I don't doubt the significance of the subject matter however, and you can't make an interesting video if you're always spiraling ad nauseum into the literal nature of the facts. Indoctrination? Doubt it; it's influential certainly
Glenn Beck's Video, I'm not impressed. Your 'price' theory in respect to resources? Just because prices get higher doesn't mean we're getting those resources back. Why let it get to that point? I'll give you the critique on some of her numbers, but telling everybody we're not running out of resources because we haven't yet mined the core of our planet is insane. Find 300 year old oak trees in the mantle, and maybe we can talk. Additionally, I hope we never, ever, EVER think it a good idea to start messing with the internal structure of our planet to make blenders, which, by the way, don't necessarily make life easier for third world residents - we've been exporting our bull for nearly a century now, and the third world is still very much there.
You want to fight this? Make your own catchy video that resonates with American classrooms. It's called paradigm shift.

[Adam Bomb]

07:25 AM on 11/03/2009

Also saw the Glenn Beck critique.
First, while this video is alright, there is still a lot of wordplay acrobatics in respect to the facts designed to sensationalize and cause a sort of fearful urgency. She kinda tends to say things as though she's making your conclusions for you, something kids won't pick up on or explore more deeply. I don't doubt the significance of the subject matter however, and you can't make an interesting video if you're always spiraling ad nauseum into the literal nature of the facts. Indoctrination? Doubt it; it's influential certainly
Glenn Beck's Video, I'm not impressed. Your 'price' theory in respect to resources? Just because prices get higher doesn't mean we're getting those resources back. Why let it get to that point? I'll give you the critique on some of her numbers, but telling everybody we're not running out of resources because we haven't yet mined the core of our planet is insane. Find 300 year old oak trees in the mantle, and maybe we can talk. Additionally, I hope we never, ever, EVER think it a good idea to start messing with the internal structure of our planet to make blenders, which, by the way, don't necessarily make life easier for third world residents - we've been exporting our bull for nearly a century now, and the third world is still very much there.
You want to fight this? Make your own catchy video that resonates with American classrooms. It's called paradigm shift.

[Adam Bomb]

07:23 AM on 11/03/2009

Also saw the Glenn Beck critique.

First, while this video is alright, there is a lot of wordplay acrobatics in respect to the facts designed to sensationalize and cause a sort of minor fearful urgency. She kind of tends to say things as though she's making your conclusions for you, something kids won't pick up on or explore more deeply. I don't doubt the significance of the subject matter however, and you can't make an interesting video if you're always spiraling ad nauseum into the literal nature of the facts. Indoctrination? Doubt it; it's certainly influential.

Glenn Beck's Video, I'm not impressed. Your 'price' theory in respect to resources? Just because prices get higher doesn't mean we're getting those resources back. Why let it get to that point? I'll give you the critique on some of her percentages, but telling everybody we're not running out of resources because we haven't yet mined the core of our planet is insane. Find 300 year old oak trees in the mantle, and maybe we can talk. Additionally, I hope we never, ever, EVER think it a good idea to start messing with the internal structure of our planet to make blenders, which, by the way, don't necessarily make life easier for third world residents - we've been exporting our bull for nearly a century now, and the third world is still very much there.

You want to fight this? Make your own catchy video that resonates with American classrooms. It's called paradigm shift.

[Surfseeker7]

12:56 AM on 11/03/2009

Voices like this are finally being taken seriously! This video is resonating with young people because it's time to question if there isn't a better direction for our nation, our world. Maybe we really CAN create new jobs by saving, conserving, & protecting? Maybe we really CAN close loopholes and make the quality of all our lives better.

After all, if young people are willing to sacrifice a little comfort for peace of mind, should we older folks?

[kikomnipotent]

09:10 PM on 11/02/2009

Not bad. Upon the introduction of "Swiffer sheets", I told my friend it was a sure sign we're all on our way to Hell. Thank your friendly "Antibacterial for your safety" lobby for that crap. They want to convince us that touching things makes us and our children sick. "Antibacterial" is a marketing ploy to capitalize on parents' fears.
I will buy plastic food storage bags--about once a year. Get the kind that have close tabs, and wash them like dishes. Dish soap and hot water cleans well and less plastic to recycle. Rewash rags instead of buying paper towels. Trash bags? Really? When you throw the garbage into a giant hard shelled, CLEANABLE container? Wash the trashcan & don't buy plastic bags.The kitchen is just the tip. Think of your electronics, clothing, etc and figure where you can make things last. Carry a coffee cup in your car, or have one at your desk.
Aluminum cans require some 23 nasty metals, dips, and washes that are highly toxic. Don't buy anything in aluminum cans.
If you can't get the kids on board, well tough, they're still wearing last year's clothes.
Just become a cheap bastard, essentially, and you'll be doing your part to change this system. If it seems like crap, it's probably crap, and you really don't need it, so don't buy it. If it seems awesome and you need it now, it's probably still crap, so sleep on it. Don't buy it, they'll stop making it.

[Mannock]

03:16 PM on 11/03/2009

That was as good as the article.

Maybe even better.

[noweknow]

06:26 PM on 11/02/2009

Why do companies make it more expensive to fix a product than to buy a new one?
Consumers have no choice but to buy NEW to save money.

[kmilford]

07:41 AM on 11/03/2009

Because they only want to see product, not service. And the true cost of many items are externalized through labour practices etc.
Wouldn't it be nice to lease a product and hand it back over to the manufacture when you are done with it. The leasing company them up-cycles the product. Its being done in Europe with huge success.
We North Americans aren't even on the curve yet.
Remembr, we can change this if we push back. Who make the Corps the boss. We are the boss

[cb750]

02:47 PM on 11/02/2009

Sorry but Leonard is wrong. The role of government is NOT to provide. The countless numbers of millions butchered by governments clearly show government should have as little power as possible.

Also do these schools air opposing views? Showing inconvienent truth and Stuff 10 times a week even during gym class isn't pushing a special interest?

As a victim of special interest in the late 60s (back then it was the church), I completely oppose special interest in schools like this. There is no difference between Stuff and say prayer or bible stories or creationism other than the agenda being pushed on starey eyed kids who have no ability to intellectually defend themselves nor disagree with authority figures.

After years of abuse by priests in school where special interest was allowed to run rampant I am amazed people have not learned this lesson and ban any special interest from schools.

This isn't science nor fact... its ideology unfairly pushed on naive children. Its wrong when priests do it and its wrong when anyone else does it.

[huffponewbie]

06:13 PM on 11/02/2009

You want to disagree with the fact that there is stuff in this world and that that stuff gets made etc...

[misterstudebaker]

07:43 PM on 11/02/2009

The difference is this:

follow the priest/minister/whatever and your imaginary friend lets you into heaven, which doesn't exist, but you'll be dead, so you won't notice.

follow the likes of Leonard et al, and save the biosphere from destruction.

Frankly, I can do with more of the likes of Leonard in our schools, and less of the laissez faire neoliberal crap that has driven civilisation over the cliff.

Yes, over the cliff. We're going down, hard. Now it's just a matter of mitigation, rather than prevention, thanks to the dithering likes of people like you.

[Diane Martin]

04:55 PM on 10/22/2009

Where is polar explorer Robert Swan, OBE and his 2041 organization? The fate of the polar ice caps and Robert's efforts to engage young people and world leaders is worthy of a top listing.

[John Schouten]

04:32 PM on 10/22/2009

I think game changers of note must include Karl-Henrik Robert, Paul Hawken and Wm. McDonough. The Natural Step, Natural Capitalism and Cradle 2 Cradle are ideas that are changing the whole paradigm of business. Within the business world, Ray Anderson is a true pioneer and visionary. Any of these men will ultimately have more impact on creating a sustainable society than any green blogger, media consolidator or sailboat skipper could even dream to.

[jpayne30]

05:54 PM on 10/22/2009

I'm totally with you on all of those. Bill McDonough's C2C is the ultimate answer/philosophy...it's going to take a lot to get there, but we must. I always love hearing him speak, as well as Paul Hawken, and Ray Anderson is a great example of how a business can embrace this direction and still be just as profitable or more so.

Bill McKibben made the list and definitely deserves to be there.

I agree with you about the sailboat skipper, but there is a skipper that I think should be on there now too...Charles Moore, for discovering, studying, and reporting on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Check him out on TED if you get a chance.

Fanned.

[whatbox]

12:40 AM on 10/22/2009

Why does everything in the US turn into a popularity contest? Insecurity?