Taking Al Gore's Challenge: A 10-Point Plan to Repower America

Last week, Vice President Al Gore presented the American people with a challenge: meet 100% of our electricity needs through renewable energy within 10 years. Al would be the first to acknowledge this is not a minor task. And yet it is an urgent one, a challenge that will require a transformation in how we invest our time and money, and how we view ourselves.

I wanted to respond to Al Gore's call by asking two things of each of you:

1. Include your voice with the millions of others expressing support for this mission

2. Be part of collective solutions to make it a reality

Fully renewing our electricity production will not only be a major step towards addressing climate change, it is critical for an equally urgent crisis, though less understood: peak oil.

What is peak oil? Think of it as the ying to climate change's yang. If the climate crisis calls on us to renounce fossil fuels for the sake of future generations, energy depletion means that we must do so for our short-term economic survival. We will use fewer fossil fuels one way or another; but if we fail to adapt intelligently to the post-carbon era, the next few decades will see ever higher energy costs and continued high carbon emissions -- leaving us with a ruined environment and a shattered economy, unable to face a future without fossil fuels.

The solution to both climate change and fossil fuel depletion is to develop renewable sources of energy, use less energy, use energy differently -- and to make this transition as rapidly as possible. And so the goal to "Repower America" must be front and center in our thoughts and actions.

The real question now is "how?"

The first step is to join the caucus of those who are supporting Gore's call. You can do so by visiting wecansolveit.org.

The second is to get involved in collective solutions to make this vision a reality. Post Carbon Institute (for which I serve on the Board of Directors) has published a 10-point framework for achieving the goal of 100% renewable energy by 2018--one that recognizes the complex issues of energy depletion, the vulnerability of the supply chain and the limits of technology.

The ten points can be summarized by the following words:

1. Reduce

2. Share

3. Diversify

4. Distribute

5. Store

6. Reinvest

7. Relocalize

8. Reengineer

9. Reskill

10. Remobilize

I've been impressed by the passion, dedication, and ingenuity I've seen in those I've met at Netroots Nation and throughout the progressive blogosphere.

Just look at Energize America, drafted by members of the DailyKos community! And so I encourage you to check out the plan, share your thoughts, and get involved.

Comments

[Michale32086]

I will be willing to follow Al Gore's 10-Yr plan when Al Gore is willing to follow Al Gore's 10-Yr plan..

$300 million raised for an AD Campaign!!???

Think how many solar powered systems for homes $300 million would buy.. Think how many hybrid cars to be used in a "trade in" program that $300 million would buy...

But nooooooo... Al Gore wants to use that $300 million to make lobbyists, lawyers, ad agencies and Al Gore rich...

In the dictionary under 'HYPOCRITE' there is a picture of Al Gore....

Michale.....

[oldpotsmuggler]

Propaganda from the left offends you but propaganda from the right fully passes muster?

What do the main stream energy companies spend on advertising to lie about who they really are?

And you, personally, if you were able to find some way to generate a $300 million windfall, would you bother to spend even a penny of it on the general welfare?

[Michale32086]

}}}}}}}}}
Propaganda from the left offends you but propaganda from the right fully passes muster?
}}}}}}}}}

ANY propaganda offends me, whether it's Right OR Left...

}}}}}}}}}
What do the main stream energy companies spend on advertising to lie about who they really are?
}}}}}}}}}

So, Al Gore (and you, apparently) feel that, "if ya can't beat them, join them" is a worthwhile endeavor??

}}}}}}}}
And you, personally, if you were able to find some way to generate a $300 million windfall, would you bother to spend even a penny of it on the general welfare?
}}}}}}}}

Well, I can't lay claim to a $300 million windfall, but I can lay claim to a $3.8 mil windfall. And much of that was given away to help others less fortunate than I was.

The simple fact is, Al Gore doesn't care about the planet, the people or the environment. Al Gore simply cares about Al Gore...

Do a GOOGLE for "THE TALE OF TWO HOUSES"...

Al Gore is a hypocrite and a con man.. Nothing more...

Michale....

[oldpotsmuggler]

"Fossil fuel depletion"

Hydrocarbons are basically fungible, and we have major problems on the planet far more from the fact that we've used them extensively, than from the fact that there is a shortage. And "peak oil" is no more than a "yeah, maybe".

As for "renewables", and "efficienc­y/conserva­tion", nothing less than the future of the planet depends on exactly the sort of crash program that Gore has now committed to promoting.

[JulianDarley]

Whilst I obviously agree with 'oldpotsmuggler' regarding the widespread installation of renewable power (since I am one of the authors of the Post Carbon plan supporting Gore), it should be pointed out that hydrocarbons are not basically fungible, as we are already starting to discover as oil plateaus before its imminent decline, and no easy substitutes are near at hand. Yes, you can run a gasoline car on natural gas, if the vehicle undergoes an expensive conversion, but if you try putting coal in the tank, you are likely to void the warranty.

[oldpotsmuggler]

Your point is well taken.

On the other hand coal, oil, and natural gas are all among the things that can be burned to generate electricity, all of which would no longer need to be so used if we embark upon meeting the Gore Challenge.

[Pquilson]

The magic words in your post are: "the sort of crash program that Gore has now committed to promoting." Catch that word? Promoting. He and his friends are promoting - trying to cash in. He is not interested in saving this planet. He is, in my opinion, interested only in making as much cash as possible. Otherwise, he would be doing, not simply promoting.

[oldpotsmuggler]

Troll droppings, and light weight at that.

You would have faulted Ghandi because his efforts were noticed by the press.