I’m in total agreement with you.

While I have not given a ton of attention and energy to taking better care of the environment, I’ve recently realized that there’s no excuse for that and that it’s an important part of who I want to be.

While the prospect of getting rid of my car sounds unworkable right now, I’m not going to rule it out. Furthermore, the simple things we can do are as good for us as they are for the environment because they help us move outside ourselves.

Rebecca, have you heard of the slow food movement?

We have entered what some people are calling the “environmental century.” We have quite a way to go (at least a generation) before the level of environmental literacy is where it needs to be so the memes we have been talking about are deeply rooted into society. 5 years ago did you ever think Al Gore would be putting on a global concert (Live Earth), or that most major magazines have a dedicated “Green Issue.”? We are at the very beginning of a cultural transformation, and the leaders are currently being put in place to get us to where we need to be as fast as possible.

The necessary systemic changes that we need aren’t going to happen overnight, but there are still plenty of individual actions that can be taken by people who are on the leading edge. For everyone else, they will catch up when they lift their head up and realize that everyone around them has become a lean mean green machine.

Anyhoo, it was a global warming awareness thing that was aimed at the pop-culture. You know how one could give to the cause? There was a txt number in which you could text in your 25 to 50 cents or what have you. The message was out, but it was a bunch of more or less popular artists screaming it out mixed with song.

I wasn’t sure what to think of it. My brother’s a climate researcher and economic modeller in London and it scared him and his department to bits. Is this what it’s coming to? hoping teens will txt their support in for global warming? In the end I think they saw it as at least a start, but his concern was that the Global Warming effort would indeed become a joke and media side-project.

Any effort will see a Dip before it really takes off. Sometimes the worst has to happen before people see that change will be slow but necessary.

Furthermore Al Gore has the right idea, mainstreaming the concern – but it’s more than just Global Warming which is TOO LARGE A PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE TOO SEE AS REALISTIC TO CHANGE. One’s more likely to see they can do nothing in the face of such a large problem.

THAT is why it’s about personal initiative, David asks the right questions and the good points about city planning and ecosystem awareness.

@ Dan – i see cars as a necessity, but just in certain parts of my life. I need to rent a car to travel for work once a month, and drive a lot. My girlfriend and I rent to travel cause it’s nicer than Greyhounding. I’ll probably own a car at some point. I see now though, for the time being, it’s totally unnecessary. I like the idea of a motorbike too.

Regarding echo systems, your question is relevant, and I see an “ecosystem-like” series of solutions that will clearly lead us in the right direction.

And it’s obviously stated that no one party or organization is going to be the solver to the problems we face. In all these areas I find us in agreement.

In fact, I’m not concerned about the best intentions of people like you and me at all, I get the impression that you’re actually concerned about improving the world.

However, it’s the “all or nothing” extremist approach that I don’t find to be meaningful. Going back to the car issue. For me that’s like saying we can prevent rape by all refraining from sex. Yes, it will indeed solve that nasty issue of rape, but it also presents some other problems. For some, giving up sex wouldn’t be a big deal at all. After all people do it all the time. I think you know where I’m going with this, so I’ll digress.

I’m not after convincing you. I’m not after convincing Rebecca or anyone else who has the fortitude to bring this issue to the table. She raises three great suggestions. You raised several approaches I haven’t even thought of. The discussion has been a positive one for me.

I am, however, after convincing the nay-sayers. The people who – if you suggested that they give up their SUVs – would laugh or probably maim you and accuse you of talking funny. There are a lot of them out there, in fact I’m pretty sure they out number us. These are the people who don’t believe in global warming. Still others are creating an anti-effort. Not to mention the ignorant.

Recently, I was in a conversation with this girl the other day. She’s a UW graduate. I mentioned Al Gore and she said – I’m not lying here – “Al Gore, isn’t he that French guy?”

Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Did I just hear that?

The message isn’t being received.

Your question of “What do you bring to the table?” is inconsequential to me personally. I trust you’re doing your part, I know I’m doing mine. I don’t see the relevance of convincing one another respectively.

As I said, I’m not after you. I’m after the people who don’t believe at all. Because without their efforts, what we’re doing is only half an effort. Adn for them, it’s going to have to be served up on a plate. A 1-2-3 prepackaged solution. With the car, it’s going to have to be zero emission and still be able to drive up the fictitious mountain all in one. They’re not giving up they’re way of life.

They don’t take well to peer pressure. They don’t want to adjust or inconvenience themselves in anyway to help out. They’re scientists, they’re government officials, business people, they’re integrated in all aspects of society and we have to provide the incremental options that speak to them, while simultaneously adopting the aforementioned ideas into popular culture. Redesigning an entire ecosystem takes time. And while it’s a great long term approach, we need something more immediate and universal.

How are you communicating to them?