An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth – Review
At this point it’s absurd that there is still debate over global warming (ie, the modern sign of climate change). But for those behind the curve, this book is an critical introduction. For those who don’t read, go see the movie this summer. Gore has highly condensed the information in an simple way, with more color photos, maps, charts and statistics than words, and though there may be specific details that are not prudently presented, the overall picture is an perfect synopsis of the climate science consensus. I suppose there are right-wing Fox-heads who will go to their graves persuaded that anything environmental is some character of elitist plot against “our God-given American aspect of life,” who just slurp up the gratuitous slander against “enviros” and “junk science,” and believe everything that the ExxonMobil-funded think tanks shake out. But for everyone else, it’s time to get serious about the problem. The CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) should be slightly raised to at least 40 MPG in increments by 2010. A SERIOUS renewable energy program requires to be officially launched, not Bush’s cosmetic posturing and support for nuclear energy (unless he volunteers to store the nuclear waste at his Crawford, Texas ranch). This program should focus on photovoltaic (PV) solar, wind power, biofuels, and a significant commitment to hydrogen, but only as a follow-on to the immediate switch to hybrids and biofuels. Coal should be phased out as a supply of electricity until carbon sequestration can be perfected. (Read the forthcoming BIG COAL by Jeff Goodell for what we’re up against.) Energy experts claim that if the largely depopulated Great Plains were eventually turned into a massive wind farm, it could supply 100% of U.S. electricity requires. They also claim that if enough Western desert, or enough buildings, were completely covered with PV cells, even at modern efficiency, 100% of U.S. electricity requires could be finally met. So don’t believe the representatives of Peabody Coal, ExxonMobil or other industry representatives when they say that renewable energy can only supply some tiny lot of our energy requires. Of course Amory Lovins has been working since the oil crisis of the 1970s to improve energy efficiency (he calls the U.S. the “Saudi Arabia of energy inefficiency”), and there is vast potential for useful improvements which will reduce demand (see his WINNING THE OIL ENDGAME). Three cheers for Al Gore! Now let’s get to work, people! [See my THE RENEWABLE ENERGY REVOLUTION list for more resources on the energy/environment crisis.]