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Not Bad Timing: Obama Annouces White House Solar Right Before Giant Global Day of Climate Solutions (10/10/10)
Oct 05, 2010
Looking back a few weeks, we were bitterly disappointed when the White House failed to act on our request that they put solar panels back on the roof.
But in truth, I'm almost happy that they waited. Today's announcement that the Obamas will be taking their showers and cooking their breakfast courtesy of the sun could not have come at a better moment. We're four days away from the start of the weekend's giant Global Work Party, and this is the perfect example of everything that we've been talking about for almost a year: it demonstrates the power of individual actions to carry political impact.
People get that. It's why this weekend's big day of work is looking to be even bigger than last year's rally, which CNN called 'the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history.' As of this morning, we had 6227 actions in 185 countries. If you know folks in Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, or East Timor, encourage them to round the total out (We've pretty much given up on North Korea). It's going to be an amazing day--sumo wrestlers riding bikes in Tokyo, Filipinos replanting mangrove forests, and the president of the Maldives putting up his solar panel.
Would we rather have comprehensive climate legislation? We would--which is why, on Sunday, people will put down their hammers and shovels, pick up their cellphones, and in all those countries call their presidents, prime ministers, Politburos to say: 'I'm getting to work, what about you?'
And when they call the White House, they'll be able to add: 'Thanks for making a real start.'
Are you signed up for an event near you this Sunday? www.350.org
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Bill Mckibben
Bill McKibben is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and co-founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. His most recent book is "Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?." He also authored "The End of Nature," "Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet," and "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future."
Looking back a few weeks, we were bitterly disappointed when the White House failed to act on our request that they put solar panels back on the roof.
But in truth, I'm almost happy that they waited. Today's announcement that the Obamas will be taking their showers and cooking their breakfast courtesy of the sun could not have come at a better moment. We're four days away from the start of the weekend's giant Global Work Party, and this is the perfect example of everything that we've been talking about for almost a year: it demonstrates the power of individual actions to carry political impact.
People get that. It's why this weekend's big day of work is looking to be even bigger than last year's rally, which CNN called 'the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history.' As of this morning, we had 6227 actions in 185 countries. If you know folks in Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, or East Timor, encourage them to round the total out (We've pretty much given up on North Korea). It's going to be an amazing day--sumo wrestlers riding bikes in Tokyo, Filipinos replanting mangrove forests, and the president of the Maldives putting up his solar panel.
Would we rather have comprehensive climate legislation? We would--which is why, on Sunday, people will put down their hammers and shovels, pick up their cellphones, and in all those countries call their presidents, prime ministers, Politburos to say: 'I'm getting to work, what about you?'
And when they call the White House, they'll be able to add: 'Thanks for making a real start.'
Are you signed up for an event near you this Sunday? www.350.org
Bill Mckibben
Bill McKibben is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and co-founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. His most recent book is "Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?." He also authored "The End of Nature," "Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet," and "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future."
Looking back a few weeks, we were bitterly disappointed when the White House failed to act on our request that they put solar panels back on the roof.
But in truth, I'm almost happy that they waited. Today's announcement that the Obamas will be taking their showers and cooking their breakfast courtesy of the sun could not have come at a better moment. We're four days away from the start of the weekend's giant Global Work Party, and this is the perfect example of everything that we've been talking about for almost a year: it demonstrates the power of individual actions to carry political impact.
People get that. It's why this weekend's big day of work is looking to be even bigger than last year's rally, which CNN called 'the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history.' As of this morning, we had 6227 actions in 185 countries. If you know folks in Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, or East Timor, encourage them to round the total out (We've pretty much given up on North Korea). It's going to be an amazing day--sumo wrestlers riding bikes in Tokyo, Filipinos replanting mangrove forests, and the president of the Maldives putting up his solar panel.
Would we rather have comprehensive climate legislation? We would--which is why, on Sunday, people will put down their hammers and shovels, pick up their cellphones, and in all those countries call their presidents, prime ministers, Politburos to say: 'I'm getting to work, what about you?'
And when they call the White House, they'll be able to add: 'Thanks for making a real start.'
Are you signed up for an event near you this Sunday? www.350.org
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