Comments maxgladwell has made
Idiot Tax
Those who drive gas guzzlers and who live in McMansions in the suburbs they can't afford are now paying an idiot tax: http://www.maxgladwell.com/2008/06/idiot-tax-the-penalty- ...
Shareholders of GM and Ford, companies that didn't see the writing on the wall and failed to prepare for this (letting the dumb market dictate their products) are also paying idiot taxes (idiot losses).
There are so many repeated themes with the energy and mortgage crisis. They bought vehicles that they could only afford when gas prices were low; and they bought houses that they could only afford when money was cheap and easy to get. Now economics are catching up with everyone.
Unfortunately, these taxes are going to foreign governments as oil profits, which they use to purchase US assets like banks, which were distressed from the mortgage crisis. It's an ugly and vicious cycle.
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Energy prices posted 1 year, 5 months ago 6 ResponsesObama on climate change & alt fuels
He's been way ahead on these issues: http://www.maxgladwell.com/2008/06/the-green-pioneers-cle ...
He made a speech at an alt-fuel filling station in LA a year ago where he spoke of his agenda on climate change and alternative fuels.
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On What does Barack Obama think of McCain's conviction on climate change? posted 1 year, 5 months ago 3 ResponsesSoftening up the Republicans
This was a sparring round to see where the weaknesses were. It will provide some fodder for the November election...in favor of the Dems. It lacked sufficient teeth, anyway. We'll revisit a much stronger version under the Obama administration with a larger majority in both houses.
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Quick post-mortem on Lieberman-Warner posted 1 year, 5 months ago 5 ResponsesCourage
I'm an Obama supporter. But Hillary showed tremendous courage today. None of us knows what it's like to work that hard and come that close to achieving your goals and making history, certainly not anything like what she's been thru. She's served this nation well and will continue to do so. I would have been happy to have her as the Dem candidate, though I'm more pleased with Obama. Anyone who sees major policy differences between the two is fooling themselves. Obama's edge is in his message, charisma, and the symbol he represents for us and the world. He's the true change agent, but we still would have seen tremendous change for the better with HRC.
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Hillary Clinton posted 1 year, 5 months ago 21 ResponsesNuclear Re-Branding
Our contribution to this debate: http://www.maxgladwell.com/2008/06/nuclear-energy-needs-a ...
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On The latest sorties in the war over nuclear power posted 1 year, 5 months ago 43 ResponsesHow much energy do we need?
Any discussion about energy should start with how much we need and will need over the next 50 years. This data from Professor Nate Lewis (http://nsl.caltech.edu/files/energy.ppt) of Cal Tech is the best I've seen. Though it's a few years old, most of the numbers are still accurate. We need to add a lot of TW of capacity while reducing GHG emissions. One can take the idealistic approach and hope that renewables will not only be able to provide ALL of this extra capacity but also replace all of the current fossil-fuel capacity...when it only accounts for 1% so far. Or we can get real.
What happens when cars switch to electric? That isn't even factored into Lewis' numbers. Where will energy come from when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't out? I know, storage devices that haven't been invented yet.
With oil at $135/barrel, all low-carbon options should be on the table. How many people have died from nuclear accidents in the industry's 50-year history? Exactly 58, all from Chernobyl. How many have died from fossil-fuel-related pollution? How many will die from it in the future? Nuclear won't play a big role simply b/c there isn't that much fuel available. But we do know that nuclear can supply a given amount of base-load capacity. With renewables there is much more unknown than known. Do we err on the side of caution and build new nuclear power plants or do we err on the side of optimism and hope that renewables will fill the void, while risking rolling blackouts or worse...more coal plants?
Our low-carbon energy future will be a patchwork. Nuclear will be a part of it. So will wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro, ocean wave, and carbon sequestration (among others, we hope).
MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On The latest sorties in the war over nuclear power posted 1 year, 6 months ago 43 ResponsesIs it a "green" issue?
I'm just wondering if people are going to criticize this issue for not being printed on recycled paper (I'm assuming it's not). I've been in a number of debates lately on this issue, what with it being "Green Issue" season and all, and my opinion is this: these are news organizations that are doing valuable reporting on important issues surrounding sustainability and climate change. However, the token effort to produce these so-called green issues on recycled paper would be meaningless in the absence of a company-wide sustainability effort and would actually qualify as greenwashing.
I appreciate the efforts of media like Time and Vanity Fair to cover these issues simply because they are relevant and important (like the Iraq war or Darfur or the '08 election). But I don't expect them to throw us a bone with one issue of recycled paper, only to go back to virgin stock the next month. Mainstream media is a HUGE part of the solution; its reach is invaluable. But we also have to realize that these are HUGE corporations that will find their way to sustainability sooner or later one way or another. Should we pressure them? Absolutely. Should we settle for one issue per year on recycled paper? Hell no. Should we call them hypocrites for reporting on green issues when the issue and the company itself are not green? No. Because they're not hypocrites. They don't claim to be green. They are just reporting on it. And the net impact of that reporting can be 1000X the value of Time-Warner itself going green.
www.MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Mag's green issue exalts cap-and-trade posted 1 year, 7 months ago 11 ResponsesEverything is Connected
That's the point of it all.
A movement "that views the existential threat of global warming as a chance to change the way we treat ourselves and the planet."
People "want joy, not guilt; and a little money in their pocket so that they don't have to trade down on yet one more thing in their life."
"You can choose not to work with corporations, but then what's your solution?"
"Green puts the planet at the center of the dialogue. BLUE puts people at the center."
"BLUE integrates all four streams of sustainability: social, cultural, economic, and environmental."
"We live in a consumer-driven economy. We can either deny it or try to leverage it. Denying hasn't gotten us very far."
"A lifestyle movement requires the construction of a set of practices that make up the way we wish to live our lives."
"I'm proposing that we meet most people where they're at today: as busy, complex humans looking to do the best thing for their family and themselves."
"Corporations and consumerism can be vehicles for change...by transforming businesses, products and communications to improve people's lives...and radically dematerializing and de-carbonizing the products they sell."
"We need shoppers to lead the companies from the bottom as emerging regulations press them from the top."
"I want to suggest three Ps: Price, Process, and Purpose:
Price: First, we need to democratize sustainability and make it available to everyone. You shouldn't have to be rich to be sustainable.
Purpose: What's the purpose of what you're buying? First, do you need it? Does it fit into the healthy practices in your life?
Process: What was the process to make the product? Was it energy intensive? Did it use pesticides or petroleum? Were the workers paid a fair wage? How will it be disposed of?"
www.MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Adam Werbach follows up 'Death of Environmentalism' with 'Birth of Blue' posted 1 year, 7 months ago 46 ResponsesConnection to poverty
I liked how Gore made the connection between the climate crisis and poverty. It was a great addition to the presentation.
www.MaxGladwell.com The Nexus of Social Media and Green Living
On Al Gore at TED posted 1 year, 7 months ago 18 Responses