There was a shift signaled by this speech which those of us who have followed Gore's career for nigh on to 30 years now could not miss. He stopped boosting nukes. He took a baby step away.

In the early days, Oak Ridge was in his district and his constituency was heavily pro-nuke. Young Gore the science wonk backed atomic wonders even more than his father.

This speech is the first MAJOR departure and an acknowledgement that there is no separation between nuclear power and nuclear weapons. THAT IS BIG NEWS.

Maybe eventually he'll acknowledge that nuclear power, or the weapons complex in Oak Ridge, could have contributed as much to his sister's death as tobacco did.

       COMMENTS ON AL GORES NEW PERSUASIVE ` RENEWABLE ENERGY MANIFESTO'  Speech NYU 9-18-06

`Reduce pollution, waste & greenhouse gases heating Earth'    

comment micheal sunanda

Al Gore presented a new National Vision,  the most clear coherent inspiring  overview of Global~warming & greenhouse~gases from man-made tech, natural sources & solutions a democrat has even made?  His AIT movie lacked many practical solutions, but implied we must conserve energy, stop wasting & polluting our delicate natural environments or suffer the consequences of more terrible ecospasms.   Now he reminds me of James Lovelock the "Gaia theory" guru's new book "The Revenge of Gaia" - but Gore has more balanced solutions, both knowing debates will be argued for years on them.  But Al seems aiming for President in '08, maybe? & he'll keep promoting saving nature, energy & our health from vast pollution.
           So now Al is very pro-renewable energy sources to reduce our pollution causing climate-crisis ASAP.   He's promoting more practical-options for US energy efficient future. I've ever read or heard in 25 years.  He omits true costs of the energy options now in favor of a spirited plea to for `positive visions' of conserving energy in renewable ways on large scale.  It seems better than pro-conservation Carter programs on national scale.  Gore even promotes abolishing US income tax & taxing pollution instead, brilliant.  But  I believe `climate & oil crisis' will have to hit hard & deep first before we localize, naturalize & power-down like Cuba did in their `long emergency'.  Of course Al's pushing `US energy independence' from importing expensive oil from mid-east & Venezuela.
         He's promoting small windmills, solar power PV panels,  ethanol &  bio-diesel fuels for hybrid cars.   He mentions `nuclear power' to replace very polluting coal-burning electric power generation, ignoring the toxic nuclear waste & dangers of it.  He says Nukes cost a fortune taking years to build & carry risks of atomic bombs & terrorism, while ignoring the `terrorism' issue.  He recommends "Carbon saving" & sinking/burying it.  That's linked to European & American auto, gas, coal, oil & nuclear industries becoming more energy efficient & less polluting, being "taxed for C02 production".  However he omitted most local options of real energy conservation at home & community cooperation.  Those are happening more in cities & towns tree-planting & recycling now more voluntary than the Feds  who keep paying for war-making "Toxic Texan & Corps" killer mega-profits.  
           Gore's solutions pushes for energy industry conversion to renewables from polluting, the worst being coal.  He suggests building with & retro-fitting energy efficient insulations & "carbon zero/neutral" industries & business.  His proposing petro-fuels from vast farming crops of biomass seems wasting needed farm-lands for food, not to burn fueling our mania for long -fast transit.  Like Lovelock, he contradicts himself sometimes,  on Nukes & farming.  We need to stop deforesting our wilderness, but  they're publishing books on paper from trees logged from  wilderness  that's needed for cooling earth.  
         I don't expect his perfection, with dramatic prose to motivate our awareness & desire to stop wasting.   We must  become more efficient - recycling massively.  Al misses how we recycled during WW2 when `hemp farming for fiber' was legalized for strong rope & clothe in US military.  A 1000 options are possible, most are local.  I hope Gore knows about organic farming in Cuba & US,  instead of farming  biofuels & agribiz chemo-farming polluting our waters, soil, food & air.  We need state sponsored organic farming & recycling resources.

my Oness press > PRIMAL INSTINCTS Organic Health Awareness zine #3 on raw & macrobitic foods, Chi-kung, naturaliving & Permaculture living

WEDNESDAY, February 21, 2007
12:30 - 2:00 PM
National Academies of Science
500 5th st
Washington, DC 20001
Keck 100 Conference Room
Climate Engineering: Aladdin's Lamp or Pandora's Box?

Scientists and citizens alike are concerned about our ability to curb greenhouse gas emissions and the serious implications of global warming. At this public seminar, panelists will discuss whether climate engineering (a.k.a. geoengineering) offers a potential solution to global warming and whether future research should explore the possibility.

The seminar will provide speakers with 10-15 minutes to present their opinions followed by a moderated question and answer session.

No report or summary will be produced from this seminar.

Featured Speakers Not Yet Confirmed.