Captain Compassion
2007-05-07 06:05:56 UTC
Gore sees 'spiritual crisis' in warming
Web Posted: 05/05/2007 11:12 PM CDT
Anton Caputo
Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050607.01B.gore.35aecd4.html
Playing equal parts visionary, cheerleader and comedian, Al Gore
brought his message of how to fight global warming to a capacity crowd
of receptive architects Saturday in San Antonio.
The former vice president referred continually to a "new way of
thinking" that is emerging in the country and offered hope in the
battle to control the effects global warming will have on the planet.
"It's in part a spiritual crisis," Gore told the crowd in the
Convention Center at the American Institute of Architects national
convention. "It's a crisis of our own self-definition who we are.
Are we creatures destined to destroy our own species? Clearly not."
Global warming is the heating of the Earth caused in large part by
man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Most
scientists agree such warming and the changing climate that comes with
it will likely cause a number of problems and crises this century,
particularly in developing countries that have few resources to combat
the effects.
These looming problems involve flooding and severe coastal erosion
from rising seas and increasingly severe storms, more common and
prolonged drought, and changes in the growing seasons and migration
patterns of many wild species.
Gore told the architects they are in a unique position to help solve
the problems by continuing to push building standards and methods that
conserve energy and water. The message was in line with the focus of
this year's AIA conference, titled "Growing Beyond Green."
Gore, seen by some as a polarizing political figure, has long
championed environmental issues. In 1992, he wrote the best-selling
book "Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit," and he won
an Academy Award this year for his film "An Inconvenient Truth."
His speech was often interrupted by thunderous applause and explosive
laughter from the several thousand architects who packed the
Convention Center's ballroom.
"I used to be the next president of the United States," Gore
deadpanned to the laughing crowd as he introduced himself. "I don't
find that funny. Put yourself in my position. I flew in Air Force Two
for eight years. Now I have to take off my shoes to get on an
airplane."
In between jokes, Gore called for a change in thinking about climate
issues and the pollution that causes global warming. He was especially
critical of the business community's current focus on quarterly
profits at the expense of sustainable business practices.
"That's functionally insane, but that is the dominant reality in the
world today," Gore said.
This struck a chord with the architects at Saturday's event because
many environmentally friendly building practices cost more upfront,
which makes them a harder sell, but end up costing much less over the
lifetime of a building.
Gore's speech came on the heels of a report issued by the United
Nations' International Panel on Climate Change that concluded cutting
greenhouse gas emissions enough to eliminate the worst impacts of
climate change is affordable. The international group put the cost at
0.12 percent of economic growth each year.Among the solutions Gore
touted Saturday were a cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide. This
is the method of controlling greenhouse gases pushed by the
international Kyoto Protocol, an international effort to fight global
warming that the United Sates chose not to join in 2001.
Gore also called for a business pollution tax that would be used to
offset or eliminate employment and payroll taxes and for the creation
of a federal mortgage institution that would help offset the cost of
building environmentally friendly homes.
On the request of Gore's media handlers, Saturday's event was closed
to the media. Because of the importance of the issue and Gore's
status, the San Antonio Express-News chose to cover it anyway.
--
There may come a time when the CO2 police will wander the earth telling
the poor and the dispossed how many dung chips they can put on their
cook fires. -- Captain Compassion.
Wherever I go it will be well with me, for it was well with me here, not
on account of the place, but of my judgments which I shall carry away
with me, for no one can deprive me of these; on the contrary, they alone
are my property, and cannot be taken away, and to possess them suffices
me wherever I am or whatever I do. -- EPICTETUS
"Civilization is the interval between Ice Ages." -- Will Durant.
"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant
Joseph R. Darancette
***@NOSPAMcharter.net
Web Posted: 05/05/2007 11:12 PM CDT
Anton Caputo
Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050607.01B.gore.35aecd4.html
Playing equal parts visionary, cheerleader and comedian, Al Gore
brought his message of how to fight global warming to a capacity crowd
of receptive architects Saturday in San Antonio.
The former vice president referred continually to a "new way of
thinking" that is emerging in the country and offered hope in the
battle to control the effects global warming will have on the planet.
"It's in part a spiritual crisis," Gore told the crowd in the
Convention Center at the American Institute of Architects national
convention. "It's a crisis of our own self-definition who we are.
Are we creatures destined to destroy our own species? Clearly not."
Global warming is the heating of the Earth caused in large part by
man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Most
scientists agree such warming and the changing climate that comes with
it will likely cause a number of problems and crises this century,
particularly in developing countries that have few resources to combat
the effects.
These looming problems involve flooding and severe coastal erosion
from rising seas and increasingly severe storms, more common and
prolonged drought, and changes in the growing seasons and migration
patterns of many wild species.
Gore told the architects they are in a unique position to help solve
the problems by continuing to push building standards and methods that
conserve energy and water. The message was in line with the focus of
this year's AIA conference, titled "Growing Beyond Green."
Gore, seen by some as a polarizing political figure, has long
championed environmental issues. In 1992, he wrote the best-selling
book "Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit," and he won
an Academy Award this year for his film "An Inconvenient Truth."
His speech was often interrupted by thunderous applause and explosive
laughter from the several thousand architects who packed the
Convention Center's ballroom.
"I used to be the next president of the United States," Gore
deadpanned to the laughing crowd as he introduced himself. "I don't
find that funny. Put yourself in my position. I flew in Air Force Two
for eight years. Now I have to take off my shoes to get on an
airplane."
In between jokes, Gore called for a change in thinking about climate
issues and the pollution that causes global warming. He was especially
critical of the business community's current focus on quarterly
profits at the expense of sustainable business practices.
"That's functionally insane, but that is the dominant reality in the
world today," Gore said.
This struck a chord with the architects at Saturday's event because
many environmentally friendly building practices cost more upfront,
which makes them a harder sell, but end up costing much less over the
lifetime of a building.
Gore's speech came on the heels of a report issued by the United
Nations' International Panel on Climate Change that concluded cutting
greenhouse gas emissions enough to eliminate the worst impacts of
climate change is affordable. The international group put the cost at
0.12 percent of economic growth each year.Among the solutions Gore
touted Saturday were a cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide. This
is the method of controlling greenhouse gases pushed by the
international Kyoto Protocol, an international effort to fight global
warming that the United Sates chose not to join in 2001.
Gore also called for a business pollution tax that would be used to
offset or eliminate employment and payroll taxes and for the creation
of a federal mortgage institution that would help offset the cost of
building environmentally friendly homes.
On the request of Gore's media handlers, Saturday's event was closed
to the media. Because of the importance of the issue and Gore's
status, the San Antonio Express-News chose to cover it anyway.
--
There may come a time when the CO2 police will wander the earth telling
the poor and the dispossed how many dung chips they can put on their
cook fires. -- Captain Compassion.
Wherever I go it will be well with me, for it was well with me here, not
on account of the place, but of my judgments which I shall carry away
with me, for no one can deprive me of these; on the contrary, they alone
are my property, and cannot be taken away, and to possess them suffices
me wherever I am or whatever I do. -- EPICTETUS
"Civilization is the interval between Ice Ages." -- Will Durant.
"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant
Joseph R. Darancette
***@NOSPAMcharter.net