Obama speaks at wind turbine manufacturer on Earth Day
In 2008 there seemed to be momentum building for government action on carbon emissions as well as a boom in the alternative energy business. With oil prices at unprecedented levels, and environmental awareness at an all time high, the environmental issue was snowballing, and gaining strength. But, alas, September 2008 abruptly halted the fervor. Banks began collapsing, stock markets were tumbling, and everyone headed for the hills. As a result of the economic crisis, environmental concerns have dropped far down on the list of priorities for many people. Rising unemployment, crime, homeforclosures, and a worldwide recession have dwarfed the environment in terms of immediate importance. If you ask the average joe on the street whether he thinks repairing the economy or repairing the environment is more important, I’m sure you will be laughed at.
However, as I often say, the economy and the environment are not mutually exclusive. All too often people site negative economic impacts when dismissing environmentalism. That thinking needs to change. Barack Obama gave a speech yesterday, to comemmorate Earth Day, in Newton, Iowa, the site of a closed Maytag plant that used to employ around 4,000 people. The site now hosts a wind turbine manufacturer, Trinity Structural Towers. Obama praised the wind energy business, and used the Trinity factory as an example that rebuilding our economy and shifting to cleaner sources of energy are inextricably linked. Green jobs are on the rise, and companies like Trinity are leading the way. Below are two quotes from his speech:
“Now, the choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy,” Obama said. “The choice we face is between prosperity and decline. We can remain the world’s leading importer of oil, or we can become the world’s leading exporter of clean energy.”
“But the bulk of our efforts must focus on unleashing a new, clean-energy economy that will begin to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, will cut our carbon pollution by about 80 percent by 2050 and create millions of new jobs right here in America, right here in Newton,” he said.
That may seem like quite a challenge, and make no mistake, it is. It’s a challenge that will go on for decades. Barack Obama also challenged every American to replace at least one incandescent lightbulb with a energy-efficient flourescent lightbulb. If each person did that, a lot of energy could be saved.
While the President is challenging all of us to save energy, Enchanting Challenge attempts to inspire people into making and undertaking their own challenges. On the Enchanting Challenge website, you can enter your own personal challenge - something as small as recycling, using less plastic, eating locally, changing your lightbulbs - or much larger challenges – volunteering at the homeless shelter, tudoring children after school, reforestation, etc. The possibilities are endless, but the time to act is now. Sign up at www.enchantingchallenge.com and register your challenges!
Tags: alternative energy, barack obama, climate change, earth day, enchanting challenge, green energy, making money, social entrepreneur, t boone pickens, trinity structural towers, volunteer
