I picked up this book at the library's NEW section...What a find! Ever since I saw Gore's movie, I've been very troubled about Global Warming...it trumps all other problems on the planet if it destroys the planet! (duh!). The other day I answered a telephone poll as to "what do you feel is the biggest problem facing the world today?" When I answered "Global Warming!" The pollster sounded surprised, like she'd never heard that as an answer before and said, "What?" Global Warming, I repeated. "I'm sorry, did you say, you think _'Global Warming'_ is the biggest problem facing the World today?" "Yes!" I said. Geez, is that so far fetched?
So obviously, despite Gore's fascinating and convincing movie...it still needs more publicity, which, thankfully Laurie David continues to provide in this gem of a book.
My daughter asked the other day, "Mom, what can we do to stop global warming?" Well, now I can quickly offer some tangible things beyond the usual...recycle, drive less, walk more, turn off the lights...because Laurie offers so much more insight as well as many more ideas. She concedes that if we do one thing thinking we're helping, like request paper(uh oh, it cuts down virgin trees)or plastics (Akk! they're made with petroleum oil), she points out alternative consequences can be just as bad on the environment-- so most of all we need to demand recycling be made easy for EVERYONE.
We need to demand leadership from politicians to look for real, long term solutions! Since she wrote the book, thank God we have a new (dem.) chair of the Senate's Environment & Public Works Committe who recognizes the reality of Global Warming. The last, Sen. Jim Inofe(R-OK) refused to accept the science, he instead "led" the Committee into waiting for more evidence! Which sounds a lot like President Bush, who is too closed minded to even watch Gore's movie.
As Laurie notes: Republicans/Democrats/Independents, we ALL need to take action or we will destroy much of the earth in as little as (she predicts to help us get off our butts) 5 more years (judging by the faster- than-expected-rate the polar ice caps are melting).
Laurie, if you're reading this review (and all other interested in finding solutions to the CO2 emmission asap) PLEASE check out a book on the Combustion Engine by Edwin Black. Laurie, I had the same SUV revelation you described when I heard him speak about his new book on CSPAN radio the other evening. But you, Laurie have the power/credibility/connections to do for him what you did for Al Gore's slide show. It could be another, even higher, high point of your career...and just might save the Earth.
I mean who has heard of Edwin Black? Obviously he does not have the name recognition or get the publicity Gore does, though he's been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize 10 times.
Anyway, Black tells FASCINATING, little known tales --going all the way back to ancient civilization--as to how we came to our oil dependency for transportation in the first place which gives so much power to middle eastern states (you may have read in Fast Food Nation how corporate greed destroyed California's clean, cheap trolley system? But did you know that the _original_ clean electric "horseless carriage" invention was discarded in favor of noisy, dirty gasoline burning engines because the dirty, faster going engines were considered more "manly" and it took brute strength to crank them... while the sissy "ladies" electric cars started with just the touch of a button?
And that Thomas Edison was collaborating with Ford on a clean transportation solution and was on the verge of introducing it to clean up all the soot cars were leaving everywhere, when rivals, who favored the dirty engines for economic reasons, burned down (despite fireproof walls!) workshop!
But most important, Black has a very plausible Green Fleet idea: if corporate fleets (Fed Ex, UPS, Postal Services) DEMAND electric cars--he warns that hybrids only postpone the problem--that are NOT oil dependent--the motor companies will build them so fast our heads will spin!
Please check it out, Laurie. It is such an inspiration to me that you've done so much to educate me and millions like me who didn't have a clue.
Thanks for this book and for putting Global Warming on the front page! Please keep going! (P.S. I loved your dedication. I guess we all need to thank Larry David for telling you it would be "Easier to change the world than me!" :)
