The US used this Copenhagen climate-talk week to unveil a $350 million dollar plan to boost the use of carbon reducing technologies in developing countries. <\/p>\n
My reaction: More, please.<\/p>\n
Increasingly, it’s clear that very few of the world’s citizens are willing to make the sacrifices needed to cut greenhouse gases by the necessary amount. <\/p>\n
Forget about the naysayers and Doubting Thomases.<\/p>\n
I, for one, am absolutely convinced that global warming is real, with dire consequences. But have I changed my behavior much? <\/p>\n
Nope.<\/p>\n
I know quite a few passionate environmentalists. <\/p>\n
Even they remain pretty sanguine about their families’ multiples cars, long-distance air flight vacations, and other carbon belching indulgences.<\/p>\n
Put simply, guilt about climate damage is not a strong enough lever to motivate significant grassroots lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n
Even those videos of polar bears plummeting from the skies aren’t doing the trick.<\/p>\n
So what do we do? We innovate.<\/p>\n
Yes, the US should continue to pressure the big polluters to clean up. A carbon tax is one possible model. <\/p>\n
But the big investment — and the full-court political press — should go into technological change. <\/p>\n
Smart grids, electric cars, wind, solar, hydro. The mantra should be progress, not punishment.<\/p>\n
Americans will buy into a new, green way of life only if the changes make our lives better at the same time that they protect the environment. <\/p>\n
To get there fast, state and Federal governments should double down on their investments in efficiency, renewable energy, and green technology.<\/p>\n