Futurism Now

Two main things in this episode: How best to mitigate climate change through Congress, and jobs and energy--specifically renewable energy as discussed at the National Clean Energy Summit (website here).

See the news items I discussed on the FN news site here.

The most disappointing was that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton OK'd the Alberta Clipper pipeline that was discussed last week. There is also new evidence that the methane in the oceans is beginning to bubble to the surface. Methane is a super-potent greenhouse gas that is stored in very cold slushy pools at the bottoms of the oceans and now, it's escaping. And it's not just methane.

Research finds higher acidity in Alaska waters

The Age of Stupid, will launch in America on September 21st 2009 from a solar-powered cinema tent in New York LIVE to over 400 movie theatres across the country. This One Night Only live event is your only chance to see The Age of Stupid on the big screen and is timed for the day before the UN's climate meeting on September 22nd, when 80 Heads of State - and therefore the world's media - will gather in New York. This movie also kicks off the UN's Climate Week.

Speakers from the Direct Carbon Pricing senate briefing on July 13, 2009:

• James Hansen, PhD: Leading climate scientist


• Robert Shapiro, PhD: Co-Founder and Chairman, Sonecon; former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs; economist, author


• Prof. Janet E. Milne, JD: Professor of Law, Vermont Law School, author of "The Reality of Carbon Taxes in the 21st Century"


• Cecil Corbin-Mark, Deputy Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Co-Coordinator, Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on Climate Change


• Moderated by Brent Blackwelder, PhD: President, Friends of the Earth

The National Clean Energy Summit 2.0 was the real dog and pony show. Half of the people there were hawking their particular form of energy they have invested in, in their attempts to sell it to us. Some of it was very good, such as the real renewable energy like solar. The other people there played supporting roles, except for Bill Clinton and Al Gore and a few others. There were many speakers, it was hours and hours long, and this episode only plays a few excerpts from the following.

• Denise Bode - CEO, American Wind Energy Association


• Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)


• Secretary Steven Chu - U.S. Department of Energy


• Former Vice President Al Gore


• Rose McKinney James - Energy Foundation


• John Woolard - President and CEO, Bright Source Energy


• Steve Roell - Chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls


• Former Senator Tim Wirth (D-CO) - United Nations Foundation, Moderator

Music: Waterslide by The Bonedaddys and Rush, 2112 with Lessons at the end. (Yes, I just saw I Love You, Man, which contains "Waterslide" and mucho Rush, hilariously, though not this stuff.)