350.org's Bill McKibben on David Letterman: Put Solar on the White House on 10/10/10

[johnBolenbaugh]

PLEASE WATCH (JOHN BOLENBAUGH ENBRIDGE KILLS US ONE BY ONE) TO SEE THE TAR SAND TRUTH

[settinitstraightmate]

350.org is a trick operation funded by the rockafellas!

[pwnyourpuzzhole]

the shape of bill mckibben's head is messed up

[Dodger481]

Yes. Objective global warming science examined in a neutral manner performed by Mckibbens Mongloids while protesting outside the whitehouse. Too bad their is no statistically signifigant warming to back up the BS theory. It's warm somewhere and cool somewhere else, it's called nature and it has happened with or without carbon.

[inrwizards]

11drmich, that's a good point. I look at stadistics and I'm convinced that global warming's a bunch of bs, but it's not a bad idea 2 do what u can. Some ppl actually like fcking up the enviroment as a way of saying "fuck those tree huggers." I say if u can avoid making a mess, then please do. Though I wish Dave would stop having all these idiots on sincce they always say the same fucking thing.

[mphello]

To the brainless subhuman AGW-denying morons who think that taking swift action against climate change will "unfairly" decrease their freedom to raise sea levels and force millions to go homeless and starve from dying crops,

why aren't you doing something about fighting for people's freedom to punch a police officer who interferes with our freedom not to be stopped and questioned by them, huh?

Reason: because you are fascist-loving thugs, just like the cops themselves.

[mphello]

You can't claim to be apolitical in your "scientific" thinking

and then immediately start your AGW-denying rants with some slur against socialism and socialists. That just proves you're full of shit.

If you believe in everybody needs to come together to solve these problems,

then you had damned well better work with socialists and communists, too.

[mphello]

If you don't like people using the law to force change like these

environmentalists do, then you have no right to complain

if people do the hard work themselves and take the law into their

own hands and use violent force that way.

[mphello]

If you don't like people working hard like these environmentalists do

and getting rewarded financially and environmentally

(cleaner water, crops) for their hard work and sacrifice,

then you have no right to complain if people get handouts to survive.

[mphello]

I'm not a cap and trader. By no means. But typical conservatives oppose making even the slightest change in their behavior and consumption: like going vegan and not having kids. That's because conservatives don't take responsibility for the consequences of actions. And conservatives are extremist law-and-order religionists, but only if the law impacts somebody else's behavior, and for no good reason (censoring free speech, anti-marijuana-choice, anti-abortion laws).

[mphello]

Where I live in the USA (NJ), summers of 2010, 2009, 2008 did NOT feel unusually hot compared to any summers in the past. And, yet, I STILL KNOW THAT AGW IS REAL, SERIOUS, AND HAPPENING NOW! I trust those who actually TAKE MEASUREMENTS GLOBALLY. I don't just cherry pick MY personal experience / feelings. Unlike the deniers, who base all their climate "expertise" upon what they feel as they stick their heads into the freezer to shove more ice cream into their guts.

[rosihantu1]

Making a profit is not the problem. Having too many kids is.

[jimrennison1]

Using numbers from the US DOE, China alone will be emitting ~25Gt CO2 by yr 2050, in a 'bus. as usual' scenario, or ~19Gt in an 'extreme austerity' scenario. This ignores The other 2 economies which will have surpassed the US in CO2 emissions by then. Compare that with GLOBAL CO2 emissions of a mere 8Gt for the yr 2005 from CDIAC. Given the reality of the above numbers, which are NOT contested, what kind of fool could possibly believe that it's possible to trim CO2 emissions by ANY amount?

[zacho3432]

Sooo what IF (which it clearly isn't) global warming is a big hoax and we accidentally save species, save rainforests, create energy independence, reduce pollution, create cleaner cities, clean up the air, create new green jobs, and leave this planet in a better position than we found it? Is that so bad?? And what, we spent a little money along the way? In my mind, that goes a lot further then spending the money on wars and oil...

[jimrennison1]

@zacho3432 The AGW Fairy Tale scare will accomplish NONE of the goals you outlined. NOTHING of lasting value is EVER built upon a foundation of BULLSHIT. It will only enrich the already rich and reduce freedom for those who are now free.

[valerieearth]

@ Rimland Thesis, "...people who study past climates (paleoclimatologists) do this by looking at things like ice, trees, and muck from lake or ocean bottoms." More info on how they do that at Climate Change North Background 5 How Do We Know?

[nodlezfodlez]

considering I went to elementary school with his daughter and therefore used to see him at school this is so surreal

[RimlandThesis]

holy fuck !

climate records don't exist before industrialization

and the planet is 6 billion years old

so... i don't really think we know what the hell is going on

[ulooklikeadope]

Who ever believes this Climate nonsense is an idiot!

[mambrady]

Before you go bashing letterman, if you look at all the environmentalists that Dave has had on his widely viewed show, you might change your tune. Letterman has publicly stated that he's scared to death of global warming and incredibly discouraged by government's lack of action and concern; this is why he has these scientists, activists and authors on his show- to raise public awareness and educate. I think in this show he's sounding jaded because of all the political inaction he's seen.

[jimrennison1]

@mambrady "Letterman has publicly stated that he's scared to death of global warming "

And yet he still flies around in a private jet, making more CO2 emissions in a couple of hours of travel than an average person does in a couple of YEARS.

[Waltuo]

Why is it that Letterman always comes across as a complete self-centered douchebag? Yes,it is supposed to be a light-hearted program with laughs and all, but what good does it do to try to reverse all the points this gentleman makes about the climate? Hey,if it takes 60 years it surely isn't worth doing in Lettermans opinion,his old ass will be long gone by then anyway! Besides,his sponsors and rich friends might get angry.Look up corporate tool on dictionary, and you'll see this dickheads face.

[issyco1]

Thank you, David Letterman, for having Bill McKibben on to talk about 350.org and what we need to do to save our planet. We can start a world wide movement to get away from creating carbon in our atmosphere. And we must! If our elected officials don't want to help us do this, then we must kick them out of office and get leaders that care about our world as much as we do!

[issyco1]

Thank heavens for Bill McKibben! Hopefully, this climate change information will help us see the light and give up using gas and oil to power our lives. What will it take? The warmest decade on record! Join 350.org and try to help us get back to that number! Otherwise, we are all doomed!

[workinoutgirl]

Then, what about the cows and other livestock they have mentioned as to bringing about the most obscene amount of methane? What can we do about that?

[medialies100]

I often wonder, by saving the planet, do we really mean saving our time on this planet? If global warming plays out as science suggests, would the earth actually decay and die? or are we just scrambling to save ourselves and the time we have on this planet? if its all just about keeping us here another few thousand years, i say fuck it, lets burn co2 until we extinct ourselves and let poor old mother nature start fresh.

[mphello]

@medialies100 Obviously, "the world" is just a metaphor for "sufficiently higher life". The ball of rock will still always be here, as well as quadrillions of microbes and fungi and insects.  When people say "save the world", do they really have to spell what they really mean every time?

[Gaiaseyeforbeauty]

Samrye...Dont worry,these climate change deniers are funded by the fossil fuel industy and related oil revenue dependent states, autocratic islamic governments.

They use super computers to monitor the Web

to nefariously delay any meaningful attempts to address our GH gas crisis.

Good luck. 

[Gaiaseyeforbeauty]

One thing you'll never hear the US corporatocracy talk about is the wests dangerous US $ / oil connection as it relates to appeasing Islam and any meaningful climate change action.

OPEC's deal to sell oil only in US $ is allowing America to print money endlessly as oil purchasers help dilute what would be an inflationary policy at home globaly making inflation more managable.

No meaningful sustainable energy initiatives globaly as long as America has this short sighted deal.

[GoodStarStuff]

Come-on Americans you'll believe anything .. you really need to grow up & stop doing that. The globe might be warming or not depending on whos interpretation of the data you listen too... but in reality that doesnt matter... the only question is 'did man do it'... & I think not. I say that becuase no one on this planet has put forward any scientific evidence whatsover that increased CO2 increases global temperature. If you think there is such evidence I suggest you reveal it or its source now !

[samrye81]

@GoodStarStuff - have you kept your eyes well away from any scientific journals for the last 20 years? Start with Al Gore's Doco and then take your head out of the sand. It's people much like yourself who are mitigating the demise of our planet.

[lwagnerseq39]

Hocus Pocus! Another alarmist who has his own agenda! Dave is a simpleton.

[BrianWheatley69]

Between 1945 and 1974 during the greatest period of industrialisation this world has seen, the Earth cooled!!!!! If it was carbon, why did the Earth cool?

Temperatures go up and down. To assume it is man that is causing it is a dangerous assumption. From 1880 to 1914 the earth cooled. From 1915 to 1945 the Earth warmed. From 1945 to 1974 it cooled, from 1975 to 1998 it warmed. Since then it has not warmed. Check out the sun spot cycles and there is more correlation with that than with carbon.

[0414630414]

I'm afraid levels of co2 has never been proven as a driver for global warming or climate change. I challenge Bill and any other like minded person to show us all the proof.

[samrye81]

@0414630414 - so you're saying Nasa's Climatologists are wrong?

[500Wetlands]

you should be thanking Bill for his work Dave, since you have obviously given up.

[MoineBoudeur]

Letterman took the step of putting this issue in his public arena which is a sign of how bad things are going!

There are people still stuck with the notion that any change in our way of life would cripple the economy. How about thinking people would be "recycled", that is employed in the new greener economy, thus crippling nothing or no one except those who won't budge because no argument whatsoever would make them budge.

[crystalpeters]

Overpopulation is the underlying cause of global warming. If we could offer women around the world education and birth control and encourage people to have only 2 children per couple we could tackle this problem. Recycling and wind/solar energy are fantastic but won't make that great a difference if the world's population continues to exponentially grow...

[goog2k]

We can get off most fossil fuels within 20-30 years if we put a concerted effort into solar, wind, fuel cells, electric cars, algae biofuels, and new nuclear technologies.

We also need a new national smart power grid to move electricity.

We can use a carbon tax on fossil fuels to pay for it, and it'll provide millions of JOBS that can't be exported.

Europe & China are ALREADY doing this and America will lose out in future green energy technologies, if we don't.

We owe it to our grandchildren.

[goog2k]

WHAT COOLING?

NOAA, July 15, 2010: June & Year-to-Date Global Temperatures were WARMEST on record

* The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for June 2010 was the warmest on record at 61.1°F (16.2°C), which is 1.22°F (0.68°C) above the 20th century average of 59.9°F (15.5°C).

* The global June land surface temperature was 1.93°F (1.07°C) above the 20th century average of 55.9 °F (13.3°C) — the warmest on record.

(BTW, UAH skeptic Dr. Christy, has 2010 2nd warmest by 0.07C)

[goog2k]

@NoCarbonTax Oops!!!

Those are U.S. Temperatures you IDIOT! The U.S. comprises a little over 2% of the earth's surface.

So are you just totally ignorant or a deliberate LIAR?

Duhh???

[NoCarbonTax]

I can't believe I once believed this nonsense. Check out U.S. temperature records for the 1930's, the hottest decade of last century. Check out 'satellite-gate', U.S government now admits faulty NOAA satellites have been overestimating temperatures for the last decade. Measurements of 612 degrees Fahrenheit in Wisconsin are driving up global averages.

Solar and wind energy is expensive and unreliable and will cripple our economies and civilization. Chinese use solar hot water, whoopee, so what.

[eccemarco]

Agree., At minute 7 Dave overlooks that our food is heavily dependant on oil throughout the whole production chain,

[bhikshuni]

Dave is WRONG at 7:10!

GROWING one's on food CAN cut LOADS of petroleum energy demand (transport, packaging, etc.)!

[justinhaaheim]

9:44 amen.

[11drmich]

Whether you believe the science of global warming or not, being a good steward of our earth's resources is a good idea for all conservatives, liberals, and any other label you want to call out. Let's do great things together and be innovative. It's fun!!

[james7mmwby]

I am not a climate change denier, there is climate change. Don't blame humanity 100% for its causes. Typical Liberal self loathing guilt. Humanity has an influence to be sure but is not the only reason. If you don't question authority than you are just a subject. Now go piss off and eat some tofu, smoke some weed, ass fuck or what ever it is you little shit heads do. I am done hear. Vent some more if you want but I won't be answering or reading this thread anymore.

[modestomouso1234]

@james7mmwby Actually, according to numerous climate scientists, we're supposed to be going through a cooling period right now., which obviously is not happening. So if humanity isn't the source of the problem, what is? Please, enlighten us. No wonder you're done with this thread.

[shellius]

Great interview. Bill is a warrior! 

[robwatchesstuff]

way to go Bill, I love what you're doing!

[waterings23]

Its great that he got booked on a show like Letterman, a great audience reach, and Dave was well-prepped. I wonder who wrote his questions? Good discussion about fossil fuels, Dave gave the mainstream questions,he must be an environmentalist! Got in the point in about the solar windows back on the White House. Lobbyists might have had a heart attack, but then Dave backed off a little. At any rate it was a home run for Bill McKibben. Best Wishes SFCEC on 10/10/10.

[c33r0k33]

Facts can tell you what you want to hear. Facts can also be like, Lady Justice, blindfolded holding the scales, blind to whatever your hopes or fears are. I can't claim I have unique knowledge no one else has access to. Amateur naturalist journals and soil records for the past 150 years, these are things everyone should find out more about on their own. These are not talk radio nor oil owned media giving me arguing points and convincing me I'm losing my rights. They are neutral.

[MajorIdea]

Jimmy Carter ftw

[WhoaNellieGirl]

Compelling. McKibben really knows his stuff. It appears that the science is pretty clear on this. The Obama administration should have addressed climate change before health care. Is it too late now? I hope not.

[DeltaFolk]

Way to go 350 Team! Seeing Michael Douglas and Bill McKibben made this one of our favorite Late Nights Ever!! McKibben's book, "eaarth" is more than a rude awakening... it's a must read.

[anderwan]

Solution: Replace Income Tax with Fossil Fuel Fee.

Details: Income Tax decrease tied to Fossil Fuel Fee increase. Fossil Fee is based exactly on the amount of carbon released. Fee is imposed at production or port of entry. Tax Cut and Fee increase with time. Fossil Fuels will be GRADUALLY PHASED OUT BY THE *MARKET*. Individuals and companies. Not the wasteful financial market, as in CapNTrade.

[haywoodwhy]

David can make fun of the situation we are in because he is a celebrity, and because it is his show..., but we all need to understand that the truth is being spoken here about how we need to go about stopping this, reversing this...and just to show everyone how bad we have made it, it is going to take many (60) years..maybe, to straighten our environment out.

Cleaning up our environment should be a million times more important than making a profit off of polluting!

Thank you Mr. McKibben

[james7mmwby]

Climate change is a constant in the history of the planet. We have a pollution problem to be sure. Don't think this green agenda is not going to be used to strip sovereign nations of their independence and further global socialism. The #1 cause of global warming is the sun. College kids are the soldiers of the intellectual elites that wish to be your dictator.

[totdos]

@james7mmwby Just spewing that kind of bull just proves you have no idea what global warming is about or you don't understand it. Its called anthropogenic for a reason, maybe if you did some real research you might have a clue.

[james7mmwby]

@totdos Why do you feel the need to be rude and condescending on a personal level. My opinion is mine and yours is yours. It is fact the planet has been through many climate changes. Pollution is a result of human activity, anthropogenic if you prefer that word. I am no less concerned about the environment than you, probably more so since I live close to the land on a daily basis. Your rudeness shows you level of immaturity. At 21 years of age you know nothing of the real world.

[totdos]

@james7mmwby Its because it is not a matter of opinion. Its fact. Weather you like it or not it has been proven unequivocally and is scientific fact, opinion has no relevance in the argument, and merely changing the subject does not address the claims.

[shellius]

@james7mmwby Do some reading. You're not up to speed on this topic.

[n9387d]

@james7mmwby

Ho-hum. Typical denier blather.

Climate has always changed! Socialism! It's the Sun! Al Gooooooorrrrrre!

God forbid you should bother educating yourself on the physics of climate change. It might force you to...gulp...think. Yikes!

[Roggo717]

When Krakatoa burps again or Yellowstone erupts or the Sun deams to hiccup, McKibben's book will be good for what Carson's book was, a campfire, which is where my dog-eared copy went to, what rubbish, tell me about the glorious "balance" of nature next time you see killer whales poppin down seals like tic-tacs, water hycanths suffocating a pond to death, rats and monkees infesting a Hindu temple-the world wobbles as it spins, which makes it as unbalanced as Al Gores marriage, oh too soon ?

[mphello]

@Roggo717 I 1000% agree and sympathize with you over this poorly-defined "balance of nature" crap that all-other-environmentalists-bu­t-me spew out. Their (Carson's, McKibben's) actions are better than their words.

Doing what McKibben urges us will benefit MOST species, including ours, overall.

But, as a human, I can and should choose to mathematically optimize which individuals - of any species - I wish to save or kill to prevent larger suffering somewhere else.

[mettalove]

People are starting to make the connection to the idea that what we do anywhere on our planet will effect our whole planet's balance. That's a good start, next we have to start making new decisions.

[Roggo717]

Yeah and during the sixties I was told about the new ice age, great lakes being dead and unnavigable, smog dropping people dead on the streets, and Rachael Carson said there would be no more birds of prey, no clean water, no more crops for lack of clouds...and eventually some moron will terrorize a major tv network because of the brain washing about the condition of the planet he lives on...ok well she didnt write that...but things just as inane

[thereignofspain]

@Roggo717 Carson's work is a big part of why some of those things never happened. Her work woke people up to the very real environmental catastrophes and action was taken to stop it. McKibben and others are now doing the same.

[UWrosesdawg]

Go Bill! Thanks to David for having him on. Looking forward to 10/10 and the climate movement in general.

[jacobking321]

@Roggo717.

"True knowledge is modest and wary; tis ignorance that is bold and presuming."

[Roggo717]

@jacobking321 Man shows the most arrogance and ignorance when thinking he is responsible for structure or chaos, both exist regardless of him

[chrispyt77]

@jacobking321

I'd say that McKibben is bold and presuming, seeing as the theory of AGW (warmth in the uppper atmosphere due to CO2) has never been proved!

CO2 is a trace gas. Blaming CO2 for climate and freaky weather is like blaming argon for the tides. Pure nonsense, but sadly it's a new religion.

[Theo33ify]

Bill is a voice we should listen to!

[Roggo717]

Hard to believe this twelve year old has a book of fiction on the market at all...and he gets to be interviewed by someone even more stupid then himself...must be considered a good month for him...two people without a clue spreading their ignorance to those more gullible then themselves...what else is TV for ?

[ReduceGHGs]

@Roggo717 .

Hard to believe that deniers still refuse to see the overwhelming evidence.

Read what the experts say unless you think that ALL the studies and ALL the respected scientific institutions lie. That would be a silly and transparent excuse for ignoring the facts.

.

Google: Scientific Opinion On Climate Change Wikipedia

.

No, Wiki is not a source, but you can find accurate position statements there.

[galex9070]

Just got a bid for a solar system on my house, to provide 15% of the electricty we use. After incentives and rebates the bid is $1700. VERY reasonable. I'm going to increase the size of the system.

[mrZohrman]

Dave doesn't even try to be funny, he must be thinking about his kids.

[carolharveysf]

Wolfheini: You are not doing this all by yourself. A lot of us are with you, and you, my friend, are with us.

[wolfheinl]

Excellent idea about solar panels re-installed on the White House. I will email them immediately. I was disappointed that there wasn't any mention of ocean acidification and the 40 % reduction of plankton in your talk with Dave. Not to mention the dying forests - as an environmental scientist, I take visual estimates of trees in distress in north and southwestern PA, and it is disturbing to see the increase. Lastly I am pissed that I don't see much changing - I'm tired of doing it all by myself.

[YERTians]

Definitely not alone, @wolfheinl. There are millions around the world asking our politicians to seriously address climate change, and the McKibben/Letterman segment is a big boost for that cause.