This week, we are honored to welcome two of the most remarkable and influential leaders of the climate movement: founder of 1Sky (and Middlebury parent) Betsy Taylor and Middlebury’s own Bill McKibben. Please use this blog post over the week to discuss (a) what you learned from their conversations with us, and (b) how their current work is sparking your own new ideas for finding global warming solutions.
For a couple of weeks and especially after today’s class, I have been thinking a lot about the differences between the social set up of the United States versus that of India and how this plays into the adaptation of the movement to make up for these differences. I have been in touch with my junior batch from my high school in India, which is a United World College and is very engaged with the local community in rural Maharashtra. Due to existing systems in place, students at my school have a massive potential to significantly influence the manner in which close to 2000 people in the surrounding villages lead their lives. Additionally, rural Maharashtra is a very interconnected and I believe that if social change occurs in one small region which has tangible benefits for the people of that region, within no time will such changes be adopted by other neighboring regions. And in such a domino manner- the movement can grow exponentially. Realistically achievable measure include hosting town meetings to discuss energy efficiency and alternate sources, holding teacher conferences and speaking directly to the village panchayats.
Many of the households use cow-dung as food fuel and many use coal resources. Not many households have electricity. Neither is there a big demand for electricity due to its price and unreliability. One of the largest problems in dealing with the climate issue in localities such as the Paud village region (an good representation of about 70% of the country’s demographic set-up) is convincing the villagers that this issue is important. They may not be able to see the results of their efforts and they have different priorities like making sure their students get through school or making sure they can pay for their electricity and healthcare. One manner in which we may boost the use of green energy is by making it out-compete the existing resources by being cheaper and more accessible. But this seems almost impossible today.
I would love your views on dealing with this particular case. I am communicating with my first years but it would be great if I get more input so that we have a better direction to our efforts. Thank you all!
As I listened to Betsey Taylor and Bill McKibben speak about this pressing issue, I realized that they are examples of what one person can do when responding to such a huge problem. Both of them have helped spark this movement and yet, they both remain realistic and know that much more is needed to be done.
I therefore found them to be inspirational because it is easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to find solutions to a global problem. China has already stated that if developed countries are not seriously ready to change, then they will not either, and so the clock is ticking. We need to cut carbon emissions, and I think that websites are our best source to do so. With websites, we can talk to millions and spread a message of hope; which is a key idea that I drew from Betsey Taylor’s discussion with us. She stated that people don’t want to be scared and rather, they want to be inspired. They want to feel like they can make a difference; and I therefore, see right now as a crucial point in history. In a couple of months we will have a new president, and so, we need to present a united front on this issue. This involves inviting all the small movement to unite as one; so that rather than getting local coverage on this issue, we can get national coverage.
The time to act is now, and we need to move forward even though uncertainly will remain. Bill McKibben stated in class that he doesn’t pay attention to climate contrarians, and I don’t think we should either. Rather, we need to spend that energy speaking to those who care about global warming but don’t know what they can do to help.
In addition, since Betsey Taylor’s visit, I’ve been keeping my eye out for catchy phrases, and saw “Cool It” at the bookstore. I also, saw “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”, and thought that one was good as well.
Nevertheless, I agree with what Betsey Taylor said in which she stated that a number is an easier universal “phrase”. I really like “350”; however, a month ago I would not have know what that meant, and therefore, I take this as a clear indication that much more is needed to be done. We have indeed made some progress, as Bill McKibben stated; however, by 2050, everyone should know what 350 means and should be inspired to play their part in the fight against global warming.
I was just amazed at Bill Mckibben’s rhetoric- that he was really able to present the dire facts in a way that made me want to act, and made me believe that a college student could make a difference. I went back to my room after class and sent a couple of e-mails I had been putting off in trying to start something with 350.org. I wish everyone was able to hear him, because that continued inspiration could do wonders in terms of mobilizing the international community.
I also really appreciated how frank he was in saying that cap and trade- which starts a feedback loop of tendencies in the sustainable direction- was the only way really feasible way to stop the crisis. He was very clear and that made it easier to feel confident in supporting such a program. I had kind of thought that conserving on an individual level (whether water or through recycling) was the way to go, but I really appreciated hearing what an expert believed would really help this problem- it definitely shifted my focus, as has this class.
I really liked hearing both Betsy and Bill speak because, as it has already been said, they made the huge problem of global warming seem accessible. Obviously it is going to be a difficult problem to solve, but they are both great examples of how, if you want to get involved and just put yourself and your ideas out there, you really can make something happen.
The one aspect of Bill’s talk that i found surprising was his view about the little things that people have been doing. He believes that switching lightbulbs and recycling on a small scale will have such a small impact that they almost aren’t even worth undertaking. But another point that he made was that these little efforts do get people involved and thinking about the subject, so even if there is no significant direct impact on the environment, we should not stop doing these things all together. it was just interesting because i have never heard someone say that the little things aren’t even worth it. Now that i think about it, i realize that this is true, changing lightbulbs isn’t going to reverse the terrible damage that we have already caused. It was refreshing to have someone speak so frankly and candidly with us.
In general, i loved hearing from both speakers and thought they were very interesting and informative!
The main thing that I learned from these two wonderful speakers was that there are really people who are willing and ready to fight for this issue in any way that they know how. I loved the disscusion made by Betsy Taylor about her strive to inform the world about our current condition. I also agress a lot with what Stephanie mentioned about the 350 number and how numbers are one of only things that can cross language barriers. But just like Stephanie I agree that not long ago I myself didn’t know what 350 meant either so I think there is lots of room for flourishing this idea. When speaker Bill McKibben came to our discussion he really made the issue feel real in a sense that he didn’t just say “oh, if we do something now we can take care of this”, but by saying you know what it might already be too late. I am trying to say that I hope the world becomes acquainted with doomsday, but I am trying to show that there are numerous of possibilites of how these could turn out and I just think people should be informed about all possibilites. In all I thought each of the speakers were splendid and I would enjoy them any time.
I enjoyed the frankness of Bill McKibben in his conversation with us last week. He pointed out the crucial position we are in and the necessity of large-scale reductions in carbon emissions. Bill clearly explained why sustainable energy was the best way to go.
He explained to us that using nuclear power/ethanol would be a tremendous waste of money and resources. Nuclear power plants cost billions of dollars to build, and ethanol is an extremely inefficient way to convert food into fuel. He proposed a carbon Marshall Plan to those that would be deeply hurt by the cap on carbon, which I thought was a great idea that considers the inequalities that exist in the global economy.
I also appreciated Bill’s comments on how to garner support through intense short-term obligations rather than any lifetime commitment.
I have to admit that I was incredibly impressed by Bill McKibben’s ability to convey his knowledge in a captivating way. He had my constant attention and interest and sparked many questions in me that I was more than willing to share as he was very approachable. His input on the political aspects of the environment were particularly insightful as he mentioned concrete solutions he would like to see the government take in order to achieve the goal of reducing carbon by a certain percentage in a certain time frame. He was able to justify all his responses and opinions strongly and with factual and comon-sensical evidence which was very convincing. I was overall extremely impressed!
What is so striking about Bill Mckibben is the attitude with which he approaches the problem of global warming, and the place within himself that he finds the energy to continue fighting after 20 years of small returns. Bill has an appreciation for the natural world that I have rarely seen before. Just yesterday he was at a rollerski race of the nordic ski teams down in Shoreham, and his enthusiasm about the foliage, and the lake, and the cows, and the air, and the clouds (I could go on), was astounding! Talking with him made me appreciate what was around me so much more, and gave me an inkling as to what he, and other like him are truly fighting for.
I absolutely don’t want to speak for Bill, but the feeling that I get is that he isn’t fighting for the Idea of Nature, or for the picture of the world from space, or any such distant and unrelatable idea, he is fighting for the cows and the apples, for the beautiful fall days like yesterday. It is truly inspiring to see someone so in love with a place that they will devote their life to take on the task of mobilizing the world to fight a threat to that place. It is something I have learned: the necessity of defending what you love with passion and boundless energy.
The conversation the class had with Betsy was intriguing. Too there wasn’t enough time to cover every topic on the board. As Betsy discussed, the price of gasoline rising would be sort of good for our planet. The increase in the prices would mean people would find alternative ways in traveling because they simply can’t afford the gas. I had to walk everywhere all summer because of this, so my first opinion on this was that I hated it. It really is not fair for people with low income, but the increase does reduce CO2 emissions.
Bill’s lecture was also an interesting one. What I found interesting was what I call the “corn formula” in my notes. Corn would probably replace gas, but that would mean food prices would increase. Turning corn into a fuel would require a large proportion of the annual crops. And what sucks is that filling up a tank on an SUV with corn fuel is like feeding a family for one year.
My only idea is to engage in more politics. Find some way to push for the “carbon tax” ideas, or “pollution permit”
I really enjoyed the discussion with Betsy Taylor because I felt like she answered many of our lingering questions. We decided what we wanted to discuss with her and she really was very informative and entertaining to listen to. I also thought it was unique listening to her because she touched upon how she has struggled to find success in her quest for climate change. This was really inspiring to me because I feel as though many times it is hard for one individual to make a difference. Betsy was a great example of how an individual can make a difference despite how many times they fail or feel like they can’t.
Bill’s speech was also very informative. I thought it complemented Betsy’s well because Bill’s was more facts rather than stories. One fact that Bill stated that really surprised me was that he said “one family can be fed for one whole year on the amount of corn ethanol it takes to fill the tank of an SUV once.” This was just one of many important points that Bill made that put things into perspective for me.
I want to concentrate on the conversation will Bill McKibben as it has left a lasting impression on me. His ability to keep all of us interested and engaged was unbelievable. I feel like he could’ve been talking about just about anything and I would have been happy to sit there and listen. I think he also gave a unique example of a elevator conversation that we all one day might have. When he talked he wasn’t clogging every sentence with the scientific evidence, but rather focused on engaging us and offering clear conversations. He didn’t shy away from the difficulties ahead, but rather was very frank. As Jerry mentioned, he admitted that it might already be too late. This honesty was almost refreshing to hear because finally someone was looking us in the face and saying it, instead of beating around the bush saying the worst has yet to come.
After the two discussions in last week, I just very surprised that Middlebury College could offer us such amazing resources to help us get involved in the climate movement. I agree with you discretion that they are “two of the most remarkable and influential leaders of the climate movement” since they know how to make people realized that what an individual can do to response the climate crisis. Unlike the information we achieve from text book, they give us many personal experiences to spark a climate movement, to search to solutions to a global problem, to communicate with the politicians…in all the words, to make our influences to climate changes.
When Betsey Taylor talk about the coal-burning situation in China, I think that is not the whole view since the environmental problems in China is too complicate to understand for only one or two trips. And I also think about that if everyone could have an ability to solve this crisis that I am maybe the match person can help Betsey to know Chinese environmental problems. Facing the huge problems of climate crisis, we should get everyone, every single person who cares our planet, our future, involved in this movement. I also realized that we cannot rely on one or two persons to solve the climate problem. We need an international cooperation to know the whole picture of our global to help the leaders like Betsey Taylor and Bill McKibben to deal with the climate change.
What I thought was interesting was what Bill said about us having to think big, not small. To prevent climate change from worsening we have to make Congress and the president to take bold action on climate change, which is the goal of 1Sky. We need to look at the bigger picture and put a national cap on carbon. Before Bill’s talk, I was thinking mainly about what energy alternative with low carbon output best replaced fossil fuels. Now I understand that instead of looking at replacements for fossil fuels, we need to focus on the national cap. This cap will force people to figure out how not to use so much carbon in all areas. To get big action, we need to build small campaigns in communities all across the nation.
Bill Mckibben’s talk most interesting characteristics was how he fit into the roles of both the rebel and civilian. It struck me particularly that there is no necessary division between being one with the masses and at the same time being highly involved in the process of social change.
That is one thing about his leadership which I found highly respectable, that his rhetoric displayed a man who is serious about social change but at the same time his knowledge is communicated in a manner which is very easy to engage with and is often laced with humour. The classroom atmosphere was very comfortable although it was the first time we were meeting him.
I want to comment on Nial’s first post where he stated that for most people green energy is not their first priority. This attitude was reflected in Bill McKibbon’s talk, when he said that we might fail, throughout a majority of the other author’s we have read. As Lea said earlier at Middlebury college there is a tremendous amount of resources to help us get involved in the climate movement, however this seems to be an exception, not a rule. For some people it is just not feasible to make global warming a top priority, which is why, as steph previously stated, Betsy often feels as though she is failing in her quest. The government/ the international community needs to work to make it so that global warming is a more “convenient truth” (although not in the way of the sarah silverman video…) otherwise Bill’s depressing truth may become a reality.
i can only hope we find a solution soon