Jobs and Climate Change

A few sensible thoughts:

1. The future of the American economy is green. More American consumers want products that do not increase our carbon output, but, even more significantly, the global majority wants to buy products that do not increase our carbon output. We have to remain competitive. If the American government and American industry are perceived as being indifferent to ecological concerns, then global consumers will take their business elsewhere. We are finally beginning to become concerned about our trade deficit and the amount of money we owe the Chinese and others. Let's not make it worse.

2. There is a real risk to Climate Change. Even if it is not as catastrophic as some predict, the thought of losing a big part of Manhattan, California, etc, needs to be taken seriously. If 9-11 was catastrophic, losing these areas would be more catastrophic. If the financial meltdown required a huge bailout, imagine the catastrophic bailout of our coastal areas. We are talking about direct, irrecoverable losses of property. The insurance industry alone would lose billions.


3. Here is a great opportunity for investment. As government investment in the space program led to great business opportunities and satellite tech, as the government invention of the world wide web created opportunities (including this blog), government investment in green technologies is already beginning to employ many people. People who mock this should read the way people mocked the possibility of the internal combustion engine when we were first developing that or the way people mocked the idea of the computer.


4. As Americans we are forward thinking, positive people. As we retooled for World War II, we can retool for the preservation of our climate.


God Bless America and the future (and I do mean future) heroes who will take a risk and put together an international treaty!