Weather Report

Recently, I have been fascinated with the We Can Solve It commercial campaign promoting awareness and activism in regards to climate change and environmentalism.

In case you haven’t seen them yet, they involve supposed opposite politicians and public figures, sitting together on a couch, expressing that despite their differences, they both agree on the need for climate change. Here are the two that have been released so far.

Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich

Pat Robertson and Al Sharpton

Here is an excerpt from the About Us section of We Can Solve It

“The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. Our ultimate aim is to halt global warming. Specifically we are educating people in the US and around the world that the climate crisis is both urgent and solvable.”

Admittedly, there are certain elements of this organization and their ad campaign which could be objectionable. More radical environmentalists tend to reject solving the impending climate issues through big business, special interest groups and the government. I am not well-versed in environmental politics but it seems that tendency from the radical left to work on the peripheries of society while refusing to cooperate or work with the organizations, systems, and/or governments they impose resolves in more conflict than positive, productive outcomes. In addition, it also seems that to take such an attitude is selfish and unconstructive.

Personally, I tend to see this sort of attitude quit frequently in Portland-a city which tends to boast its liberalism, open-mindedness and green consciousness. (side note: In October Business Week voted Portland the third most toxic city in the United States.) Attitudes tend to chastise those who don’t ride a bike or pour Biofuel into their cars. More than once, I have been scoffed at and dismissed for renouncing my 3 years of veganism. This also occurs in regards to political and religious issues. If you are not openly left then you’re possible friend ratio might drop significantly in this town-no joke! Obviously, this can personally frustrating. However, it has gotten to a point where one is tempted to question the foundation of leftist ideals altogether. Are all these kids doing it to be cool or do they really want to instigate realistic change?

In regards, to these commercials, I have personally found them to be possibly quite effective. It seems that a pragmatic outlook on the issue of climate change is that most people are uninformed and see no immediate incentive in making a change to their daily lifestyles. So regardless of how much money Pelosi and Gingrich are getting paid, and regardless of how much they are realistically attempting to push legislation forward towards creating constructive policy in climate issues, I think these commercials could be a beginning to getting people who don’t ride bikes, are vegan, food-forging anarchists or enviro-terrorists actually aware and maybe even involved with what is going on. It seems that such a cause really needs to target those who don’t live in conscious urban areas where being environmentally friendly is so easy. The suburbs need to know, the lower class need to know the incentives, major cities suffering from urban sprawl need funding to implement such measures.

I don’t see a lot of push for that kind of action with radical leftists. They seem content with their small, close-knit group of like-minded people. How is that ever going to change anything on a broader scale? Or maybe that isn’t the point....and maybe I'm just turning into a sellout.

P.S. I know Portland is a hip city but it’s frustrating that so many people who have ambitions of making social, political or environmental change move here. Portland has got enough people for that. People with such motivation should go to cities that really need to implement such change…like Detroit…or Phoenix….or even Los Angeles...or to the steps of Congress in D.C. Now that’s a challenge.

As they say: Portland-the most over qualified city of hyper-intelligent, MA holding baristas and bookstore clerks.