This is a a repost of a speech that I wrote for a good friend and publish with permission, with just a few words removed or changed … Sadly, many of us could give speeches like this in terms of challenges. And, hopefully, many of us can speak to affecting change as well.
Hello.
My name is X and I am a Petro-Holic, a Carbo-Holic. My last fillup was 9 gallons three days ago. My last plane flight was 24 hours ago for 2500 miles. And, my last light switch turning on was 2 hours ago. My name is X and I am a Petro-Holic.
My name is X and I am Energy Illiterate. I cannot stand here and tell you the power measurement difference between a BtU and a KwH, the difference between Appalachian coal and Wyoming coal, or the carbon footprint of the newspaper that I read this morning. Even though I have been spending most of productive hours on energy issues for the past four years, my name is X and I am Energy Illiterate.
[PAUSE]
My name is X and I suffer from Short-Termitis. Like most Americans, I believe in Benjamin Franklin: A penny saved is a penny earned. When I go to fulfill my shopping needs, my eyes gravitate to the “bargain” of 99 cents. When I see an incandescent bulb for 25 cents sitting next to a compact fluorescent bulb for two dollars & 50 cents, even though I know better, my natural inclination is to grab that incandescent
which “costs” ninety percent less. That is, it costs less to buy even though it costs far more to own. My name is X and I suffer from Short-Termitis.
[PAUSE]
My name is X and I am afflicted with Stove-Pipeitis. My emotions can rise to enthusiasm when faced with a great new solar product, a vision for electrifying all personal vehicles
being executed by Better Place, or a concept for algae-based fuel. My time can be caught up working with one set of problems within one organization, even as the challenge is multi-faceted and multi- organizational. My name is X and I am afflicted with Stove-Pipeitis.
[PAUSE]
I’m X. I am afflicted but I am not alone. 300 millon Americans share my afflictions.
[PAUSE]
You … I … We face a very serious challenge.
In fact, just that statement is indicative of the problem as we do not face a challenge but an interacting set of challenges.
We are facing a Perfect Storm of, at least, the interaction of Fiscal Crisis, Peak Oil, and Catastrophic Climate Change. We can find solutions to each of these but “the” solution to one might aggravate or inhibit solving others. We must work to find a systems-of-systems solution set that will help us, all of the US and all of us around the globe, navigate this Perfect Storm to a Prosperous, Climate-Friendly Society.
The risks and implications of the financial, energy, and climate change perfect storm almost cannot be overstated.
To deal with this set of challenges, we must transform our energy system and that doesn’t mean “Drill, Baby, Drill“.
To deal with this set of challenges, we must determine a path toward functional energy literacy for all American decision-makers on energy issues – which means all of us.
To deal with this set of challenges, we must find a path to change human nature from discounting the future in favor of the present and to end our borrowing from tomorrow to live today.
To deal with this set of challenges, we must find ways to move beyond stove-piped, single-point solution thinking to striving to understand systems-of-systems interactions and implications.
To deal with this set of challenges, we must change ourselves and our society.
[PAUSE]]
And we must do this now. Our survival depends on it.
[PAUSE]
Almost every day, there are new revelations and data highlighting the seriousness of our situation when it comes to global finance, energy, and accelerating catastrophic climate change.
Almost every day, there are seemingly magical announcements of some form of technological Silver Bullet that, hold your breath, will solve all our problems.
Let us be clear, however, that there is no such thing as a single technological Silver Bullet when it comes to these challenges. If we are going to navigate a path forward, it will be with a series of Silver BBs, each contributing in some way to moving us forward to a more sensible and sustainable future.
Some of these Silver BBs will be technological.
Some will be policy driven.
Some will derived from financial opportunities.
There are many paths that will provide Silver BBs.
But, we will not succeed if we do not have social change.
[PAUSE]
As you well know, social change, is not something that typically occurs overnight. Consider this, we recently saw a black man go into the Oval Office.
And, not as a butler.
Did the social change that enabled that begin with the Emancipation Proclamation? Brown versus Board of Education? Colin Powell as National Security Advisor? No matter your starting point, that change certainly did not happen right away.
And, when it comes to the social change necessary for navigating this perfect storm, we are speaking of a societal change easily of the same (and probably even more) degrees of complexity and, in many (many) ways, much more difficult.
And, the dismaying financial turmoil and the terrifying realities of Climate Change and implications of Peak Oil (and other peak resources) dictate that we DO NOT HAVE 150 years to make this change.
[PAUSE]
During the eight years of the Bush administration, energy was not a topic that could be discussed honestly openly within Administration corridors. “Energy” was OWNED by Dick Cheney and fossil-foolish interests (who, of course, still hold tremendous sway).
All of this is prelude to something to spark, I hope, a conversation as to how we can foster this social change and speed it along.
Certainly, while not a welcome factor, four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline showed itself to be a motivational factor for changed behavior and increased energy literacy.
For some, an Oscar-winning documentary of someone giving a slide presentation proved a motivational factor for changed behavior and increased climate impact literacy.
And, a Presidential candidate, President-Elect, and President making “green jobs” and smarter energy behaviors a central point of his discussion and policies for moving the nation forward should prove a motivational factor for changed behavior and spark a reduction in the nation’s energy and climate illiteracy rates.
Each of us has the opportunity to find our own motivation … and work to find out how to motivate others.
Because we don’t have 150 years … we don’t even have 15 …
The challenges are not to be dismissed or discounted. The risks we face in this Perfect Storm cannot be overstated … nor can the opportunities
(Pause)
My name is X. I am a Petro-Holic. But I know people who are helping me and others fight our addiction.
My name is X. I am Energy Illiterate. But I know people who are helping me and others achieve literacy.
My name is X. I suffer from Short-Termitis. But, people are helping me and others see the long-term and work toward it.
My name is X and I am afflicted with Stove-Pipeitis. But, people are working with me and others to make the connections and break through the pipes.
My name is X. I am a connector. And, connecting people, organizations, and institutions is my role in helping to foster and hasten the social and cultural changes that will enable us to move toward a prosperous and climate-friendly future.