McKibben Believes It’s Not Too Late
TL/DR –
Bill McKibben, prominent environmental activist and author, has criticized the U.S. for clinging to outdated 19th-century technology while other nations, particularly China, are investing heavily in green manufacturing projects and are rapidly spreading clean energy. McKibben argues that the transition to the use of solar energy, which has become the most cost-efficient energy option worldwide, is urgent and feasible, but is being slowed by vested interests and political obstacles, specifically those aligned with the fossil fuel industry. Despite frustrations at the federal level, he urges local and state-level push for cheaper solar energy installation and warns that without expedited transition to sun and wind energy, the planet will be irreparably damaged.
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Acclaimed Environmental Activist Bill McKibben Speaks for Solar Power
Noted author and environmental activist, Bill McKibben, is scheduled to give a compelling talk on solar power at Guild Hall. McKibben, founder of Third Act, is widely known for his efforts in the fight against climate change.
The Climate Change Situation: McKibben’s Take
When asked about the current state of climate change at a recent interview with The Star, Mr. McKibben expressed his concern. As President Trump criticized the pursuit of “green energy scams” at the United Nations headquarters, McKibben voiced his disapproval of the United States’ apparent decision to prioritize profit over the environment. In his words, “Under Trump, the United States has apparently decided that we’re going to try and squeeze the last drops of profit out of 19th-century technology and forget about the future.”
Solar Energy: The Path of the Future
According to McKibben, the future is now, with solar energy marking the “fastest energy transition in history, by far.” Recent years have shown solar energy to be the most cost-efficient worldwide, with Chinese companies investing at least $227 billion in green manufacturing projects, an amount that surpasses the American post-World War II Marshall Plan. McKibben has further highlighted this global shift in his Sept. 13 post on his Substack newsletter, The Crucial Years.
Driving the Energy Revolution
The rapid spread of clean energy and its associated appliances is visible not only in China, but in other countries increasingly under its sphere of influence. However, the United States risks becoming outmoded, dubbed by McKibben as the “the Colonial Williamsburg of internal combustion.”
McKibben’s Advocacy
A staff writer at The New Yorker and author of twelve books, McKibben has been at the forefront of climate change discussions since 1989, when he published “The End of Nature.” He recently published “Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization” and is also the co-founder of climate activist group 350.org. The group’s name signifies the threshold level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Addressing Climate Change Through Solar Energy
Mr. McKibben believes that affordable alternatives to fossil fuels are the key to tackling climate change. He also remarked that we can’t stop global warming, but we may still be able to prevent it from destroying our civilization. He further highlighted how Chinese advancements in solar energy have outpaced the rest of the world, leading to lower costs and more efficient energy production.
Looking Ahead
McKibben however, remains frustrated by the slow adoption of solar energy at the federal level. He calls for more aggressive measures at the state and local levels to promote the use of solar power. He hopes that with enough support, states like New York will follow the lead of California and Texas in championing solar energy. “We will run the planet on sun and wind just because of economics, but if it takes us 30 years, the planet we run on sun and wind will be a broken planet. So we have to speed up,” he urged.
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