Making a Renewable Energy Revolution

What is needed if we are to have a chance of enacting a renewable energy revolution in enough time to prevent widespread and catastrophic climate disruption?

March 2, 2014 | Source: Grist | by Ted Glick

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What is needed if we are to have a chance of enacting a renewable energy revolution in enough time to prevent widespread and catastrophic climate disruption?

Revolutions happen when:

~~A majority of people are either actively or passively in support of the changes that, cumulatively, would constitute a revolution;

~~The ruling powers-that-be are divided, unsure of how to handle rising resistance and with some going over to the side of the revolution; and,

~~The revolutionaries are organized and united.

As far as the first requirement, broad mass support, results from a recent poll by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication show that we’re in pretty good shape. Among other findings, the poll found that:

“About half of Americans (53%) say they would sign a petition about global warming if asked by a person they ‘like and respect.’ About four in ten say that, if asked, they would sign a pledge to vote only for political candidates that share their views on global warming (39%), attend a neighborhood meeting to discuss global warming and actions people can take (38%), or attend a public meeting or presentation about global warming (38%). Nearly four in ten (36%) have joined or would join a campaign to convince elected officials to pass laws increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy as a way to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels.

“About half of Americans (48%) say that they intend to engage in consumer activism over the next 12 months – rewarding companies by buying their products and/or punishing companies by not buying their products – based on whether or not companies have taken steps to reduce global warming.

“One in four Americans would support an organization engaging in non-violent civil disobedience against corporate or government activities that make global warming worse (24%), and about one in six (17%) say they would personally engage in such activities.”

These are significant findings, a clear indication that, though this mass base must be broadened, it is already massive and oriented towards support of activism.