The energy of the future

[b]Make no mistake: the oil spills happening everywhere on this planet, whether in the Gulf of Mexico or in the Niger Delta are symptoms, not the disease.

The disease that we're facing is a fossil fuel addiction - an addiction so strong that to feed it, we keep drilling for oil and mining for coal in impossible places, accept unacceptable risks to human lives and the environment and tolerate the most disgusting corporate behaviour.

Fossil fuel companies, whether the try to sell you oil or coal, have just as much interest in stopping this addiction as a coke dealer to send his clients to rehab. So what are they doing at the Bonn climate meeting? Would you invite a coke dealer to a meeting to decide how to best stop drug traffic? Would you allow them to give their opinion to policy makers? Of course not.

As long as we leave our energy future to fossil fools, as long as we allow them to be the only ones whispering on our governments' ears, we won't be able to achieve the dream of a future with clean air, livable cities, true energy independence, and, of course, a healthy climate.

This future IS possible. We have the means, we have the technology, we have the knowledge, to power our societies with clean energy. Fossil fools would have you believe that coal and oil detox is expensive, and never works, and that the doctor isn't in anyway. Lies.

Lies to make you think that oil spills are inevitable. Lies to make political leaders think that they have to choose between the climate and economies. Lies to keep their profits while putting the planet on a very dangerous path. Lies to prevent a beautiful renewable future because they won't benefit from it.

It is possible to quit fossil fuels. It is possible to power ourselves with renewables. All this is within reach, and all that lacks to make it happen is political will. And that little bit is as much up to us as it is to politicians. Today, pick up your phone. Call your parliamentary representative, or energy minister, or environment minister, or - straight to the top - your Prime Minister or President. Ask if they've heard of the Energy [R]evolution. Ask if they're aware that a clean energy future is possoible. If not, tell them to check out greenpeace.org/energyrevolution.

Make that political will happen. It's up to all of us.

The energy of the future

The energy of the future

The energy of the future :: Comments