Barack Obama and a Greener America

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Doug Gunzelmann in News+Opinion

While listening to the inaugural address today it was hard to miss the nods President Obama made toward the need for alternative energy sources and a shift in behavior towards America’s energy consumption. Happy inauguration day!

Some specific quotes I heard today made me hopeful. Our new president stated plainly, in his inauguration speech, worries that have been commonplace in the green movement for years. Obama stated, “each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.” The fact that sustainability and alternative energy issues were addressed multiple times in his ~20 minute speech, meant to touch on all facets our country and new president face, gives hope that we can confront these issues head on as a people.

We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Albeit, words are words, and only time and action will determine if change is possible at this point in the environmental spiral we find ourselves in. However, hope may be the single most powerful force towards realizing these goals. A mindful leader that is willing to listen, contemplate, and execute command in a balanced and responsible manner can be a great catalyst towards mobilizing the masses to make the environmental changes necessary.

God Bless America and all of us!

sources: Bitsandpieces, New York Times

alternative energy, energy consumption, environmental, green, Obama, sustainability