An opinion piece in Time Magazine last Saturday applauded the Clinton Initiative's progress toward generating locally focused efforts to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Titled Climate Change: Filling the Bush Gap, the author compared former President Clinton's progress with President Bush's lack of progress (other than philosophical) on the subject of global warming:

While President Bush offered mostly empty rhetoric, on Friday afternoon Clinton reeled off pledge after concrete pledge for his climate initiative: $150 million to harness geothermal energy in Africa, $5 million for the Alliance for Climate Protection in the U.S., $210 million for carbon offsetting in the developing world. While UN action on climate change remains stalled by the deadlock between the developed and the developing world, Clinton has proved remarkably successful in fostering real engagement and investment on global warming across national lines.

The author goes on to point out:

The success of the Clinton Initiative is emblematic of how people who care about climate change in America have chosen to approach the problem in the near total absence of action from Washington. Lobbying has shifted to the corporate world, where large companies like Wal-Mart have implemented energy efficiency polices far more aggressive than anything coming from the government. High-profile celebrities like Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have made green cool for consumers. And hardly a day goes by without news of a leap forward on solar, wind or hybrid cars, thanks to private investment — again, in the absence of significant government spending.

All this is well and good — critical at a time when our politicians seemed paralyzed with indecision — but, let's face it folks, DIY won't solve the problem. Not even DIY on the scale of the Clinton Initiative's $365 million worth of pledges.

Our elected leaders in Washington need to face the issue head-on and pass legislation that mandates significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, this term.

Carbon Neutral Journal's thoughts are brought to you by Hawtin Jorgensen Architects.

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