Recognize Green Is In Transition

"Over the past weeks there have been discussions about
* What is green
* How green is green
* Al Gore's house

Recognize that Green is in transition. A few years ago it was sort of a lifestyle at the edge. Some practiced it, few talked about it.

That is changing now.

We are moving into an explosion of awareness and acceptance. This will lead to some contradictions and turbulence, such as:

1) People who have opposed everything green will suddenly become converts. For example, the CEO of ConocoPhillips just announced that he changed his mind about global warming. As a result the news reports:

April 11, 2007 – ConocoPhillips today announced its support for a mandatory national framework to address greenhouse gas emissions and has joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a business-environmental leadership group dedicated to the quick enactment of strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

This, by the way, is a huge victory for green. As the first oil company to do this, the rest are now on the spot.

2) People will evolve through shades of being green. For example, Al Gore had devoted his life over the past six years to saving the planet. And yet, he still lives in a large home -- which some are criticizing.

Recognize that no one is 100% green - unless you live in a cave and eat raw berries that you find by walking about in the forest while you plant new trees.

We are all learning our way into the process. And most of us are stuck with where we are or what we have. It will take time to change.

I fully expect that Al Gore's home will be more green within a year or so. (Actually, since Al is a major celebrity, his home is really more a business center than a traditional home.)

3) The people who started the green movement will be replaced by the people who have opposed them. (For example, check this week's issue of Newsweek to read about how Arnold is leading the way. And you will notice that Al Gore receives sort of a cameo mention.)
While this may be a very disturbing thought, it is a natural step in making green a world-wide lifestyle.

In fact, green can only succeed if the really Big People support it. Then major changes will occur.

Once CEOs realize the economic potential in this, it will look like a stampede. For example, imagine what would happen to the auto industry if gas powered vehicles were declared obsolete with the requirement that everyone must use public transportation or a small electric cart within ten years. The auto industry has been trying to make current models obsolete since it started - this would be a dream come true because everyone would have to buy a new vehicle.

The point is, we need to focus on moving forward instead of worrying about being green enough.

That means we must find ways to include everyone who wants to help. This is important because by including others, regardless how green they may appear or how much they know about being green, we are then in a position to influence their participation.

And at the same time, we benefit from their participation.

After all, we're trying to save the planet -- not run an exclusive club.

Hey, based on their houses it's possible that Al Gore would be rejected and George Bush accepted into the Green Pages. [located at www.coopamerica.org] "

--Steve Kaye, One Great Meeting, www.stevekaye.com