Obama climate game change not exactly what most had in mind: The micro and the macro

by: Paul Rosenberg

Wed Oct 06, 2010 at 09:00

Reversing an earlier decision, the Obama Administration is now going to install solar panels on the White House, and Bill McKibben of 350.org, who first tried to make it happen last month is making the most of it in the run-up to 350.org's Global Work Party this weekend--as any good actvitist would.  (See his email announcement's full text on the flip.)

But the sumbling, fumbling nature of how Obama has handled this is just another sign that can't be ignored. At Salon, Andrew Leonard's story "Obama's White House solar panel stumble", with the sub-head, "The administration initially rejected the idea of following in Jimmy Carter's footsteps. Why the change of heart?" starts off as follows:

So Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is out of the White House, and suddenly, solar panels are back in. This is either a welcome change of tone, prefiguring a new push on climate change and renewable energy, or yet another example of how a too-cautious administration keeps stepping on its feet.

Or both.

In September, the writer and climate change crusader Bill McKibben sent a jolt of dismay through the environmental community after recounting a distressing trip to the White House. McKibben and some young activists had come up with what they thought was a great idea. They had located one of the solar panels that President Jimmy Carter had installed on the roof of the White House (later removed by Ronald Reagan) and they decided to bring it back to Washington for a a triumphant reinstallation.

They made it into the White House, but then got stone-walled. When the college-age activists accompanying McKibben asked why the administration wouldn't do the "obvious thing" and put solar panels on the White House, they couldn't get a straight answer.

The decision to reverse course is a welcome one, but it's no more clear what the reasoning is now than it was before.  A "fierce advocate" that fights you every step of the way--whether on gay rights or climate change--is a hard thing to understand.  A "fierce advocate" that everyone once in a while does the right thing when you least expect it is not a whole heck of a lot better.  It certainly doesn't provide anything reliable that you can build on.  For all you know, the token of support is meant to balance out or even totally obscure some far more substantive, dastardly backroom deal.

Most important, in a case like this the value is almost entirely symbolic.  No one thinks that the amount of energy saved at the White House is going to tip the balance in any realworld scales.  It's mean to send a message.  And what the Obama White House has done is to send the message, "This is a political calculation, not a matter of principles, values, genuine leadership.  It's fricken game, goddamn it!"

Which of course, produces the astonishing result of lowering the Obama Administration to the level of the climate change denying frauds and charlatans in the Senate like James Inhofe and John (All My Principles Are Really Interests) McCain.

Now that takes a truly rare sort of political talent, I must admit.

The real leadership comes from the activist base, which McKibben has managed to expand across the globe like never before.  His email is on the flip.

Dear Friends,

Just in time to give this weekend's Global Work Party a White House-sized boost, the Obama administration announced this morning that they are going to put solar panels on the First Family's living quarters, returning to a tradition begun by president Jimmy Carter and abandoned by Ronald Reagan.

It's a great win for your efforts over the last months--everyone who wrote letters, signed petitions for our "Put Solar On It" campaign, and turned out for the Solar Road Trip as we rolled down the east coast from Unity College towing one of the original Carter panels. We were disappointed that day that the White House wasn't prepared to go solar, but are now very happy and honored that they took our suggestion to look into the matter seriously.

Solar panels on one house, even this house, won't save the climate, of course. But they're a powerful symbol to the whole nation about where the future lies. And President Obama will wake up every morning and make his toast by the power of the sun (do presidents make toast?), which will be a constant reminder to be pushing the U.S. Congress for the kind of comprehensive reform we need.

And remember, President Obama's not alone: tomorrow, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed and a crew from Sungevity will be putting solar panels on the Muliaa'ge, the "White House of the Maldives". It's a trend! 

Of course, both of these initiatives are perfectly timed to lead into this weekend's Global Work Party, when 6127 carbon-cutting events (and rising) will take place in 187 countries.  If you haven't already gotten involved, now is most definitely the time to join an event near you--or register your own.

The first account of the news from the White House, from Associated Press reporter Dina Cappiello, noted the efforts of 350.org to make this happen. In particular, I'd like to salute Jean Altomare, Amanda Nelson, and Jamie Nemecek, the three young women from Unity College who brought the Carter solar panels to Washington DC, and made such an impression on the White House.

They remind all of us why we'll be working hard this weekend for the Global Work Party--and why, when the day is done, we'll be putting down our hammers and our shovels and picking up our cellphones to call our leaders.

You never know what will happen when you ask for change.

Onwards,  

Bill McKibben for the 350.org Team