I'd love to see the next US president start a "green WPA" or "green Manhattan project." What would be even better is a 21st century version of the race to the moon. The global economy's greatest powers should be competing with one another to see who can create the cheapest, most viable form of renewable energy. 

I'd like to think we could end global warming because it's the right thing to do, but there are too many people getting rich off of maintaining the status quo - not just oil and car companies, but also countries whose economies are based on selling fossil fuels. 

I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton's but I am intrigued by her line about the US borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Arabs. Greed and xenophobia might be hotter hot buttons than altruism.

(By the way, "water" is the next "oil.")  

After stumbling upon an article printed in the Wall Street Journal, titled "Science Has Spoken: Global Warming is a Myth," I found a graph showing evidence of the Earth's temperatures in correlation with the fluctuations of the sun's magnetic field. It showed that more activity in the magnetic field had a direct effect on the Earth's atmospheric temperatures.

I studied the graph and remembered some research I had done in late 2007 regarding the Mayan calendar and it's end end in 2012. The information I researched had to do with the Sun's magnetic poles, it's magnetic field, and the idea of them flipping. In the research I discovered that every 11 years the Sun's magnetic poles reverse due to the sunspot cycle. Scientists also confirmed that the Earth's magnetic field has flipped too, but it hasn't happened in 740,000 years. Scientists have confirmed that in 2012 the sun's magnetic poles and the Earth's magnetic field will flip upon the peak of the sunspot cycle.

With the sun's increased activity and increased heat output this activity could be responsible for the increased temperatures recorded on Earth. This research has also prompted many questions:

Will the switching of Earth's magnetic field have an effect on global temperatures?

Will the change in 2012 prompt the end of Global Warming?

Were the Mayans correct in their astrological predictions?

What does this mean for the Earth and it's inhabitants?

Transcript:  Well, I’ll answer the first part, first.  No.  I definitely do not think we should be boycotting the China Olympics.  I think it would be a good idea if President Bush did not show up at opening ceremonies.  But no.  The athletes have every right, and they’ve been working all their lives for this, and they should do that.  And God bless them.  But you know, being honest, I didn’t have any long-standing involvement, you know, with the pro-Tibet movement.  But given what I learned, you know, about what they were going through, it seemed to me an appropriate thing for me, as a civil rights activist, to do to show support at that level.  And I didn’t expect to be thrown off the route by Chinese Military Guards.  But I truly didn’t, because I thought I was in America, and I thought I had the right, you know, to freedom of expression and freedom of speech.  But apparently, they didn’t think so.  But I’m glad that I was able to use my platform of being an environmental leader to show support for my brothers and sisters in Tibet.

Recorded on: 3/17/08

Transcript: I think, we need to be realistic with ourselves.  And we need to be supportive, you know, of developing countries, so they can do that.  Like, I don’t blame them for looking dead at America, and everybody else is saying, “Excuse me?  You had the right to pollute all your lives and, suddenly, you’re saying, no, we can’t?”  No.  But we do need to be really supportive of them, so that they’re not making the same foolish mistakes that we made.   So I think that that’s really going to be the way out of it.

 Recorded on: 3/17/08

Transcript:  The biggest challenge, you know, is-- it’s interesting being a really-- what’s considered a local group, but with a national profile.  Because we’re not supposed to be doing some of the things that we’re doing.  And I think, on some level, it’s-- you know, and actually being a black female leader isn’t always the easiest thing to be.  Because we’ve gotten some really tremendous, beautiful attention.  But the biggest thing is that the work that we’ve done in the South Bronx, actually, should be replicated all over the place.  And, you know, what we are dealing with sometimes is that, because it only could work in the South Bronx.  I’m, like, “No. that’s not true.  If it can work in the South Bronx, it could work anywhere else, frankly.”  But making sure that you know, understand that poor people, you know, really should and could be a part of their own future development.  It’s, kind of, a crazy, kind of, thing for people to recognize.  I think, people, like, I’m from one of these communities, and I don't have a great environment-- I don't have an environmental background, at all.  I simply saw a problem and wanted to help fix it.  But I think I’ve got enough street credentials and enough experience right now, but it is difficult, you know, being in the situation sometimes.

Recorded on: 3/17/08

Transcript:  I try to lead happily by example.  I mean, really, I do think that what we’ve got to offer is just such a beautiful message of hope and opportunity.  That, you know, when we don’t wag the finger, you know, of, like, “You better do this, you know, in order to be an environmentalist.” It’s more, like, we’re saying, like, “Look.  There’s hope and possibility out there if we, you know, use this green economy to help move people out of poverty.  That this transitional moment that we’re in right now is, actually, something that’s going to lift all boats.  And if we can think about it that way, then, this is something that, you know, is going to meet the-- or raise the bar for lots of different people and make a lot of people really happy and healthy, from business to government to community groups.  And that’s, I think, the message that we’re trying to put out there.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Question:  How would you rate the Bloomberg administration on environmental issues?

Transcript:  I think they gave it a good shot.  I definitely have my concerns about Plan NYC.  Specifically, because it doesn’t really, really, you know, support the development of green jobs.  It, sort of, pays lip service to it.  But, you know, the fact that they’re-- seems more interested to build-- and especially, in affected areas, disadvantaged areas-- that they’re much more interested in building jails there, rather than the development of green jobs.  Yeah, I’m a little concerned about it.  And I think some of the things in it are just not going to happen, to be honest.

Question: Would you like to see the congestion tax come back?

Transcript:  I think, congestion pricing, you know, as a model, is incredibly important, and we do need to see it happen.  But our concern is that we want to make sure that the benefits really go to mass transit.  Because that really is going to be the most important thing.  I mean, most people, you know, in the city, actually, are subway users.  And so we want to make sure that the benefits are going to increasing mass transit use and not anywhere else.

Question: Would you like to see more bike lanes?

Transcript:  Yeah, I mean, that-- bike lanes are part-- but again, it’s a part of, like, looking at the whole transportation system.  If we’re not enforcing, you know, the fact that bike lanes are a really important part, then, bike riders will continue to be killed on our streets.  Which is exactly what’s happening right now, and it’s incredibly unfortunate.  But I think that’s where we need, like, more support from the city to recognize that, you know, biking is a form of transportation.  And we need to be really cementing that, you know, in the mind of everybody in New York City.  Like, right now, it’s, kind of, like, we’re not that important as bikers.  And you see it in the way that unfortunately bikers are treated.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript:  No.  I hardly think so.  I think it’s a-- being green is a conscious lifestyle.  You know, it really is recognizing that there’s something outside of the little bubble that you live in, and that it does have-- everything you do has a consequence.  And does it involve you, you know, recognizing that you can do better?  And that you can, actually, be supportive of another person’s, or another part of society’s, welfare by the purchases you make or what you decide not to make?  Or yes.  Those things are important.  It’s not about-- how do you call it?  It’s not always about just, like-- Yes, I do believe that there are going to be some sacrifices, you know, involved.  Again, the age of, you know, abundant oil and coal, they are coming to an end.  But the Stone Age didn’t end just because they ran out of stones.  You know, people recognized there were different ways that we want to do things.  So again, living consciously is a really important task that we’re going to have to take.  But no.  It’s, like, you can totally do it in style.  I think, I’m very stylish, and you know, I live as green as I possibly can.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript:  I mean, really, really, basic, honestly.  It’s, like, you know, I mean, this is so stupid, but it’s hard for people to do, I realize.  Reusing things.  I mean, like, I remember growing up, I was, like, yeah, I grew up in a really poor family.  And everything had three uses before it got thrown away.  And it’s just, like, it’s just mind boggling to me, like, how disposable things are right now.  So that’s, like, one way of one thing of looking at it.  You know, we do need to really demand of, like, in our work places that our, you know, carters do recycle.  Many of them don’t, which is atrocious, if you ask me.  And, like, sometimes you ask, like, folks, like, everybody just wants to switch out their light bulbs.  But you ask people, do they?  The answer would be no.  So why don’t you switch out your light bulbs, for the love of God?  But, also, I think, the biggest thing-- and this is, actually, more micro-- or macro, rather.  Is understanding that, you know, in doing what you can in whatever capacity you have, to understand that, you know, especially if you’re living a more privileged lifestyle, that there are more communities out there that aren’t.  So when you flush your toilet, when you throw something away, it doesn’t just go away.  It really does impact somebody else’s community.  And if we thought about that when we did that, and if we use an opportunity to talk about policies and what that means, you know, for folks that, you know, are on the other end of that pipeline.  I think that’s also really helpful and talking about the fact that all of our decisions, actually, have an impact on somebody else.  And usually, they’re poor people, or poor people of color.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript:  Macro, really encourage, through funding and incentives, the development of green manufacturing and clean tech industries.  We can’t, you know, talk the talk—or we can talk the talk without walking the walk.  That’s what a lot of people do.  That’s called green washing.  But, you know, I find that when, like, in New York City, for example, the kind of subsidies that are going to, you know, the Yankees from Major League, you know, to create stadiums or big box stores, stuff like that, when we know that they’re not really going to do anything to seriously impact the bottom line of our communities.  They’re not going to create great jobs.  They’re not going to mitigate the environment.  So we have to really put our money where our mouth is and support the kind of industries that are going to have the kind of environmental and economic impact.  Because they’re going to create green jobs.  And that’s really important for us to recognize.  So just on a macro level, creating the kind of environment so that green businesses can actually flourish.  That’s one.  You know, another one is making sure that we can, actually, train people in those green collar jobs.  And making sure that there is funding and support to do that as well.  Because we’ve got huge pools, you know, in major cities and otherwise, of unemployed people who want to be a part of something.  I mean, that’s all anybody really wants when you think about it.  You know, to be loved, to contribute to society, and really feel like they’re making a difference.  And you often do that through your own economic bottom line.  If you don’t have the funds to do that and if you have a job, that automatically, I think, makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger.  So making sure that we are training the folks that have been, traditionally, deprived of a lot of resources in their own communities.  That’s really important to look at, as well.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript:  Wow.  I feel—let’s see.  Where should I start with that one?  I mean, there’s just such an opportunity to contribute to green washing, now, because it’s green, and everybody’s doing it.  But I do think there’s, also, a general feel, you know, for most folks in the business community that really do want to do the right thing.  I do think they need some support.  And there needs to be the proper environment for these kind of businesses to flourish.  Because right now, there’s—you know, if we really knew what a gallon of oil really costs, you know, in terms of these subsidies that our tax dollars give to it, we might not think about it quite the same way.  But if we, also, thought about “How do we get that kind of subsidy to go to renewables, to support businesses that really want to do this better?”  That I think is a really interesting thing to do.  Because right now, like, we are asking a lot, you know, from business communities.  But at the same time, I think it would—it’s not in their best interest to think that, you know, the days of, you know, abundant oil, you know, and coal are going to be here forever.  They’re not.  And the smarter money out there is, actually, thinking, like, “Well, how do I, you know, contribute?  And how am I going to operate well in an environment that is going to change by necessity, when the price of oil is, actually, going to become what it probably should be?”

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript: Green collar jobs are, to us-- the way we define green collar jobs is that it’s a job that has a net benefit to the environment. So it can be something that a PhD does, in terms of designing a hybrid car. But it can, also, be something as simple, you know, as the guy or the gal that, actually, is working to maintain the urban forests. You know, planting a green roof, you know, installing a solar panel. Those are, also, environment green collar jobs that pay back, you know, not only to the person that does the work, which is great, but also to the environment. Because it’s, actually, reducing, you know, some of the environmental costs that we continuously pay, as a result of global warming.

Recorded on: 4/28/08

Transcript: The biggest problem that we’re having in many urban areas is, actually, asthma.  In the South Bronx, you know, we see about 60,000 diesel truck trips going through our community each and every week.  That definitely adds to asthma, upper respiratory problems.  But if you have a community where people are afraid to go outside because there’s so many trucks running around, or if the air smells because of sewage treatment plants or other kind of issues like that.  People, also, aren’t getting the kind of physical activity that they need, as well.  Which leads to diabetes and, of course, to obesity, as well.  And then, there’s, also, the not so well reported, you know, issue that there’s actually more than conclusive evidence to show that proximity to fossil fuel emissions causes learning disabilities in young kids.  And we now know that poor kids that don’t do well in school, actually, have a much better chance of ending up in jail, rather than going onto higher education.  So, for us, the development of Environmental Services in our community, like, the creation of Urban Forestry, Green Roof Installation, actually, even doing solar panels.  So we’re reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.  So that actually provides a benefit to our communities by, number one, cleaning up the air, because there’s actually green things that are cleaning the air.  Two, providing jobs for people, because they have to do it.  Which, of course, we know now that poverty is, also, a key component in folks actually going to jail.  So creating opportunities for people to do environmental services, which actually have a net benefit to the environment.  And also, all of our infrastructure creates jobs.  They get reinvested in our communities.  It creates healthier communities.

Recorded on: 4/28/08