What President Obama’s First Video Address Means For The Environment

President Obama Talks Green Jobs And Biofuels. Says That Government Spending Will Be Made Public At Recovery.gov.

We’re finally here. Today, President Obama delivered his first weekly address to the nation. I love these kinds of things. As archaic as the Bush administration was, I have to give them props for putting the President’s weekly address on iTunes. I expect Obama will follow suit.

Obama has only been in the White House for four days and he’s been quite busy. His executive order on Presidential Records brings transparency back to goverment, and accountability! Something sorely lacking these past eight years. He has also halted the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, one of America’s biggest blemishes. But let’s get to what he said today.

President Obama got it right when he said we have an “unprecedented crisis that calls for unprecedented action.” Yes the current economy totally sucks, and yes, many greedy and evil people got us into the position we are in. But I think this was inevitable. We’ve been just getting by for decades now.

Here in America we’ve invented the automobile revolution, Britney Spears, and the Internet. Yet, year after year we get spanked by Japanese car makers. As we should. I much rather drive a Honda then a Chevy. Oh, and the Internet –  that crazy series of tubes — the U.S. ranks #15 worldwide. Fifteen! And well…just look how Britney turned out.

So, if we cannot stay current…or even competitive, how can our economy sustain us? We’re like Sharon Stone baring it all for Basic Instinct 2 (yes, I sat through it!). Sure, it was hot in the first one…but now it’s just very very sad.

The thing about Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is that it’s not a bandaid - no quick fix. In contrast to that $600 joke of a tax credit, or the myopic reasoning behind Drill Baby Drill, his plan extends beyond his Presidency.

He spoke of how millions of Americans are trying to find work all the while there is so much work to be done. A big part of that is a nod to Green Jobs. Of course efforts will be extended to education, health care and infrastructure.

At the front of the line was energy, and not just any kind of energy - Clean Energy! We will double alternative energy sources like wind, solar and biofuels over the next three years. We saw earlier this week that a House committee approved 20-billion for the efforts. Along with the increased sources of energy comes a Smart Grid. Yeah!

But this is all moot if we don’t balance innovation with conservation. Luckily, it seems Obama’s administration wants to do that too. Tax payers will save $2 billion a year as 75-percent of all federal buildings will become more energy efficient. The plan also includes rebuilding and retrofitting America’s infrastructure. Mass transit will also get a makeover, providing Americans with new transportation options.

But here is the money shot, decisons about how the money is invested will all be public. We will see how our goverment is spending our money at recovery.gov. You can read a full transcript of the speech over at whitehouse.gov.

Now, that’s change I can believe in.

Tweet This Post