The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

After arriving an hour and fifteen minutes late (although I think I was the only person who seemed to notice), Hillary Clinton began her “conversation” with a packed gymnasium at Manchester Central High School last Friday.  She spoke about health care, the war in Iraq, setting goals as a nation, and trying to “reverse the damage of the last six years.”   ”Global climate change” (the Clinton campaign’s terminology for global warming) was touched upon in her opener–investing in energy technologies and plans for a strategic energy fund–but it wasn’t until the very end of the “conversation” when a young member of the audience asked her about alternative and renewable energy options, that she elaborated on the subject.  And with at least five “also’s” she certainly did elaborate:

“I include global climate change with energy because you’ve got to look at them as part of the same package…We need a renewable portfolio standard so that we are going to have goals…we need a decentralized system…we have to do a lot more on biofuels…we have to do a lot more on cellulosic…we need to have more access to alternative fuels…a cap and trade system to try to control greenhouse gas emissions…we have to do more with conservation and energy efficiency…”  (listen to audio clips here.)

Someone in the Clinton campaign must have read up on the March 1st conference in Concord “Climate Change and Working Forests: A Conference for Citizens Concerned with the Future of NH Forests.”  “People cannot just be thinking we can do it in the midwest” she said, “in NH and New York we have things we can turn into energy.”  Clinton talked about cellulosic alternatives and specifically noted that paper mills in Berlin could be used as a great energy resource.

Of course her most significant point was that solar panels need to be more affordable and we need to “change the color from blue because some people don’t want blue on their roofs.”  Thanks Hil.  Finally a candidate who understands the real issues.  I’ve like totally been wanting to install solar panels, but the blue just like won’t match my house.  

On another note…as far as we can tell the only two candidates who participated in a Step It Up event this weekend were Kucinich and Edwards.  Apparently we are too optimistic in this office.  Despite the lack of candidate support, the day was an overwhelming success.