How Many Americans Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb

How Many Americans Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb

One of the most memorable quotes from Barack Obama came from a casual behind-the-scenes moment during the campaign. Candidate Obama, in an unguarded moment, recounted a question from a debate moderator who asked him what he’d personally done to go green. Mr. Obama’s frustration with the premise of this question was captured by Newsweek: “The truth is … we can’t solve global warming because I *#!@* changed light bulbs in my house,” said the candidate. “It’s because of something collective.”

For me, a guy who’s probably spent too much time calculating the costs and benefits of going compact fluorescent, I felt a little stupid hearing that. After all, everywhere you turn there’s another “Ten Tips to Green Your Life” list, which I often try to follow. Yet, there was candidate Obama, claiming that all the individual efforts that have captured the public’s imagination won’t make the necessary difference unless we act collectively.

 

Michael Schulder: From a Researcher at ABC News; To a Writer at The MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour on PBS; To my five years as a Writer for Peter Jennings at ABC World News Tonight; And 17 years as a Senior Executive Producer at CNN.

FOLLOW US ON

Wavemaker on YouYube
Wavemaker YouTube Channel