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Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis

Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis
By Al Gore

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It is now abundantly clear that we have at our fingertips all of the tools we need to solve the climate crisis. The only missing ingredient is collective will.

Properly understood, the climate crisis is an unparalleled opportunity to finally and effectively address many persistent causes of suffering and misery that have long been neglected, and to transform the prospects of future generations, giving them a chance to live healthier, more prosperous lives as they continue their pursuit of happiness.

Our Choice gathers in one place all of the most effective solutions that are available now and that, together, will solve this crisis. It is meant to depoliticize the issue as much as possible and inspire readers to take action—not only on an individual basis but as participants in the political processes by which every country, and the world as a whole, makes the choice that now confronts us.

There is an old African proverb that says, "If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together."

We have to go far, quickly.

We can solve the climate crisis. It will be hard, to be sure, but if we can make the choice to solve it, I have no doubt whatsoever that we can and will succeed.

—AL GORE, from the introduction

Al Gore is the cofounder and chairman of Current TV, an Emmy Award-winning, independently owned cable and satellite television news and information network for young people based on viewer-created content, citizen journalism, and investigative reporting. He is also cofounder and chairman of Generation Investment Management, a firm focused on a new approach to sustainable investing. Gore is a partner with the venture capial firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a member of the Board of Directors of Apple, and a senior advisor to Google. He is a visiting professor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and chairs a nonprofit organization designed to help solve the climate crisis-the Alliance for Climate Protection-to which he is donating 100 percent of his earnings from this book.
 
Gore was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and then to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and 1990. He was inaugurated as the 45th vice president of the United States on January 20, 1993, and served for eight years. He is the author of the bestsellers Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, An Inconvenient Truth, and The Assault on Reason and was featured in an Academy Award-winning documentary. He was a corecipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
 
Al Gore lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Tipper, have four children and three grandchildren.
Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis is an inspiring call to action for those ready to fight for solutions that really work—including some bold initiatives that were deemed impossible only a short time ago but are now gaining support around the world. Since the publication of the New York Times bestseller An Inconvenient Truth, Mr. Gore has led more than 30 "Solutions Summits" with top scientists, engineers, and policy experts to examine every solution to the climate crisis in depth and detail. Our Choice draws on conclusions developed through those summits as well as on extensive independent research, describing how the bold choices necessary to save the earth’s climate should also be the foundations of policies worldwide to create new jobs and stimulate sustainable economic progress.

From Al Gore's Introduction

"It is now abundantly clear that we have at our fingertips all of the tools we need to solve the climate crisis. The only missing ingredient is collective will.

Properly understood, the climate crisis is an unparalleled opportunity to finally and effectively address many persistent causes of suffering and misery that have long been neglected, and to transform the prospects of future generations, giving them a chance to live healthier, more prosperous lives as they continue their pursuit of happiness.

Our Choice gathers in one place all of the most effective solutions that are available now and that, together, will solve this crisis. It is meant to depoliticize the issue as much as possible and inspire readers to take action—not only on an individual basis but as participants in the political processes by which every country, and the world as a whole, makes the choice that now confronts us.

There is an old African proverb that says, "If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together."

We have to go far, quickly.

We can solve the climate crisis. It will be hard, to be sure, but if we can make the choice to solve it, I have no doubt whatsoever that we can and will succeed."

As they did with An Inconvenient Truth, former Vice President Gore and Mrs. Tipper Gore will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the book to the Alliance for Climate Protection, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group dedicated to spreading awareness about the climate crisis and how to solve it. Our Choice features 100 percent recycled paper, locally produced and sourced editions, low VOC inks, and is carbon neutral.
"It’s the grand compendium of all that we know about how to undertake this most difficult of transitions. Gore’s new volume is the indispensable one-stop shop for the cutting edge thinking about how we’re going to solve this problem."—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
"In a new book that marks an evolution in his thinking, Al Gore recognizes that the debate over climate change can be more about doing well while doing good."—John Meachan, Newsweek
 
"Authoritative, exhaustive, reasoned, erudite."—Sharon Begley, Newsweek
 
“The clarity of his argument and the fissile power of his analysis combine to elevate Our Choice into the top-ranking environmental books of our time."—Financial Times
 
"There is no greater champion of the climate imperative than Al Gore. [He] distills his mastery of the topic into clean, readable prose, and illustrates it with gorgeous glossy photos and accessible—nd eye-opening—charts. After you read Gore's book, you will see why the choice must be made right now."—Huffington Post

"Ken-Burns-meets-global-warming, with vivid diagrams of how technologies work and lavish color photos."—Philadelphia Inquirer 

"Besides being informative, Our Choice is a truly beautiful book page after page, and I highly recommend it, particularly for those who want a broad overview of the key strategies for preserving a livable climate. This [is] a must-read book for those who want a primer on all the key solutions countries will be considering at Copenhagen."—Dr. Joseph Romm, Climateprogress.com

"It’s the grand compendium of all that we know about how to undertake this most difficult of transitions. Gore’s new volume is the indispensable one-stop shop for the cutting edge thinking about how we’re going to solve this problem."—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

"No one is more qualified than Gore to lead the collective movement beyond fossil fuels, given his command of the science and politics involved, hi

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #3020 in Books
  • Published on: 2009-11-03
  • Released on: 2009-11-03
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 416 pages

Features

  • ISBN13: 9781594867347
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In a new book that marks an evolution in his thinking, Al Gore recognizes that the debate over climate change can be more about doing well while doing good."
—John Meachan, Newsweek
 
"Authoritative, exhaustive, reasoned, erudite."
 —Sharon Begley, Newsweek
 
“The clarity of his argument and the fissile power of his analysis combine to elevate Our Choice into the top-ranking environmental books of our time."
 —Financial Times
 
"There is no greater champion of the climate imperative than Al Gore. [He] distills his mastery of the topic into clean, readable prose, and illustrates it with gorgeous glossy photos and accessible -- and eye-opening -- charts. After you read Gore's book, you will see why the choice must be made right now."
 —Huffington Post
 
"Ken-Burns-meets-global-warming, with vivid diagrams of how technologies work and lavish color photos."
—Philadelphia Inquirer
   
"Besides being informative, Our Choice is a truly beautiful book page after page, and I highly recommend it, particularly for those who want a broad overview of the key strategies for preserving a livable climate. This [is] a must-read book for those who want a primer on all the key solutions countries will be considering at Copenhagen."
 —Dr. Joseph Romm, Climateprogress.com
 
"It’s the grand compendium of all that we know about how to undertake this most difficult of transitions. Gore’s new volume is the indispensable one-stop shop for the cutting edge thinking about how we’re going to solve this problem."
 —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
 
“No one is more qualified than Gore to lead the collective movement beyond fossil fuels, given his command of the science and politics involved, his invaluable global connections and resources, and his sensitivity to our reluctance to face the ‘magnitude and gravity of the climate crisis.’ As he did in An Inconvenient Truth (2006), Gore matches clear and ringing explanations and commentary with superb supporting diagrams and illustrations and striking photographs from around the world, documenting the dramatic impacts of human industry and climate change… Our Choice is an inviting and momentous compendium of environmental discovery (with 100 percent of its earnings going to the Alliance for Climate Protection) that addresses one of the greatest threats our species has encountered with intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, and faith in human empowerment. This is a book that should be displayed and talked about everywhere.”
—Booklist

About the Author

Al Gore is the cofounder and chairman of Current TV, an Emmy Award-winning, independently owned cable and satellite television news and information network for young people based on viewer-created content, citizen journalism, and investigative reporting. He is also cofounder and chairman of Generation Investment Management, a firm focused on a new approach to sustainable investing. Gore is a partner with the venture capial firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a member of the Board of Directors of Apple, and a senior advisor to Google. He is a visiting professor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and chairs a nonprofit organization designed to help solve the climate crisis-the Alliance for Climate Protection-to which he is donating 100 percent of his earnings from this book.
 
Gore was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and then to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and 1990. He was inaugurated as the 45th vice president of the United States on January 20, 1993, and served for eight years. He is the author of the bestsellers Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, An Inconvenient Truth, and The Assault on Reason and was featured in an Academy Award-winning documentary. He was a corecipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
 
Al Gore lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Tipper, have four children and three grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

On the actual book5
Most of the "reviews" on this site are simply political arguments (with varying degrees of relevance to the book's subject matter) by people who either agree or disagree with Al Gore from a political standpoint. I would like to present a review of this book on its own merits.

1) The author has a lot to say in this book, and some of it takes time to read and comprehend. A book club might be helpful for many readers.
2) My favorite aspect of this book (from a literary standpoint) is the format. It is an interesting blend between textbook-style presentation of data, coffee-table-style presentation of main ideas, and textual exposition of a complex thesis. I think this format, while unconventional, fits the author's writing style. The downside of the format is that it could be too accessible, possibly enabling skimming or cherry-picking in lieu of reading.
3) There are minor grammatical errors that do not appear to obscure the meaning. Grammatical errors are common in scientific texts, because the majority of proofreading is done by technical experts. Also, artistic license is taken in some of the artistic renderings and poetry (and has been criticized in some reviews on this site). Both of these could be blown out of proportion by political opponents, but are legitimate in the context of the genre.
4) One of the reviews on this site claims that there is an "error" on the nuclear bar in the graph on p. 165. A range of 1-255 is given in the graph. The reviewer claims that the "actual" value in the reference is 66, but the reference itself gives the range from 1-255 *and* states that 66 is the mean value obtained upon a weighted average. Ironically, the value of 66 is not an "actual" value; it comes from a mathematical analysis, and does not refer to any particular study of an actual power plant. The book correctly presents the actual values from scientific studies, which range from 1-255. This full explanation is given on p. 2941 of the technical review that was referenced, which is free online: [...]


Scientific, Timely, Smart!5
General Description: This book is about global warming - the science and politics behind the issue. The book is attractive and comfortable in the hands despite being fairly large. It features numerous full-color maps, graphs and charts that explain everything from the greenhouse effect to turbine engines. The full-color photography is sensational, comparable to National Geographic. Despite the claims of some reviewers that the content is controversial in science, much of the information consists of basic scientific facts, simple explanations of such things as geothermal energy and solar power. Where the assertions can be contested, Gore appears to rely on consensus scientific opinion. There are 18 chapters spread over 405 pages. The chapters are divided into the following sections:

1)The Crisis
2)Our Sources of Energy
3)Living Systems (ecology and population)
4)How We Use Energy
5)The Obstacles We Need To Overcome
6)Going Far Quickly (Gore's basic plan)

Controversy: Based on what I am reading in this book and others, there is no longer a controversy in science over global warming. There are very few scientists of good reputation who deny global warming or our role in it (see the book What's The Worst That Could Happen?). The controversy is among average folks and politicians. In other words, this is a political, not a scientific controversy. Please note that Gore is referencing leading scientific bodies like The Royal Society in England and the U.S. National Academy of Science. The controversy has been generated largely by conglomerates, notably ExxonMobile, but also Shell, Texaco, General Motors, Ford and other large business combinations. This book is in no small part an expose on a massive cover up by industrial giants. And it appears to me to be an authentic, well-documented expose. But of course, as Gore admits, there are many sincere objectors, including some well-known writers, but few reputable scientists. So why all the sincere objection? To address this issue, Gore taps into psychology and neuroscience. Evolution has geared us for reacting to immediate dangers like snakes, big cats, floods, tornadoes, etc. When the danger isn't visible, we selectively repress the threat, so we can go on about dealing with more pressing problems. I think Gore's psychoanalyses, combined with his accusations of fraud and propaganda, are what's enraging conservatives here at Amazon.

Our Choice by Al Gore5
I loved this book. I had to prepare a review of it for an upcoming women's forum on global climate change, so I looked at it with a more critical eye than I normally would, but I still loved it.
The book is, as one reviewer put it ..."visually stunning" (the photo of the Gobi Desert encroaching on once-fertile farmland is particularly compelling.)And for those who devour statistics and great quotes, they're all there. But I was particularly pleased that he spent some quality time discussing the "eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room" that most climate books leave out or gloss over for fear of offending - overpopulation. Why it is so difficult for supposedly rational people to understand the connection between too many people and too few resources is beyond me. I agree with Mr. Gore about the technical solutions like increasing efficiencies, etc., but his bringing up so articulately the subject of women's role in all of this was a breath of fresh air. We have ample proof that educating women and giving them reproductive choices raises the standard of living and quality of life everywhere. Women are more than half the world's population. No nation, no society on earth can afford to squander or undervalue such a treasured resource. Kudos to Mr. Gore.