The Realist Idealist

Tomorrow morning, software developers from around Washington, D.C. will come together at the Sunlight Foundation in order to find the best ways to use data and create solutions for aid workers to assist the relief efforts in Haiti. These CrisisCamps, (an idea which arose out of Transparency Camp ‘09), or “Hackathons for Haiti” will also take place in Silicon Valley and London.

For those that want to follow and contribute, but aren’t in those areas, Crisis Camp is on Twitter as well.

The event(s) will bring together specialists in database creation, visualization, geospatial data and other fields in order to build reliable tools that field workers and other volunteers will be able to use on laptops and mobile devices. Ideally some developers will also think about long-term, data-centric solutions, like tracking relief dollars and helping to make the distribution of funds a bit more accountable. (After all, if there’s been difficulty knowing where the billions in Katrina relief went, just imagine the challenge in a country with virtually no social or governmental accountability mechanism like Haiti.)

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On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to extend the Cash for Clunkers program another $2 billion after the originally allotted $1 billion ran out in a matter of days as opposed to the 4-5 months, it was thought it would take.  The Senate will vote on the proposed $2bn extension this week.  This is a problem.

I’ve been thinking about this for a while.

Almost exactly a year ago this weekend, I wrote a post on a then-proposed Cash for Clunker program that was outlined in that week’s Sunday Times by Alan Blinder. The title of my post:

“Cash for Clunkers: The Best Idea You’ve Never Heard Of”

It goes without saying, and serves as a complete understatement, to note that a lot has changed since then. From our economy to the leadership of our federal government to the fall of the U.S. auto industry to the passing of a $787 bn federal stimulus package to the way federal programs are implemented; it’s all different now.

In fact, in reading back over my post and thinking about this last year, it’s nearly impossible for me to fathom just how much has changed since then.

Most relevant to this post, I found myself reflecting today on all those changes as I thumbed through this week’s Sunday Times, and came across another article about a Cash for Clunkers program - only this time, of course, after the actual passing and implementation of the $1bn federal program (which, to remind, ran out of money within a matter of days because so many people wanted to take advantage of it so quickly.) Suffice to say the article was unnerving.

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“How can people be expected to care if they aren’t inspired? This is a movie designed to inspire.”

That’s they way producer Alastair Fothergill described his highly anticipated new film “Earth” this week at the film’s early screening in DC.

Now I am not, nor claim to be, a movie critic, but if Fothergill’s, and director Mark Linfield’s intent was inspiration, they completely and utterly deliver throughout their 85 minute film.

I write this as a 28 year old dude who regularly claims not to give a (insert expletive) about polar bears and wildlife.

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My father has been an employee of General Motors since he graduated from Evansville University in southern Indiana in 1974.  A lot has happened since then in the energy industry, in the auto industry, and in my family.

I wrote a couple weeks ago about “my energy history,” and how closely tied my family - and consequently my life - has been to the US auto industry.  From the launch of the Saturn Corporation, to solar powered race cars, to the first electric vehicles in the mid 90’s, to the GM-ification of Saturn, through the SUV boom, to the death of electric cars, and now of course at the near collapse of the US industry altogether, I’ve been directly and indirectly connected since birth.

I preface with all of that because it’s with that lens that I read over the letter below that my father received and forwarded to me.  In a word it was striking… GM - the most iconic corporate, old-school entity I know - is in such straits that they are turning to their grassroots.  While the United Auto Workers (UAW) are likely to initiate such a request to their members, GM reaching out to it’s employees in this way is more or less unprecedented.  I hope it’s empowering for them.

What I hope even more, however, is that this is an opportunity for GM, Ford and Chrysler to revamp, retool and be part of the RePowering of America that we desperately need.  When GM employees call their congresspersons, they should be demanding that there also be incentives for creating a revolution of renewably-powered vehicles tied to any bail out.

Here’s the letter.  Of particular note is the link for the site: www.gmfactsandfiction.com

Dear Employee,

Next week, Congress and the current Administration will determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation’s history.  Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis.

As you know, we have taken the tough, necessary actions over the last few years to strengthen our competitive position.  With our UAW partners we have reshaped our business and will have reduced our structural costs by more than $13 billion by 2010 and have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our competitors.  We also are building products that have received great customer acceptance and acclaim, as we have seen with the Chevy Malibu, Cadillac CTS and our family of crossovers.  And, there’s more to come with the Chevy Volt which will position GM as a global technology leader as well as more hybrids and fuel efficient passenger cars like the Chevy Cruze.

The consequences, however, of a portion of the domestic auto industry collapsing extend far beyond GM’s ability to continue its transformation.  One in 10 American jobs depend on our industry, as well as the health of communities, dealers and suppliers in all 50 states.  As you know, nearly 3 million employees, retirees, and their families also depend on us for their pensions and health care.  Because of our economic contribution, the cost of allowing this industry to fail would be catastrophic:  3 million jobs lost within the first year; U.S. personal income reduced by $150.7 billion; a government tax loss over three years of more than $156 billion.  This level of economic devastation far exceeds the $25 billion of government support that our industry needs to bridge this current period.

Today, I want you to take the time to contact your members of Congress to ask them to support America’s domestic auto industry.  Please call the following number to be connected with your legislators 1-866-927-2233.  Directions and key messages are in the attached document to assist you with the calls.  Also attached is a fact sheet that includes the economic figures cited above.  Additionally, you can visit www.gmfactsandfiction.com to obtain further information on the auto industry and GM.

Support for the domestic auto industry will contribute to a stronger economy, save millions of jobs, and establish U.S. manufacturing and technology leadership in the global marketplace.  As an employee, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices.  I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.

Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.

Troy Clarke
President
GM North America

The email address that Mr. Clarke gives to respond to is “grassroots@gm.com”

Much more to come…

…for anyone who stops by the site tomorrow.

Can’t wait to resume blogging after the madness of the election ends.  For those that I haven’t talked to, or can’t tell from my Twitter feed to the right, I’m in North Carolina for the final days of the campaign trying to turn out a victory for Kay Hagan in the US Senate and Barack Obama for President.  Keeping our fingers crossed.

From Wall St. to the Clinton Global Initiative to the UN Summit, I’ve watched with all of you this week as unprecedented economic and political events unfold in the United States and around the world.

Thankfully, in the midst of these very uncertain times, something beautiful is happening tomorrow. Action. And I don’t mean another bailout proposal.

Beacause we know the economic, energy, and climate crises we face are all connected, tens of thousands of people will be organizing events in all 50 states to tell our leaders that we’re ready to take on these crises by building a green economy strong enough to put people back to work, lift people out of poverty, and begin to secure our climate.

www.greenjobsnow.com

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(I first posted this on It’s Getting Hot in Here and Power Vote while at Clinton Global Initiative in New York.

At today’s Clinton Global Initiative, Al Gore said for the first time in public that we are at a point in our world’s history, and in need of such immediate action, that if you are a young person it’s time for civil disobedience.

In particular to bring coal plants to a halt.

On a panel with Queen Rania of Jordan, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Neville Isdell (the CEO of Coca Cola), and Bono - moderated by President Clinton himself - Gore was fiery in his calls for action and investment in new clean energy technologies. He was even more fiery in his strong denouncements of nonexistent clean coal (”There is no such thing!”), and a congress that is today voting on an energy bill that lifts the moratorium on mining coal shale, calling it - with dramatic pause - “IN-SANITY.”

In fact, Gore used the word “insane” or “insanity” at least 3 times (we’ll check the records to see if there more) in his descriptions of various political and business decisions made (or not made) with regard to climate.

Here are my minute by minute notes from the Opening Plenary. The times reflected are from my laptop clock - initially synced with event organizers - but are not official record:

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As many of you know… and as many of you don’t know… I recently took up work in the clean energy field as the Internet Director/Chief Technology Officer/Strategic Communications guy of the Energy Action Coalition.

James Hansen has testified that Energy Action is one of the only environmentally or energy-focused organizations truly doing what needs to be done (raising awareness and organizing people to put pressure on elected officials) to move clean energy into reality.

Though it’s yet another more personal post, I wanted to share the letter I wrote the central staff (about 10), coalition partners (48) and and field staff (about 80) of Energy Action as I came on board.  It speaks in large measure about where I’m coming from as it relates to creating a clean energy future, and also some of the things that I hope will change as we move forward in this country.  One thing is certain, we MUST do something…

***

Dear Teammates,

In 1988 my family and I (as well as all my LEGOs and my 8086 with accompanying text-only Zork game disks ☺) moved to the small town of Columbia, Tennessee from the suburbs of Detroit.   Two years earlier my father had been assigned by General Motors to a “crazy” initiative to build an American car company from the ground up that would do everything differently – from how and what the company built, to how its employees worked (and thought about their work), to how it integrated with the local and global community. The new company’s team was given two billion dollars, three thousand acres of cornfields, a few office trailers, and was met by a town welcome sign that read “population 800.” That was the environment in which this new company, Saturn, was to produce 350,000 cars per year in a facility over one mile long with more than ten thousand eventual employees - all without disturbing the local population, destroying the culture, or ruining the ecosystem.

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I’ve been busy.

(even as I write it, I wonder why it’s necessary to put it out there… we are strange creatures to need to say such things for validation! ;-))

Since my last post here on July 28, I’ve changed jobs, moved my house, traveled extensively (including 9 days in Denver for a Democratic National Convention that I will never forget), and both been part of some of the coolest and more challenging things of my professional career.

I’ve done a good bit of writing at www.powervote.org/blog and www.itsgettinghotinhere.org and my Twitter feed has been a constant stream of consciousness…  just have unfortunately not put my thoughts down here on my own site.  I was reminded of how much it matters to me, though, when my friend Nancy emailed to say how she stumbled upon The Realist Idealist when she Google’d the word “idealist.”

I miss it.  In part for my own sake of (often) being able to capture and process my experiences and thoughts as I write, but much more so because of the interaction that occurs with all of you.  As usual, the realization led to a reflection on the importance of this process in my life (and I suspect others’ lives?).

Back when I was highly involved with alternative breaks at Vanderbilt and at Break Away, it never occurred to me NOT to stop and reflect on any action or experience.  It was an integral aspect of everything that we - and subsequently “I” - did.  I credit the development of consciousness from that period as being fundamental to the way I see and operate within the world today… so why do we stop? Why did I stop, rather?  How does reflection ever become less important and not a priority to us when it is so clearly valuable?

I don’t like this “returning” thing.  Pausing, reflecting, and integrating the lessons gathered is something I want back, and I want it to stay there. I hope you’ll join me… it’s inherently not something I can do alone.

While I don’t want to get into a habit of talking about my personal life (I’d rather talk about thoughts, ideas, events), I’m feeling the need to do so tonight, so thanks for indulging.

Tomorrow I want to talk about personal energy history and how it’s led to my new work… and I want to hear about yours!

An article found in this week’s Economist, “Take a leaf out of his book,” presents a candid message to Japanese executives: it’s time to break with the past if you don’t want to break your company!

The article points out that in Japan certain cultural characteristics such as humility, loyalty, respect and consensus, which are seemingly positive, may be holding back Japanese businesses.

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