This post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.
The Senate floor debate about the Climate Security Act is scheduled to start next week, so we have two new ads running in key states.
This one has gotten good reactions (and a few winces): “Grounded” TV ad.
What do you think? If you like it, make sure to rate it and share it! Tomorrow, I’ll post another ad, called “Melt.”
7 Comments
Loved it; you can wait for the next barrell, it keeps one focused…and it plays on “big oil”
the problems; i spent much time here at UNC Asheville, analyzing cap and trade versus carbon tax; clearly carbon tax is the best pure policy play. However, recognizing that this bill is the only one on the table, i find myself supporting it – BUT, that support is quickly eroding as i see all of the ornaments being young on the bill, that erodes much of the benefits,,which when costs are included…makes the net benefits minimal…
So the question is, is this the bill we want to support; or is the plan for it to fail and then a new bill is positioned in a more positive political climate.
Thanks for the comment, and glad you liked the ad!
The Climate Security Act is a strong bill, and as you said, it’s the one the Senate is going to vote on. For more on how it fits in the long-term strategy to slow our emissions, see my earlier post “Good versus Perfect.”
Oh my gosh, I laughed so hard when I saw this ad. It’s brilliant. It gets to the point, but in a way that’s accessible. Pure genius. Can’t wait to see “Melting.”
Not going to make any friends in the oil industry – I support EDF partly because you are so good at bringing all sides to the table. Doesn’t hurt to show some bargaining muscle, I guess…….
How about an alternative future ad. This got far too wordy as I was writing, but here’s the idea
Could switch between the two futures with one saying:
Back in 2008 we knew what was going on with the climate and why.
You wouldn’t believe how things were back then – lightbulbs would actually be too hot to touch because of all the waste heat they were throwing off. Cars went, I don’t really remember, probably less than 50 or 60 miles to a gallon. And they all ran on pure gasoline. Really. We thought the polar bear might actually go extinct. Glaciers were retreating. And we were spending billions on oil from people some of whom wanted us dead.
So eventually, around 2008, the government put a little structure into how we were going to deal with it. People were already doing a lot, and businesses were doing their best. A lot of people were staking their future on the future of the planet. The rest of the world were making reductions and beginning to dominate the new energy technologies.
So the Government gave us a playing field we could really work on. And boy did we get creative. We had thermal solar, thin film solar, nano solar, hydro, geothermal, wind, nuclear, insulation, building design, hybrids, plub-in hybrids, smart grids, recycling, better roads, better houses, you name it.
And of course that’s where I made my money. So enjoy your college, and see if you can’t get another 1% out of those solar panels and come work for me. Remember, there’s money in rays and we need someone to open another plant in India.
While the other…
Back in 2008 we knew what was going on with the climate and why.
You wouldn’t believe how things were back then. Energy bills were less than the mortgage payment, we would drive literally hundreds of miles just to visit relatives on Memorial day, we still had that place on the coast, we weren’t spending tax dollars on some new natural disaster every single year, and our house insurance was SO much lower. We had documentaries about polar bears and you knew that they were up there doing their thing, while you were watching. Not just in the museum.
We kind of figured that not warming the planet was a good idea but there were some really poor countries that weren’t doing their bit so we figured, why should America lead?
There were plenty of people that tried to make it work but the government thought it was more important to give money to the oil and coal companies. Really. Americans had a pretty good grip on technology then. I know we’re buying all the stuff from Europe now, and that’s really when they got out ahead. And they are still pretty angry at us and that’s why we have to pay extra when we try to buy any of their goodies.
So. It’s a shame you’re not going to college, but you should get a job working the Canadian tar sands, and it will get you away from all the West Nile mosquitos we get in the Dakotas. And while you’re there watch out for food riots.
Q
Prompted me to dig out this ad I convceived of a couple of years ago:
“We know that burning fossil fuels is releasing CO2 and dangerously warming the planet.”
“But your car doesn’t make much of a difference, does it?”
“This is a typical 10 gallon small-car gas tank”
Show filling a free-standing tank with gas.
“When you drive you’re burning all that gas under the hood.”
Show lighting gas in the tank.
Show fireball, noise, explosion.
“How often do you fill up your car – once a month? Once a week? More often?”
Multiple tanks, multiple explosions.
Pan back – multiple cars, with free standing tanks next to them each with multiple explosions (Hummer, SUVs – bigger explosions)
“We’re doing a lot of burning under that hood.”
Pan back to a small town.
Slow film, sound of rumbling…..(implication that the explosion is too big and dangerous to show)
“There are simple ways to reduce your CO2 emissions, from filling your tires right, to buying a hybrid, to taking the train, to combing trips or avoiding the trip altogether. And they’ll all save you money too. Go to zzzzz.com for more on how to make your difference.”
I forwarded your ideas to our ad team, thanks. :)