I finished Al Gore's Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit.
It
was a heavy book to read in that it had a great deal of sophisticated
discussion about science and policy. Consequently, there were probably
things that I missed or failed to absorb as I read it. I was pretty
much expecting this to be the case when I started the book. But,
overall, the book was rewarding in terms of what I learned. I
especially appreciated Gore's discussion about what policies towards the
Third World do not work, and which policies might work better instead.
But
there were a number of things in the book that took me by surprise.
For example, Gore talked at great length about such issues as history,
addiction, relational dysfunction, and even his son's accident changing
his family's life----and he related those things to the environment,
often in an analogical sense. Consequently, this book had somewhat of a
poetic feel. Did I like that? Well, it was different! There
were times when I wondered what Gore was driving at, or where exactly
he was going, and I felt like he was getting into distractions. But, as
I reflect more, there was part of me that actually enjoyed his holistic
treatment of environmental issues.
Something that took me
slightly by surprise was Gore's ideological flexibility. I already knew
going into the book that Gore did not believe that we had to choose
between a strong economy and the environment. I also had a hunch that
the way that many Republicans have characterized his book is not
entirely accurate, the same way that Democrats sometimes (Republicans
would say "often") caricature Republican positions. But I didn't
entirely expect for Gore in this book to seek common ground with
conservatives who oppose big government, or the Catholic church and
pro-lifers on addressing over-population in the Third World. Moreover,
Gore actually sought to address the arguments of climate-change deniers
(particularly those with credentials) rather than casually dismissing
them or crying conspiracy. As one who long regarded Gore as a pompous
ideologue who looks down on those with whom he disagrees, I was
pleasantly surprised.
In terms of where I was disappointed, I wish
that the book had gone more into green technology and how that could
create jobs----particularly how other countries are achieving success in
the area of green technology. Perhaps he covered that more than I
remember, and I missed it, but I don't recall him going into this issue
all that often (though he did recommend cheaper and cleaner equipment on
quite a few occasions). That surprised me, for I can tell that he
regards it as an important issue because he has brought it up in a
number of settings (i.e., on talk-shows, in debates, etc.). Perhaps my
problem is that he did discuss this issue, but not in a manner to which
I'm accustomed.