…but there’s a nice little refreshing online magazine out there called WorldChanging which he’s got his name on. But even though Al Gore may turn some people away from the cause, it’s about time that people start coming together on this front. And reading more about this kind of empowerment and actually doing stuff in response. There isn’t time or reason to wait on the government or the vague and mysterious “someone” to take care of the problems that we have a history of creating.  The WorldChanging site is a dialog about getting started. The book that began it (see below) is now a closed dialog about the same seven principles that are now discussed on the website: Stuff, Shelter, Cities, Community, Business, Politics & Planet.

Worldchanging: A Users Guide for the 21st Century is a groundbreaking compendium of the most innovative solutions, ideas and inventions emerging today for building a sustainable, livable, prosperous future. From consumer consciousness to a new vision for industry; non-toxic homes to refugee shelters; microfinance to effective philanthropy; socially responsible investing to starting a green business; citizen media to human rights; ecological economics to climate change, this is the most comprehensive, cutting-edge overview to date of what’s possible in the near future — if we decide to make it so.

Al Gore gets a lot of criticism for being imperfect in his lifestyle. I am critical of those nay-sayers for giving up on something entirely if it doesn’t work for them. Those who call out for his blame are often those who are too lazy or stubborn to budge on changing their lifestyles, something I have no respect for. The important thing, whether you like the guy or not (and personally, I don’t really), is that he’s got the means to bring attention to the issue, and not many have that opportunity. So hopefully he will continue to bring in more believers. The ad below, which has been running on tv for a couple of weeks now, is a perfect image for Americans to remember. It’s not appealing to the consumer craze and leading to more green washing. It’s appealing to emotion in a way that drags people into the movement, comparing it to American history. The green movement has not yet fit into the Americana Dream, but this is a start by making us nostalgic and reminiscent. Plus, the subtle m to w flip in “me” to “we” says it all.