Former President Bill Clinton (SFS'68) spoke at Georgetown's Gaston Hall, urging private citizens to contribute to the public good. He asserted that 21st-century citizenship requires "every thoughtful person to try to do some public good."

 

Clinton warned of an "unsustainable path to the future," citing widespread "inequality and unsustainability." He concluded by advising, "If you want to serve you must begin with the stories." This address was published on May 2, 2013.

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An interview features Oregon farmer Edgar Winters of the Oregon Agricultural Food and Rural Consortium (OAFRC) and hemp advocate Doug Fine.

Winters, Oregon's first industrial hemp licensee, aims to plant seeds this spring, relying on the 7606 Federal Farm Bill's "agricultural pilot programs" provision.

Establishing domestic hemp seed stock is vital for rural economic development. Produced by Barry Heidt.

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At a 2010 TED conference, Bill Gates addressed global warming, focusing on CO2 emissions, rising temperatures, and ecosystem collapse. He posed a critical question: is near-zero emissions truly necessary?

His unequivocal answer was yes, underscoring the urgent need for drastic reductions to mitigate climate change impacts.

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David Wessel's book, "Only the Rich Can Play," exposes the 2017 Opportunity Zone tax break. Intended to aid underserved communities, this initiative, passed with little scrutiny, primarily benefited wealthy areas like the Las Vegas Strip, allowing investors to avoid capital gains taxes.

Wessel's analysis details the program's failures and limited successes, offering lessons for better design. Join David Wessel (@davidmwessel) and Lenny Mendonca for an in-depth discussion on this system, which Wessel argues keeps the rich richer. This event was presented by The Commonwealth Club of California.

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"Free Solo" climber Alex Honnold compares fighting climate change to physical training, emphasizing the need for practice and starting small. He suggests the U.S. Legislature is "under-trained" and should begin with initiatives like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Honnold views any effort to reduce carbon emissions as a step in the right direction, endorsing this bill as a crucial first step.

Watch the video to learn more about Honnold's endorsement, share it, and then use our online tool to email your member of Congress, asking them to sponsor this important bill: cclusa.org/write.

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Why generational pressure is the key to climate change policy? Watch Dan Esty on Big Think Watch the newest video from Big Think: https://bigth.ink/NewVideo Join Big Think Edge for exclusive videos:

Why generational pressure is the key to climate change policy? Watch Dan Esty on Big Think Watch the newest video from Big Think: https://bigth.ink/NewVideo Join Big Think Edge for exclusive videos: https://bigth.ink/Edge ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With figures like Greta Thunberg and demonstrations like the global climate strike, it's become apparent that young people are driving the effort to stop climate change. This generational pressure is the key to change. In the same way that smoking became less accepted in society, even frowned upon, so too can the behaviors that have sped up climate change. Moving forward, energy companies will play a major role if they can reimagine themselves as part of the solution to this crisis and forge a better path to save the planet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAN ESTY Daniel C. Esty is the Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the Yale Law School. Known for his innovative policy ideas and commitment to transformative change, Dan served as head of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from 2011 to 2014. He is the editor of "A Better Planet: 40 Big Ideas for a Sustainable Future." Purchase "A Better Planet: Forty Big Ideas for a Sustainable Future" here: https://bigth.ink/Esty ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSCRIPT: The key to progress on environment broadly and on climate change in particular is to change values. I think this has to be understood as in some regards an ethical issue, a moral issue and one has to see it as a wrong to contaminate the planet and to put at risk the future of humanity on the planet. And I think that change is coming and curiously but perhaps not really surprisingly it is coming from young people much more from the generation that’s currently in positions of leadership. Greta and other young people are out there saying to the leaders and political positions of power not only in the United States but across the world step up. You need to do more. And I think we have seen again and again that transformational change is often driven by generational change. And I think it’s almost certainly going to be true on climate change. Fifty years ago if we’d had this interview I’d probably be smoking or maybe smoking a pipe as a professor. That’s so unacceptable now you don’t even have to tell me that I can’t come in and light up a cigarette. Norms have changed. Values have changed. We know now that that’s completely unacceptable and a threat to public health. And I think we’re starting to get there on climate change. ABOUT BIG THINK: Smarter Faster™ Big Think is the leading source of expert-driven, actionable, educational content -- with thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, we help you get smarter, faster. S​ubscribe to learn from top minds like these daily. Get actionable lessons from the world’s greatest thinkers & doers. Our experts are either disrupting or leading their respective fields. ​We aim to help you explore the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century, so you can apply them to the questions and challenges in your own life. Other Frequent contributors include Michio Kaku & Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Michio Kaku Playlist: https://bigth.ink/kaku Bill Nye Playlist: https://bigth.ink/BillNye Neil DeGrasse Tyson Playlist: https://bigth.ink/deGrasseTyson Read more at Bigthink.com for a multitude of articles just as informative and satisfying as our videos. New articles posted daily on a range of intellectual topics. Join Big Think Edge, to gain access to an immense library of content. It features insight from many of the most celebrated and intelligent individuals in the world today. Topics on the platform are focused on: emotional intelligence, digital fluency, health and wellness, critical thinking, creativity, communication, career development, lifelong learning, management, problem solving & self-motivation. BIG THINK EDGE: https://bigth.ink/Edge If you're interested in licensing this or any other Big Think clip for commercial or private use, contact our licensing partner, Executive Interviews: https://bigth.ink/licensing ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Big Think here: 📰BigThink.com: https://bigth.ink 🧔Facebook: https://bigth.ink/facebook 🐦Twitter: https://bigth.ink/twitter 📸Instagram: https://bigth.ink/Instragram 📹YouTube: https://bigth.ink/youtube ✉ E-mail: info@bigthink.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Wendell Berry, one of America's most influential writers, reads his revered poem "A Poem on Hope" for Moyers & Company.

Wendell Berry, one of America's most influential writers, reads his revered poem "A Poem on Hope" for Moyers & Company.

This reading was published on October 3, 2013. For more information about Wendell Berry, visit his official website.

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