DURHAM -- Former Vice President Al Gore encouraged students and other members of the community gathered at Duke on Thursday to take action, not just talk about global warming.
Speaking at the spring Duke Environment and Society Lecture, the Nobel Prize winner said it takes bigger changes "than just light bulbs" to counteract climate change. He argued for changing laws, from those that influence environmental impact to those that regulate lobbying and campaign contributions.
Gore spent less time presenting evidence for global warming, focusing instead on possible solutions and ways to involve communities.
In addition to solar energy, he discussed possibilities for wind power, geothermal power and other renewable energy sources.
The largest source of new energy is efficiency, he said, noting only 10 percent of the gasoline used in vehicles is used to power them.
"There is an incredible amount of waste. But that equals incredible opportunities to switch over to electronic vehicles and other sources of energy," he said. "We need to make a decision to move boldly in the direction of new energy. The decision itself is the largest part of getting the change that we need."
Gore ended his remarks by appealing to the community.
"Not only is this a political issue, not only is this a market issue, not only is this a national security issue, a jobs issue; it is a moral issue," he said.
Some student groups registered to protest Gore's appearance at Duke, and one conservative group announced a protest. Few protesters were evident, however, outside Page Auditorium where he spoke. Tim Lucas, a marketing manager in the Duke communications office, said the number registered was comparable to protests usually staged for prominent guests.
