#130 Former Vice President Al Gore: Relentless

Guest: Al Gore, Former Vice President and chairman of The Climate Reality Project

Al Gore has been talking about all kinds of renewable energy for decades. The former U.S. Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and star of An Inconvenient Truth says it’s “thrilling” to see things like wind power and sustainable forestry becoming the norm. But as humanity continues its struggle against the climate crisis, he says, it’s worth remembering that political will is also a renewable resource. Effective storytellers and political organizers can overcome the entrenched political power of the oil and gas industry, and young people are flocking to work for climate-conscious companies that share their values. 

In this episode, Al and Joubin discuss Abraham Lincoln, Silent Spring, “father of the United Nations” Cordell Hull, downhill skiing, “pursuing a grail,” Watershed, An Inconvenient Truth, the Inflation Reduction Act, trolling Newt Gingrich, former CIA director Bob Gates, “let the glory out,” and Greta Thunberg.

In this episode, we cover:

• Which of Al’s many accomplishments is he proudest of? (01:52)
• What he learned from his parents, a pioneering lawyer and a U.S. Senator — and why he decided to get into politics (05:32)
• Being an underdog and finding the energy to fight injustice (16:15)
• The distinction between work and play, and commitments of the heart (19:28)
• The “hidden truth about human endeavors” (28:05)
• Becoming a great storyteller and getting instant, actionable feedback (31:25)
• Al’s “close as brothers” partnership with President Bill Clinton (36:44)
• Accepting hardship and renewing political will (48:08)
• How does Al renew his own energy? (53:57)

Links:

• Connect with Al
  • Twitter
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
• This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm