Last night, President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address. 

The primary subject of the speach was jobs jobs jobs, so you might say there was a bit more concern for industry than for the environment of our little rock in space.  He advocated for a single bipartisan climate change bill, along with an increased investment in nuclear power and so-called “clean coal”. 

TENTHMIL hereby offers you our environmentally-minded tally of last night’s speech:

Number of time he said…
Coal – 1
Nuclear (power) - 1
Trees(s) – 0
River(s) -0
Mountain(s) – 1 (but only in reference to the mountain of debt America is going through.)
Habitat – 0
Environment – 0
Extinct(ion) – 0
Green – 0
Biofuels - 1
Geothermal - 0
Wind - 0
Solar – 2
Climate – 3
Energy – 15

You can find the words bolded in the excerpts from the address:

Because of the steps we took, there are about 2 million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed — 200,000 work in construction and clean energy...

...

You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China’s not waiting to revamp its economy; Germany’s not waiting; India’s not waiting. These nations aren’t standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place. They’re putting more emphasis on math and science. They’re rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.

...

Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history — an investment that could lead to the world’s cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year’s investment in clean energy — in the North Carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries, or in the California business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar panels.

Next, we can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the interstate highway system, our nation has always been built to compete. There’s no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.

Tomorrow, I’ll visit Tampa, Fla., where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help our nation move goods, services and information. We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it’s time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs in the United States of America.

…

But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate. I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy, and I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future — because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.

…

That is the leadership that we are providing — engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people. We are working through the G-20 to sustain a lasting global recovery. We are working with Muslim communities around the world to promote science, education and innovation. We have gone from a bystander to a leader in the fight against climate change.

What’s your take on Obama’s environmental prospects? Leave a comment here, leave a comment at the WhiteHouse.gov website, or vote in our TENTHMIL poll.

Links:
New York Times - Another State of the Union Speech Looms, but Climate Activists Want Action
New York Times - Carbon Traders and Clean-Tech Companies Heartened by State of the Union
Guardian - Obama’s State of the Union address may leave climate out in the cold