Solutionary Rail is about using existing US railroads to get our society “on track” for clean transportation and renewable energy. We feel it may be the best chance we have for significantly curbing carbon emissions and ushering in a just and sustainable future.
Last month, we brought the Solutionary Rail concept to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting in Omaha. (Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF, the largest US railroad company as well as Berkshire Hathaway Energy.) Just after deploying Backbone’s signature creative activism tools outside the meeting, Bill (Solutionary Rail Project Lead) was selected via lottery to ask the 1st question from the floor of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger.
Bill asked if the Solutionary Rail team could meet with them to discuss our proposal for a public-private partnership to electrify their railroads and open corridors for a clean energy future. Mr. Buffett’s reply was evasive and rambling, but he did say that we were “free to speak with Carl Ice,” the new head of BNSF. Then, Buffett’s partner Charlie Munger chimed in. Gloriously, Mr. Munger stated that, “The questioner is on the side of the angels. Electrification is bound to happen sooner or later… I think Greg will decide when.”
WOW! We couldn’t have imagined better words of blessing. The “Greg” Mr. Munger referred to is Greg Abel, President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy and a likely successor to lead Berkshire Hathaway. We are working with our volunteer team of organizers and technicians to strategically follow up on Buffett’s invitation.
Learn more about Solutionary Rail by watching this 3 minute video.
Make a tax-deductible contribution to Solutionary Rail HERE.
The tracks of this project are:
- Expand public education (via Letters to the Editor), legislative outreach, and recruiting Grassroots Ambassadors
- Grow cohesion of our Stakeholder Alliance
- Coordinate and compile the necessary research to apply the Solutionary Rail approach on transportation/energy corridors across the country
How might you fit into this work? Our next Solutionary Rail Organizing Call is Friday, June 7th, noon (pacific)/3pm (eastern). To join the Volunteer Team that is working on these fronts to get Solutionary Rail implemented, RSVP HERE or send an email to info@solutionaryrail.org and let us know how you can contribute your time and talents!
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