The Washington Post reported last December that “enviros, clean-coal advocates make strange bedfellows.” It seems that my organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and a coal and utility lobby group called the American Council for Clean Coal Electricity inhabit the third and fourth floors, respectively, of a shiny office building in downtown Washington. Awkward.
So today, on another extraordinarily warm day in this winterless winter, I shared an elevator ride for the first time with someone actually going to the 4th floor. Here is the complete transcript, too good not to share:
“How are you,” he says, “Nice balmy April day out there.”
“I’m fine,” I say, and after a short pause, “Could be global warming?”
Longer pause.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” says he, with a twinkle in his eye.
“I figured you might say that,” I say with a smile, exiting the elevator.
Only in Washington.