Elmhurst College hosted environmental activist, attorney, and author Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. the night of Tuesday, October 2.  Kennedy spoke of climate change and the importance of setting the country up for success when it comes to innovative and efficient ways of producing energy, such as through wind and solar power.

Kennedy began his environmental advocacy about 30 years ago in the rush to save the Hudson River.  Due to pollution, fish in the river had become toxic and, therefore, fisherman were unable to sell them and unable to keep their businesses afloat.

Holding America back from energy efficiency, Kennedy said, were three major obstacles:  coal businesses and their hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies; the lack of a grid system to transfer these new energies across the country (electrons from solar and wind facilities can travel maximum 300 miles); and America’s irrational marketplace.

“In a true free market, you can’t make yourself rich without making your neighbor rich,” he said.