NRDC focuses on how green is Toyota

The NRDC wants to send a message to Toyota regarding CAFE and they want you to help

"As I type this, Congress is working on an energy bill that could significantly increase fuel economy standards for the first time in 30 years. However, it might surprise you to learn that Toyota – the company that brought hybrids into the mainstream and markets itself as a ‘green’ automaker – is actively lobbying AGAINST increased fuel economy standards.

Toyota is a member of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the auto-industry funded lobbyist organization that lobbies against increasing fuel economy standards. The AAM thinks that a 35mpg standard is ‘unattainable.’

It’s time to send a message to Toyota. It’s time to tell them that if they want to be known as the industry leader on fuel economy, they must start acting like it," writes the NRDC.

Why I can't focus on Toyota

While I was also disappointed with Toyota's decision to join almost every other automaker against CAFE, I'm not that surprised. In fact, I don't really think Toyota cares if the most strict CAFE plan is legislated into action. I think Toyota is just siding with America's Big 3, whom have been the harshest critics and lobbyists against any serious increase in CAFE because they have the most to lose if such a plan is approved.

I'm quite confident that Toyota can successfully react to any new CAFE legislation.

Additionally, Toyota is greener than any of the Big 3, and a new study demonstrates that in the last 15 years, Toyota was the ONLY automaker of the Big 6 to cut average vehicle emissions - that includes even Honda. Toyota achieved this decrease in emissions by developing and producing hybrid cars, such as the Prius, knowing such cars would lose money for years.

That's the kind of leadership I want from Detroit. Thus, my CAFE focus is squarely on Detroit, and I guarantee that is where the CAFE focus of Congress is as well. So, why not focus on the real source of the problem?