Automakers want to re-educate California on emissions
Auto companies ready to increase lobbying efforts in California"Dave McCurdy, chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said in an interview that the industry's lead trade group would redouble efforts to "educate" states...... that a proposal by California to cut tailpipe emissions sharply to fight global warming could further depress the struggling U.S. industry."
What is more dangerous to America, the loss of a Ford, for example, or increased foreign oil dependency and global warming emissions?
Labels: Foreign Oil Dependency, global warming
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:34 AM
7 Comments:
It's very simple. If we don't cut emissions and reduce consumption, dumping, and designed obsolescence, our future will be bleak. I can't say the same for any auto maker. The writing has been on the wall for 30+ years. Don't blame consumer driven laws for not bending to corporate greed. Especially not when they've had so much time to adjust.
I completely agree that ending foreign oil dependency, for example, is far more of an important issue than protecting the US auto industry, although I want US automakers to succeed.
Automakers, however, have provided little cause for hope. .
Still, I think you are too easy on consumers. Consumers helped create this problem and they continue to do little.
Granted automakers deserve more blame, but consumers receive no free pass on my ride.
KP,
Our future is already set...the automakers and oil companies dictated that for us through the last 100 years or so.
I don't think there is anything humans can do to stop the change in environmental problems we are now facing. We have, in essence, pissed away resources in the last 150 years that took the earth millions of years to develop.
We let the oil genie out and have no control over it. All the wars we have created over this, all the pollution, the suffering, misery.
Humans are addicted to this drug. And there is no way to get off it in time. I'm not an optimist about this issue because everyday I wake up, I see nothing has changed....more cars on the freeway, more cars sold, bigger engines, less fuel efficiency.
Honestly...humans are suicidal by nature.
Noz-
You're not an optimist on this issue? C'mon, stop kidding around!
I almost completely agree with you regarding the stupidity of people and oil.
Still, call me a fool, but I have some hope. What's left if we don't have a little hope?
Maybe we'll get lucky and a breakthrough in technology will radically change everything about our world. Who knows, but I can't give up yet.
Too many people are waiting for your miracle technological breakthrough. I think the only breakthrough we can realistically hope for is a cultural breakthrough. Unfortunately, it is usually only catastrophe that yields such a breakthrough (think 9/11 and the "we are vulnerable" awakening). I hope it doesn't take something on the scale of Atlanta running out of water (or something larger) to wake people up.
I really truly wish I had your optimism.
The fact remains that we are using oil at a rate that is far outpacing development of resources. Don't forget, petrochemical products are engrained in EVERYTHING we do.
Clothes, buildings, packaging, foods, everything. About 10-15% of crude oil is used for those types of things.
It's the ultimate drug, the ultimate substance abuse. We're so high on this stuff that we simply cannot stop using it. Since we pissed away most of it during the industrial age and during wars, we're well on our way of running out.
My point is that while I think humans will continue even after the oil age is done, it will be a very very miserable place to be. 7 billion people will easily trim down to a 10th of that if not less.
We carved it out of our own hands this mess...we did. As you say, unless there is some breakthrough, some inspirational innovation that comes our way, I don't hold much promise for us.
I don't have that much optimism, I just have a little hope.
And, I don't disagree that too many people are waiting for a technological breakthrough so they don't really have to do anything. That's a sad reality.
Thus, chances are, as KP states, it will take something like 9/11. Actually, sadly, it will take even much more than 9/11. In fact, a betting man would have to put his money on man f'ing things up - it's almost a sure thing.
Still, again, without hope what is left?
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