New CAFE Standards Mean Nothing without Consumer Dedication to Efficiency

The Obama administration’s new groundbreaking CAFE and emissions standards for cars and light trucks don’t mean much if the American public can’t be goaded into choosing energy-efficient models instead of gas guzzlers.

The new rule raises the average fuel economy for cars and light trucks combined to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, and gives the EPA authority to regulate tailpipe emissions from vehicles. But, automakers still have loopholes to create low MPG vehicles – vehicles that American consumers still want.

The only way to get consumers to purchase the more efficient vehicles in the numbers required to make a real difference would be raising the price of gas by 100%-200%, according to Pike Research, a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets.

From Matter Network:

The ongoing problem with CAFE is that it ignores consumer demand and offers automakers too many loopholes for building lower mileage vehicles. The fact is that consumers who are paying $2 or $3 per gallon for gasoline have very little incentive to buy higher mileage vehicles, and automakers still have an incentive (consumer demand) to build low mileage, high powered, trucks and SUVs.

…Without the shift in consumer thinking, though, the CAFE rules will only be window dressing for their intended purpose – getting more fuel efficient vehicles on the road. Additionally, as automakers try to force consumers into vehicles that are not actually spurred by their demand, consumers will react with their feet, marching quickly to companies that offer vehicles they want.

After all, there is a reason that in 2008 the Volkswagen Golf was the best selling vehicle in Europe, while in the same year the Ford F-150 was the best selling vehicle in the US, and it’s got nothing to do with CAFE rules. Getting Americans to buy more efficient vehicles that use less fuel through top-down product pushes brought on by CAFE rules is failing and likely always will.

It’s true: as long as gas prices are low, Americans will stubbornly hold on to their trucks and SUVs. Last summer, people were ditching SUVs so fast that used car lots were packed full of them. Now that prices have gone back down, that momentum has come to a screeching halt.

Of course, if gas prices were simply raised as an answer to inciting consumer demand for efficient vehicles, who would benefit the most? Oil companies. That would hardly be a good thing for the environment. A high gas tax would be a more effective, albeit more complicated answer.

Link [Matter Network]
Photo credit: Freaky Humor

Americans Believe Global Warming is Happening – to Everyone But Them

People are finally beginning to wake up to the realities of global warming – to a degree. Despite a majority conceding that climate change is a real threat, only 32% of Americans believe that global warming will impact them personally.  That’s not too surprising, considering how insulated Americans tend to be, but it’s distressing because it means they’re less likely to be motivated to act.

From Treehugger:

A survey of 2,164 adults by George Mason University and the Yale Project on Climate Change discovered some of the distressing ways in which we humans just can’t see to think very long term: just 32 percent of the Americans surveyed believe global warming will personally harm them “a great deal” or a “moderate amount.” Contrast that with the same group’s opinion on the rest of the animal kingdom: nearly twice the number of respondents, or 62% believed that plant and animal species would be harmed by climate change. In fact, as the graphic shows, people somewhat ironically believed that everyone around them – their families, communities, and countries – will be more in harm’s way than they themselves. How’s that for optimistic, (perhaps even magical?) thinking?

The George Mason and Yale University researchers believe their survey points out that Americans’ believe in the reality of global warming (Sarah Palin notwithstanding) is growing – that we as a majority, think it is happening, is human caused, and is a serious threat. A rising number, the researchers said, also believe the United States should do something. Conversely, less than half believe that a cap-and-trade carbon system is what we should do. And, hidden among the data sets was a statistic pointing to ongoing erosion of the public trust: only 47% of those polled trust mainstream news media to deliver reliable global warming information, while 48% trust religious leaders to do so!

First of all, people seem to forget that humans are animals. We rely on our natural surroundings as much as the rest of the species on the planet. We need clean air and water, reliable sources of food and relatively stable weather in order to survive. Global warming threatens all of those things. Certainly, we are sentient beings with higher intellect – but are we using it right now? Really.

As for the fact that 48% of Americans trust their religious leaders to provide reliable global warming information, all I can say is:

Link [Treehugger]
Photo credit: funnyphotos.net.au

Do You Really Need Fiji Water More Than Fijians Do?

Fiji water seems to have replaced Evian in the status-symbol category, becoming an accessory seen in the arms of the same type of people who constantly carry tiny dogs. You know, the Paris Hilton set. It’s marketed as a super-fresh, great-tasting bottled water that’s far superior to what comes out of your tap.  But, wake-up call: at least you have clean water coming out of your tap.  That’s more than Fijians have.

Yes, that’s right: as a money-hungry corporation (big surprise) drills into the artesian aquifer in this remote South Pacific island, bottles it up (with plastic bottles imported from China) and sends it across the world to areas where people already have clean water to drink, native Fijians have to make do with dirty, polluted water.

From willisays:

In looking for examples of good clean water programs, I came accross the Humanitarian Services division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over the last 5 years, they’ve done clean water projects in 34 countries. More about that later.

Here’s where the two stories converge. One of those projects is in Fiji. The village Navunimono gets it’s water from a river polluted by cattle grazing, runoff and other stuff. Humanitarian Services helped the village construct 3 water tanks and now they have clean water.

I’m happy they have clean water now but the story points out problems around the world. What did the military dictator of Fiji do about the water problem? What about the American company taking clean water from another part of the island chain?

This is a great example of how entitled and self-absorbed much of the Western world has become – especially America.  We’re more than happy to consume away at the expense of other people.  Most of us are born into privilege compared to the citizens of third world countries, yet it’s never enough.  We have to tear basic human rights like clean water out of the hands of the less fortunate so that we can enjoy ridiculous excesses like imported water in plastic bottles.

Link [willisays]

Gas Prices Down Again: The Return of America?

Copyright 2008 Tribune Media Services

Gas prices are going down bit by bit each day, and this cartoon frighteningly portrays what could happen if they continue to slide.  The return of America? Let’s hope not. But it wouldn’t be surprising if all of the good that has been done since gas prices started going up instantly was undone if Americans can afford to be wasteful again.

Link [The Week Daily]

Slowdown in American Economy Could Be Good for the Environment

In America, consumerism is rampant, no doubt about it. We’ve been bred to buy, buy and keep on buying even if you really don’t need anything else. We constantly ‘upgrade’ our stuff. Decades of cheap credit have allowed this monster to continue growing at a rapid pace, with people spending far more than they can afford with the plan of dealing with it later. So, now that the economy is finally slowing down and people are buying less, what does it mean for the American lifestyle, and for the environment?

From U.S. News & World Report:

The average American with a credit file is responsible for $16,635 in debt, excluding mortgages, according to Experian, and the personal savings rate has hovered close to zero for the past several years. High gas and food prices are causing real incomes to fall. Even worse, rising inflation will probably cause the Federal Reserve to start jacking up interest rates once the credit crisis on Wall Street has passed, tightening credit even further. “We’re shedding jobs, it’s much harder to borrow, and what used to be capital gains are now capital losses,” says Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics at Moody’s Economy.com. “There’s no source of funding for spending.” Because many of us won’t be able to as easily use our homes as ATMs, Hoyt expects to see an upward trend in saving and slower growth in consumer spending, compared with the binge of the past decade.

While some people view this as devastating – seeing their frequent trips to the mall, electronics purchases and kitchen renovation plans going up in smoke – others see it as our salvation. Young people, in particular, are learning to do more with less, and that could mean less waste down the road. Parents are teaching their kids that making smart financial choices can help the earth, too. Frugality and things like buying secondhand, growing your own vegetables and nixing bottled water complement each other perfectly. It will be interesting to see whether Americans take this opportunity to be smarter about their money and the earth, or go back to their old habits as soon as things are stable again.

Link [U.S. News & World Report]
Photo credit: Flickr user orphanjones

Programs Geared Toward the U.S. Market Dumbed Down, Sexed Up

The Ranger, the host and mascot of Naturenet, the UK’s most popular independent website, noticed a peculiar difference in the way nature programs are narrated for British audiences versus American audiences. Basically, nature programs aren’t interesting to the American market unless they’ve been dumbed down, with inane narration that makes it sound more like America’s Funniest Videos than a documentary about, say, bees pollinating flowers.

The Ranger describes the ‘chuckling, anthropomorphic’ commentary on a National Geographic clip that’s complete with dramatic music and sound effects as compared to the ‘quiet, almost abstract delivery’ of Sir Richard Attenborough on a similar BBC clip. Here are samples, from The Ranger, starting with the National Geographic narration:

“The jumping spider packs a ton of skulking pouncing killing fire-power in its tiny body.”
“If this were a slasher film, the audience would be screaming, ‘Look out behind you!’”
“How’d you like to stare into these eyes, with your life on the line? Ha! Yikes!”

Sir Attenborough’s narration:

“A white crab spider sits, almost invisible, on a white flower, waiting in ambush. And it catches a bee.”
“…ultra-violet markings on some flowers serve to guide insects to nectar.”
“Honey-bees seem more likely to visit flowers with crab spiders on them than those without.”

This is sort of embarrassing, isn’t it? Not to say that all American programs are dumbed down to this extent, or that all British programs are really smart, but The Ranger does have a point. Americans seem to need everything ultra-dramatic and either humorous or full of action in order to remain attentive. Our television shows seem to get more sensationalist and trashy as each week passes… because that’s what sells. It’s sad, but true. It makes satire like Idiocracy seem all the more possible in the future.

Link [The Ranger]
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox

Watch the Wal-Mart Virus Spread Across America

Walking through the crowded, narrow aisles of Wal-Mart, you may be inclined to keep your arms as close to you as possible and avoid touching most surfaces. After all, the place is so crowded at any given time, it wouldn’t be surprising if you took home more than just a $20 stereo. So, it stands to reason that Flowing Data’s map of Wal-Mart’s spread across America between 1965 and 2007 looks like a nasty green virus taking over the country.

It’s kind of mesmerizing to watch, really. It starts out slow and then picks up really quickly. I love that you can zoom, I just wish it had a play bar so you could pause, step ahead, go back, etc. Wal-Mart truly is a plague upon the land.

Visit Flowing Data to see it for yourself.

Link [Flowing Data]

Eco-Fail: Giant $6M Foam Statue of Liberty a Big Polluting Mess

Perhaps it’s a fitting tribute to a country that wore the ‘Biggest Polluter’ crown for so long: a 130-foot, 50,000-lb replica of the Statue of Liberty, made entirely of foam and sprayed-on plastic. The company that commissioned the statue, however, wasn’t trying to be ironic or make a point. They really thought it was a good idea to construct this thing – which is only 13 feet shorter than the original Statue of Liberty – made up of what the Sierra Club calls ‘the ultimate waste product’.

YTB (Your Travel Biz) has commissioned the Beryl Martin Company of northwest Indiana to create the statue for YTB’s travel convention, held in August 2008 in St. Louis. See the video below:

Styrofoam, of course, is one of the worst substances ever created in terms of its effect on the environment. It’s not biodegradable, and it takes up massive amounts of space in landfills.

So, what’s going to happen to this polluting monster of a sculpture after the YTB is done with it? It’ll end up in the trash. YTB is donating it to a community to stand as ‘a memorial to fallen soldiers’, but it won’t stay completely intact for long. What do you think the community is going to do with it when it starts deteriorating?

Let’s run down the environment-killing aspects of this very stupid idea:

• It’s made of styrofoam
• It’s coated in plastic
• It will take 48 semi trucks to move it from northwest Indiana to St. Louis, Missouri in August. That’s a lot of gas and auto exhaust
• Despite the plastic coating, it won’t be long before this thing starts falling apart and raining styrofoam bits all over the place
• It cost $6 million to make

The unveiling of YTB’s giant statue of liberty is meant to get them plenty of publicity before their convention. Their goal is to be the world’s biggest travel company by 2011. Let’s give them negative publicity instead: YTB is now on our radar as a foe of the environment. They’ve already got a bad rep for being a rip-off pyramid scheme, so it’s not like many people will be surprised.

Thanks for the heads up, J.J.!

Link [YTB] + [YouTube]

94% of Americans Want Solar Power; Politicians Lag Behind

Shock of the week: politicians are out of touch with the needs and desires of the people. I know, it’s hard to believe, considering what a great job they do of keeping our best interests in mind as they squabble, pocket lobbyist bribes, dive for power and eat filet mignon for a casual Wednesday lunch.

A recent poll found that 94% of Americans support the development and funding of solar energy including 91% of Republicans, 97% of Democrats and 98% of Independents. 77% of those polled feel that developing solar power should be a major priority of the federal government.

The Sietch Blog has it:

When asked which one energy source they would support if they were President, 41 percent of Americans picked solar. Solar and wind together were favored nearly 20 times more than coal (3 percent).

“These results are an undeniable signal to our elected leaders that Americans want job-creating solar power, now,” said Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

According to the survey, nearly three-quarters of Republicans (72 percent), Democrats (72 percent) and Independents (74 percent) favor an extension of the federal investment tax credits (ITC) as a way to encourage development of solar power and fund continued development of the technology. In contrast, only 8 percent of Americans believe the ITC should not be extended.

At the end of this year, legislation that provides incentives for the growth of renewable energy are set to expire, and in order to build momentum and have a real hope of clean forms of energy becoming mainstream we need it to be renewed long-term. Get on it, lawmakers!

Link [The Sietch Blog]
Photo credit: Flickr user Jimmy_Joe

The Dumbing Down of America Under Bush

America has become a nation of idiots.

I think the point where I really started to worry was when people began using the phrase ‘freedom fries’ as a substitute for ‘french fries’. It spread like syphilis at a Roman orgy after France refused to take part in the invasion of Iraq, when anti-France sentiment grew here in the U.S. and two Republican congressmen decided to officially change the name in the restaurants and snack bars run by the House of Representatives. ‘Dang it all, Jeb, if the Republican gov’ment says it, then we should too! Those fancy French people, they’s all disloyal and anti-American and stuff!’

As if that weren’t enough, frighteningly, we seem to be endlessly entertained by crotch gags, like the ‘Ow My Balls!’ segments on America’s Funniest Videos. Some of the most popular programs on television are those that depict people eating bull testicles, transforming themselves into scary plastic mannequins via dozens of plastic surgery procedures, intentionally trying to hurt themselves in the stupidest ways possible and competing for the dubious affections of a man wearing a giant clock around his neck.

Then there are the email forwards. Christ on a bicycle, people, would you please verify that the information you’re about to send is correct before forwarding it to 98 of your closest friends, relatives, business associates and random acquaintances? I don’t know how many times I’ve had to direct the sender of a ridiculous email to Snopes.com to get the real story. It seems that many people are content to simply believe whatever is convenient for them to believe. If they want to convince themselves that Barack Obama really did go to terrorist training school, refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and was sworn into office using the Koran rather than the Bible, they damn well will. [Read more]

Hallelujah! Americans are Waking Up to Global Warming Reality

Across the nation, a Fox-News-induced fog is lifting away from the brains of Americans. You see, while most of us are fully aware of the realities of global warming – and some are skeptical, but still want to be proactive just in case – others have been living in a fantasy world of unicorns and gumdrop trees. Or perhaps they’re part of the group that’s making so much disgusting money off of our current policies and practices that they don’t want to change. Either way, good news from Reuters:

A new Harris Poll reports that 2/3 of Americans not only believe that global warming is real, but they also believe that humans are a main cause of it. And of the remaining 1/3, only roughly half of those believe that human activity has nothing to do with climate change. This represents a slight change from the previous years. One in ten Americans has looked up their carbon footprint, with younger people taking a more active interest in defining their footprint (18% of 18 – 31 year olds). This seems to bode well for the next generation’s willingness to take personal responsibility.

The poll also found that 63% of respondents reporting that they’re actively trying to reduce their energy use and 43% are purchasing more energy efficient appliances. Unfortunately, the bad news is, people seem to think the problem won’t affect them during their lifetime, and fewer feel that climate change is as substantial as they did last year.

America: TURN OFF FOX NEWS. It’s for the good of all mankind. Change the channel to just about anything, and you’ll be better off. Their endless shit stream of opinions parading as fact is enough to send us straight to Idiocracy (speaking of which, if you haven’t seen this movie, RENT IT. You won’t be sorry.)

Link [Reuters]