Worth watching: Empire of Illusion The Cult of Self By Chris Hedges: Three-part video of Chris Hedges speaking in Binghamton, NY on October 24, 2009 <http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23819.htm>
>Hi Dawie > >:-) > >I fully agree, "Greener commute" is indeed an oxymoron. It's for >"lite greens" who think changing their buying habits will solve the >problem, although of course it's consumerism itself that's the >problem. > >Chris Hedges's "A Reality Check From the Brink of Extinction", which >I posted the other day, ends with this: > >>Alexander Herzen, speaking a century ago to a group of Russian >>anarchists working to topple the czar, reminded his followers that >>they were not there to rescue the system. >> >>"We think we are the doctors," Herzen said. "We are the disease." ><http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg74748.html> > >Quite so. > >Hedges just had a debate with Bill McKibben on "How Do We Solve the >Environmental Crisis?" "Bill McKibben believes we must reduce our >carbon emissions immediately, or else face disaster. Chris Hedges >says that until we defeat corporate power, we can't address >anything." See: ><http://www.alternet.org/environment/143481/mckibben_versus_hedges'_clash_of_worldviews:_how_do_we_solve_the_environmental_crisis_> > >I think they're both right though. We also have to focus on what >people will actually be prepared to do, as opposed to what they like >to think they'd do if only... whatever. Many or even most people with >greenish sympathies will have to be weaned off their massive carbon >footprints. A greener commute would be one of many possible >part-"solutions" that would at least in the meantime help to reduce >the ovarall carbon footprint, as claimed. It's a start, it can help >to encourage lite-greens to take the next step. > >This is from a 2007 article, still pertinent. With average fuel >economy in the US worse still than it was in 1987, and far worse than >anywhere else, especially Europe and Japan, something like 85% of >Americans had been polled as demanding tougher CAFE fuel economy >standards. But: > >>Consumers talk a good game about fuel economy before they arrive at >>the showroom. But they get dazzled by glitzier features when they >>walk into a dealership. >> >>"Customers will trade five miles per gallon to get fancy >>cupholders," says Mike Jackson, head of AutoNation, the country's >>largest auto retailer. >> >>Want proof? Back in 2000, when gasoline was the cheapest liquid >>around, fuel economy ranked as the 29th most important attribute in >>buying a car. Today, when gas costs as much as $3.25 a gallon, good >>mileage still ranks only 22nd. Sound systems and convenience >>features rank higher as purchase considerations. >> >>But rather than giving consumers an incentive to change their buying >>habits, Bush wants to force automakers to build more fuel efficient >>cars by raising the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards >>for passenger cars and light trucks. >> >>By so doing, though, Bush is reviving an urban legend that the >>technology is cheaply available if only the lazy old automakers >>would bother to use it. >> >>We should be so lucky. Making people save gas by buying thriftier >>cars, as General Motors executive Bob Lutz has said, is like telling >>people to lose weight by wearing smaller clothes. > >-- "Passing the buck on fuel economy - Instead of ensuring that we >use less gas, politicians and consumers take the easy way out, says >Fortune's Alex Taylor", April 9 2007 ><http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/09/autos/pluggedin_taylor_fueleconomy.fortune/index.htm> > >You can see both McKibben's view and Hedges's at work there. People >want to do the right thing but they're drenched in all the >consumerist spin. I can't blame them for that, I can only admire >those that aren't. > >However, Hedges is definitely right. To cross threads, Chris just >wrote, on "American Public More Complacent About Climate Change", how >generally cooler temperatures in the US this year had undermined the >urgency, helped along by the MSM's usual lack of real coverage. While >that's true, it not all that's true. I've been watching a couple of >arguments about global warming on other lists, especialy on two lists >composed largely of right-wing "Tea Party" types. What Chris sees is >right there, but it comes with all the familiar orchestrated "Tea >Party"-type tropes - the facts of the cooler weather are reinforced >by all the same old thoroughly debunked denialist crap, the >discussions quickly become irrational, and global warming gets buried >yet again, despite the brave efforts of the few who try to include >the real facts that are being blind-eyed, such as vanishing glaciers >and so on. It doesn't work, rational arguments just bounce off. > >And they'll continue to bounce off just as long as corporatism gets >to call the tune as it does now. > >So, IMHO, the increasing numbers of consumers trying to take their >first faltering steps towards sane behaviour really need >encouragement, not just dismissal. > >All best > >Keith > > >>"Greener commute" is an oxymoron. >> >>In fact "greener" is an oxymoron, like "deader". >> >>"Green commute" might be perfectly sensible if it refers to a >>ten-minute walk; better if it means merely going downstairs. It is >>becoming clear that the problem is the economic need for mobility. >>Nothing that preserves that need can be regarded as a solution. And >>as for anything involving a Prius, I think I can vouch for the >>toxicity of the puffs of smoke that emanate from my ears every time >>I see one ... >> >>-D >> >>________________________________ >>From: Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>Sent: Monday, 26 October, 2009 22:44:44 >>Subject: [Biofuel] A Greener Commute >> >>MOTHER JONES >> >>October 26, 2009 >> >><http://ga3.org/ct/hdahf0n1FrqP/>A Greener Commute >> >>Considering how much car travel affects a >><http://ga3.org/ct/h1ahf0n1Frqp/>person's carbon footprint?, I'm >>always looking for ways to cut down on my driving time. Luckily for >>me, the commute isn't a problem, since a rapid-transit train whisks >>me under the San Francisco Bay practically to MoJo HQ's doorstep >>every day. But if you don't live near public transportation or a >>bike-friendly commute (and you don't happen to have an extra 25 grand >>kicking around for a Prius), you're probably going to have to get >>creative. >> >>One idea: Get a GPS device. The technology company Navteq recently >><http://ga3.org/ct/U7ahf0n1Frqi/>found that German drivers who were >>given navigational devices with real-time traffic information >>increased their fuel economy by an average of 12 percent. The >>researchers calculated that GPS systems could save 2,006 pounds of >>carbon per driver per year, a 24 percent reduction from current >>emissions levels. >> >>An ABC <http://ga3.org/ct/ipahf0n1FrqC/>poll estimated the average >>American commute at 16 miles one way, creating about 29.3 pounds of >>CO2 round-trip every day. According to the Navteq researchers' >>findings, then, getting a GPS device is the same as not driving to >>work 68 days every year. >> >>A caveat: Since Navteq, the company behind the study, sells software >>to GPS manufacturers, it has a vested interest in touting the >>benefits of navigational systems. Still, some independent >>traffic-savvy types told me they think that the study is solid, if >>taken with a few grains of salt. First, the study was conducted in > >Germany-and any American who's been to Europe knows that US freeways >>take crowded to an entirely different level. Another problem: Once >>everyone starts using the alternate route that a GPS suggests, it's, >>well, no longer an alternate route. "The impact for any one driver >>may be somewhat smaller if more people use these devices and start to >>clog up alternate routes," said Tai Stillwater, a graduate student >>who studies traffic and sustainability at the University of >>California-Davis. >> >>If you don't want to shell out for a GPS (they run about $150-$200), >>consider these fuel efficiency <http://ga3.org/ct/ydahf0n1Frqo/>tips. >>You can also talk to your boss about telecommuting a few days a week. > >And for advice on whether to junk your clunker in favor of a hybrid, >>read our piece on the subject <http://ga3.org/ct/n7ahf0n1FrqH/>here. >><http://ga3.org/ct/hdahf0n1FrqP/>[READ MORE] >> >>The bottom line: Public transit's the best way to cut your >>commute-related emissions, but if you're stuck with a daily drive, >>using a GPS system to find alternate routes could improve your fuel > >efficiency considerably. _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
