A local car dealership recently began their "Going Green Sale." Every car with a green tag is marked down, Hummers, too. They did this because, like anyone with a social conscience, this business felt the need to do their part in the world-wide push for a better tomorrow. They're "Going Green," jumping on the bandwagon, joining the crowd... but for what?
What's happened to the environmental movement over the last two years? Al Gore, first of all, and thankfully so. "An Inconvenient Truth" brought the dangers of global warming to the forefront of our social awareness. "Going Green" and saving the environment aren't issues everyone neglects anymore. We have made great strides towards a better future, but how far have we come, and where are we going?
Like everything that's underground and cool, the environmental movement was discovered by the higher ups, the squares in suits who have spent the last few decades exploiting the environment for all its worth. Plus, they did this while vehemently denying the criticisms of their critics, better known to many as the environmental movement.
Now every major corporation has discovered the profitability of environmentalism. Green is everywhere, like the aforementioned car dealership. But what is this marketed environmentalism actually doing? The dealership is an extreme example, granted. But it's an example of companies taking something good, gutting it of all value, and using it for lesser motives. By enshrouding marketing campaigns in green, the public asks fewer and fewer questions about progress. Ethanol is available, sparsely. Hydrogen fuel cells are still only a concept. Oil prices are higher than ever, and still we buy more.
I'm not looking for an overnight fix, and am aware that it won't happen that way. But with the country focused on making changes, I hope that people are focused on keeping the higher ups accountable, it's their show now. We must accept the changes that they make, but we should appreciate their progress only so much. They may be green, but that doesn't mean they'll be good.
We're the public, the people they're trying to please. We have power as consumers. If we're going to avoid this whole global-warming brouhaha, we have to raise our awareness of what we're buying, who from, and whether or not this is actually good for the environment.
Of course, this whole article is based on the assumption that we, the public, actually do care about the environment, but that remains to be seen.
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I'm confused by the car dealership's reasoning! How, exactly, is selling Hummers "going Green?" Goofy.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
How exactly is ethanol green? When you consider the entire process of growing, distilling and distributing it, it turns out that more fossil fuels are consumed then just burning gasoline.
The whole green movement is a religious scam that has more to do with advancing the cause of world socialism then protecting the environment. Businesses are jumping on the bandwagon because they smell profit and governments are joining in because they see new taxes.
If they really cared, and if there was any science involved in the environmental movement, they would be advocating building nukes and reducing immigration.
It's all about the corn subsidies. It's not green. It's a way to continue a foolish government hand out.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman