Business before health: connecting the dots. First, a couple of facts: Cars and trucks now surpass electricity production as the largest source of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. And a study in the Lancet finds that pollution is responsible for 9 million premature deaths each year – more than the combined toll from war and hunger.
Wow, and now The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers have asked the EPA (aka Scott Pruitt) to review the 2011 fuel-efficiency standards because they may be too tough (to average 54.5 mpg by 2025). This coincides with fuel going from $4 per gallon in 2011 to now around $2.50. Thus, U.S. buyers are going for bigger, less fuel-efficient cars and trucks and the auto industry is happy to oblige, citing economic hardship and lack of sufficient technology.
It wasn’t until 2007 when a new mileage law requiring 35 mpg by 2020 that U.S. cars became more fuel efficient and competitive in the U.S. and overseas. In 1985, Ford and GM threatened to shut down their plants and lay off workers rather than comply with new fuel efficiency standards at that time.
And what about the foreign market for our autos? Will we remain competitive if we let our industry pander to pollution and profits, over fewer emissions and more milage on our vehicles? Why should we repeat the same mistake we made in 1985? We shouldn’t, unless we value business and profits over innovation, progress, competition and a healthier world.
Timothy Thomas
Durango
