Going Green

How can we accelerate the process of going green in terms of transportation? We must demand change with our dollars and sense. I was intrigued last night while watching the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, when he announced the release of a new hybrid vehicle. Setting this new vehicle apart from hybrids of the past, this car has the unique feature to be plugged in to charge the battery that powers the engine. Running for the first 40 miles on just battery power, this new hybrid has the ability to use only electric power and not consume even a drop of gasoline. After driving for 40 miles the electric motor will be fully depleted and the vehicle will change over to its gas powered engine. Therefore, if you are only commuting short distances, there may not ever be a reason to use the backup gasoline motor.

This is very exciting news from the auto industry in a response to the skyrocketing and record setting gas prices of late. Jay Leno assured the audience that this car was on its way to market, saying “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the technology.” However, Jay followed up that comment by mentioning that this technology is still very expensive.

This brings me back to the idea of accelerating the process of going green. If the auto industry knows that there will be a large demand for such products, then we will see these new hybrids on the showroom floors even sooner. We need to demand this kind of technology and vow to support such organizations that will provide this to us.

Right now, the oil and gas industry is telling us what we will drive, like the large gas guzzling vehicles that are so popular because that is the system set in place. Well, I say it is time to tell them what is going to happen. We need to lobby for this technology because with increased demand comes increased pressure on the auto industry to provide consumers with such products. If the money is there, then the choice will be provided to us. It comes down to choice: the choice to change for the better or to stand by and let the rich get richer at everyone else’s expense, in terms of pollution, health risks, the environment, and the financial freedom to be out from under this wing of the oil and gas industry.

For the young people reading this blog, I am directing this at you. You are the future consumers of this country and you will soon have the purchasing power that can demand change. A specific example of positive changes that was published today in the news is that GM is planning on closing four truck and SUV production facilities and is considering stopping production on Hummer SUV’s altogether. This is in response to the increased demand for smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles. The system will change. We just have to demand it.