|
Environment
The Other Side of the Story
John Hammond, a Grassroots Network member from California agrees that larger vehicles are safer in accidents. However, his primary interest is in protecting the environment. To this end, Mr. Hammond wants industry to produce "vehicles that produce as close no emissions as possible." He also believes that such vehicles can be produced and wants "it done now." Many would argue with the accuracy or practicality of Mr. Hammond's views. Others would highlight the economic and other consequences of even trying to implement such a sweeping agenda in the near future. On the other hand, Mr. Hammond articulates a deep concern for the future generations as well as a belief that "we have access to all the information we need to make wise, intelligent, moral decisions." His views deserve consideration.
Click to read read John Hammond's comments
Click to Comment
Now With More Facts Than Ever: Christina Marrs Responds to Gregory Hudgins and Ed White
Christina Marrs, a member of both the Grassroots Network and the acclaimed music ensemble, The Asylum Street Spankers, provides an extensive and reasoned response to criticism of her previous discussion of SUVs. Ms. Marrs' detailed commentary discusses environmental, safety, fuel economy and sociological issues associated with sport utility vehicles. To ensure that Federal officials consider all substantive viewpoints as they deliberate CAFE Reform proposals, FuelEconomyIn.US will include the complete text of the Marrs-Hudgin/White debate as part of our response to NHTSA's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on reforming CAFE.
Click to read Christina Marrs' letter
Click to Join Grassroots Network
Click to Comment
FuelEconomyIn.US Launches Stakeholder Dialog with NHTSA
FuelEconomyIn.US is initiating a substantive dialog between our Grassroot Network members and NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). We are asking our members to write us discussing the questions, comments and issues you want to raise with NHTSA regarding SUVs, pickup trucks, and minivans. We will provide the letters to federal officials and report back to you with their responses as well as our own analysis. We will also be making space available on our FuelEconomyIn.US for important safety messages from NHTSA.
To encourage substantive discourse, $50 Amazon gift certificates will be awarded to the writers of the twenty best letters. You must be a registered member of our Grassroots Network to participate. All letters should be e-mailed to comments@FuelEconomyIn.US.
Click to read FuelEconomyIn.US letter to NHTSA
Click to Join Grassroots Network
Click to Comment
Two Pro-SUV Grassroots Members Respond to Christina Marrs
Gregory Hudgins continues his lucid defense of SUVs in his response to Christina Marrs. A key issue Mr. Hudgins expounds on are the differences between various vehicles classified as SUVs. Although Mr. Hudgins and Ms. Marrs have diametrically opposed viewpoints on SUVs, both are committed to substantive and courteous debate on this important public policy issue. As previously noted in this space, the Hudgins-Marrs dialog is essential reading for all interested stakeholders – including federal officials. Ed White, a new Grassroots Network member, also responds to Ms. Marrs' letter and discusses SUV emissions.
Click to read Gregory Hudgins' letter
Click to read Ed White's letter
Click to Join Grassroots Network
Click to Comment
Safety, the Environment and the Future of SUV Regulation
Theresa Sickmiller, a Grassroots Network member from California, provides us her provocative views on a range of SUV-related issues. Of particular note, Theresa provides her thoughts on how SUVs should be regulated.
A Grassroots Network Member Discusses the Environment
I think it is wonderful that we have people like Arianna that are willing to speak out and fight for their beliefs. Columnists have always added their opinions: that's what makes us read their columns. They are not reporters, they are personalities. Arianna's ethics are strong enough that she speaks out on an important issue and fights against the injustices in the current leadership. Maybe if more people were willing to speak up against SUV's, more people would realize that they don't need a gas guzzling beast to drop the kids off at school. So many social ills could be eliminated by biking or walking to school and the corner store. Less pollution, less traffic, less fossil fuels used, and more exercise for this overweight nation. The country needs these issues brought up and debated. So many people only think what they are told to think by television ads and corporations. Wake up America!
Theresa Sickmiller
California
Arianna Huffington's
Ethics-Free Journalism
Arianna Huffington
is a syndicated columnist. She is also co-founder and celebrity
spokesman for the Detroit Project, an anti-SUV organization. Therein
lies the problem. As a newspaper columnist, she is supposed to be
an observer, someone who provides commentary on the social and political
landscape. In her role with the Detroit Project, she is not an observer
but an advocate and a fund raiser. Thus, Arianna uses her role as
a columnist to highlight the specific issues for which she is simultaneously
raising money through the Detroit Project. For example, in a current
column, Arianna provides the State of the Union address she would
like to President to deliver. Meanwhile, on the Detroit Project
website, she is raising money to "Help Fund" the "real"
State of the Union Address, i.e. to buy television ads to "highlight
the issues...that should be part of Bush's speech." The Oregonian
newspaper thought her dual roles as columnist and advocate-fund
raiser crossed a line. So they dropped her column. Instead of trying
to impose higher gas mileage standards on SUVs, perhaps Ms. Huffington
should try imposing higher ethics standards on herself.
|
