Comments on: Eight hours and 180 degrees http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/ Oil Change International campaigns to expose the true costs of oil and facilitate the coming transition towards clean energy. We are dedicated to identifying and overcoming political barriers to that transition. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:50:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Paul Crosby http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-198386 Paul Crosby Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:19:45 +0000 http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-198386 Ideology of capitalism is the whole reason why the environoment is suffering badly. Ideology of capitalism is the whole reason why the environoment is suffering badly.

]]> By: Bill Todd http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197985 Bill Todd Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:36:07 +0000 http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197985 I'm afraid that the arithmetically-challenged 'new math' generation has struck again. By all appearances, the proposed reduction in fuel consumption is a bit under 30%, not 40%: 40% appears to represent the increase in mandated average miles per gallon (from about 25 mpg currently for cars and light trucks combined to 35 mpg in 2020). The alleged 30% 'reduction' cited for the California proposal is similarly flawed. The good news is that light trucks (the category which includes SUVs) will be brought into the overall fold, rather than regulated separately as they are today - so changes in the sales mix won't circumvent the regulated minimums (as they have for decades, given the major increases in market share of light trucks/SUVs and the laxer standards required of them). And the alleged 'loopholes' don't appear to be real: sure, it will still be possible to buy gas-guzzlers, but if enough people do to really make any difference then their larger share of the mix will force manufacturers to increase either their efficiency or that of other vehicles in their fleet to maintain the overall 35 mpg minimum. So while the new regulations are over a decade late and hardly qualify as aggressive, they do rectify one glaring deficiency in the old ones. There'll be plenty of opportunity to increase the minimum and pull in the deadline if we can get more environmentally-conscious representation in Washington; meanwhile, getting this issue back on the front burner is a worthwhile beginning. - bill I’m afraid that the arithmetically-challenged ‘new math’ generation has struck again. By all appearances, the proposed reduction in fuel consumption is a bit under 30%, not 40%: 40% appears to represent the increase in mandated average miles per gallon (from about 25 mpg currently for cars and light trucks combined to 35 mpg in 2020).

The alleged 30% ‘reduction’ cited for the California proposal is similarly flawed.

The good news is that light trucks (the category which includes SUVs) will be brought into the overall fold, rather than regulated separately as they are today - so changes in the sales mix won’t circumvent the regulated minimums (as they have for decades, given the major increases in market share of light trucks/SUVs and the laxer standards required of them). And the alleged ‘loopholes’ don’t appear to be real: sure, it will still be possible to buy gas-guzzlers, but if enough people do to really make any difference then their larger share of the mix will force manufacturers to increase either their efficiency or that of other vehicles in their fleet to maintain the overall 35 mpg minimum.

So while the new regulations are over a decade late and hardly qualify as aggressive, they do rectify one glaring deficiency in the old ones. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to increase the minimum and pull in the deadline if we can get more environmentally-conscious representation in Washington; meanwhile, getting this issue back on the front burner is a worthwhile beginning.

- bill

]]> By: Drake Pirkle http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197917 Drake Pirkle Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:27:32 +0000 http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197917 I like Mr. Kucinich. I think he would make America a good president! Bush and Cheney should me impeached! Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rove should be tried for war crimes and violation of the Geneva Convention. There are several who have resigned from the republican party, and thete are several still there that should be tried for perjury and obstruction of justice. This is the worst administration the USA has ever had, including the Hoover, Nixon and Reagan administrations. The people around the world that used to look up to us as peace keepers, and generous people hate us, and mainly iit is because of Bush and Cheney, the religious right wing, and the corporate wealthy. To hell with this administration, drake I like Mr. Kucinich. I think he would make America a good president!

Bush and Cheney should me impeached!
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rove should be tried for war crimes and
violation of the Geneva Convention.
There are several who have resigned from the republican party, and
thete are several still there that should be tried for perjury and obstruction
of justice.

This is the worst administration the USA has ever had, including the
Hoover, Nixon and Reagan administrations. The people around the
world that used to look up to us as peace keepers, and generous people
hate us, and mainly iit is because of Bush and Cheney, the religious
right wing, and the corporate wealthy.

To hell with this administration,

drake

]]> By: Meryle A. Korn http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197893 Meryle A. Korn Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:33:31 +0000 http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197893 Odd, isn't it, that corporate media locks out the only truly strong environmental candidate - also the only candidate who has called for a national single-payer non-corporate health insurance system, for the withdrawal from NAFTA, GATT, the WTO and other corporate global monsters which have destroyed family-wage jobs in America and brush aside worker and environmental protections, for bringing home our troops from the insanity of the Iraq war - odd that Dennis Kucinich, who is the only candidate espousing all of these positions, has been locked out of debates, ignored on front pages and news channels across the nation, and dismissed as "can't win" when he holds the positions most Americans support. Looks like we'll have bought-and-paid-for corporate puppet candidates from both parties - again. Odd, isn’t it, that corporate media locks out the only truly strong environmental candidate - also the only candidate who has called for a national single-payer non-corporate health insurance system, for the withdrawal from NAFTA, GATT, the WTO and other corporate global monsters which have destroyed family-wage jobs in America and brush aside worker and environmental protections, for bringing home our troops from the insanity of the Iraq war - odd that Dennis Kucinich, who is the only candidate espousing all of these positions, has been locked out of debates, ignored on front pages and news channels across the nation, and dismissed as “can’t win” when he holds the positions most Americans support. Looks like we’ll have bought-and-paid-for corporate puppet candidates from both parties - again.

]]> By: Joan Friedland http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197697 Joan Friedland Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:48:22 +0000 http://priceofoil.org/2007/12/20/meanwhile-on-the-other-side-of-the-pond/#comment-197697 It is time to elect a true environmentalist for president. It seems to me that Dennis Kucinich who has a 100% rating on the environment, was against the war in Iraq in the first place and wants a department of Peace is the one to lead this nation in 2008. It is time to elect a true environmentalist for president. It seems to me that Dennis Kucinich who has a 100% rating on the environment, was against the war in Iraq in the first place and wants a department of Peace is the one to lead this nation in 2008.

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