The Color of Survival is Green - 12/6/06

It would appear the world’s car companies are going green for the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles Auto Show.  Nearly every major auto manufacture will be at the show showing off the green vehicles they plan to build showing a commitment to saving energy with vehicles powered by propane, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, low- sulfur diesel, hydrogen, ethanol, and electricity.

Some reports state all of this is being done for image, commitment to saving energy.  But most Americans buy on price.  They only buy fuel efficient vehicles when fuel prices are high.  When fuel prices fall, Americans return to buying fuel wasting big vehicles with big engines.

The American way is to buy the biggest and best house biggest and best vehicle.  Americans choose to build energy eating mini mansions many miles from their workplaces.  They get to work with their big cars and trucks carrying one person each.  This is the American lifestyle.  The Automakers build what the consumer wants.  Consumer demand is why automakers build the big cars and trucks. 

American consumers choose to buy the big houses, big cars and trucks.  No one is forcing them to waist energy it is of their own choice.

During the Los Angeles Auto Show automakers want to let the world know they are spending billions off dollars to develop alternative fuel vehicles. 

Unlike the American consumer the automakers have studied and accepted the realities that in the years to come there may not be enough oil to go around.  Sooner or later there will not be enough petroleum fuel to fuel the growing number of cars and trucks around the world.  When that happens car companies will go out of business if there is no way to affordably fuel the vehicles they make.

Basically going green has more to do with saying in business than environmental image. 

G. Richard Wagoner Jr. chairman and chief executive of General Motors announced GM’s multibillion dollar plan to produce the world’s large fleet of electric cars. 

Wagoner has serious concerns about the world’s oil supply and how it will affect the existence of the auto industry. 

GM’s electric vehicles will include plug in hybrids that run on electricity and gas as well as self-contained hybrids that use no electric cords.  GM may partner with DaimlerChrysler to use their high mileage clean burning BlueTec diesel technology for its larger cars and trucks.

General Motors along with all the other major automakers are committed to alternative fuel vehicles because they know the truth that many Americans refuse to accept.  The world is running out of oil! 

Without alternative fuel vehicles, no oil means no cars or trucks.  No cars or trucks means no auto industry.  Going Green means staying in business.

Summarized
The Washington post
By Warren Brown

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