Jericho: Green Capitalism
Recently Max and I have both been out here beating the Green Energy drum. And, in my opinion, with due cause. The energy crisis in the 1970s should have taught the United States the lessons we are learning only now. It took two wars in the oil rich Middle East, marshaled by two oil men in the White House to finally strike the chord that we are all now listening to.
One of the problems with the green-revolution-that-didn't-happen is that people could never get their ducks in a row. Sure, we all want a cheap alternative to gas. Sure, we don't want to pollute if we don't have to. Of course we would like to produce energy domestically - keep the jobs and money here. We certainly don't want to prop up violent governments with the money from our transportation needs. But, just because these would all be "nice to haves" - none of these address the fact that cities are growing and pushing further out, commutes have gotten longer and people want more safety and comfort in their cars. People have moved into more marginal environments where they need air conditioning just to survive the summer months.
So, when green thinking companies introduced electric cars that you have to plug in, people hated them. They were expensive, they had short battery lives. They always needed to be plugged in and there were not enough plugs. You couldn't pull into just any gas station and fill the batts. Even if you could, recharging took too long. They were tiny and uncomfortable cars and you could forget about that all-too-American of pass times: the road trip. Solar or wind power for the home never caught on because it, too, was expensive and difficult to use. People want green, just not the hassle.
Why didn't the Government step in and make things better? Well, first you have to look at that phrase, examine it. When has the Government ever been able to make something better? They make things work when no one else can, but making things work better is beyond most governments. Besides, governments work on tax dollars. Who's going to pay to have greener cars or cleaner electricity infrastructure when gas is $.69 a gallon and electricity is cheaper than ever?
Now that we are diving into the energy mud pit we built for ourselves, people are searching for alternatives. In a Capitalist Environment, where there is a market, someone will build a product to fulfill the needs of that market. Toyota built the Prius, a not terribly small and highly successful electric car that also runs on gas, so it will never need to be plugged in - we call this a "hybrid". Companies are making smaller, cheaper solar panels for the home, even ones that look and act like roofing shingles. And, check out OurEnergy.us! This one forces the Greens to put their electronic money where their mouth is. If you already shop online, now you can shop through OurEnergy and a portion of the purchase price goes to fund green energy projects around the country. It costs the consumer nothing more and makes them feel like they've done something for the planet. If you have never shopped online and are concerned about the environment, now you have no excuse! Your Xmas shopping could save the world! How perfectly capitalistic is that?
It's taken us long enough, but it's nice to know that people are finally getting their ducks in a row. Sure, the ice caps might still melt and flood 20% of the country, but the rest of us will be able to drive our hybrids and flex fuels with the knowledge that our shopping will change the world!
One of the problems with the green-revolution-that-didn't-happen is that people could never get their ducks in a row. Sure, we all want a cheap alternative to gas. Sure, we don't want to pollute if we don't have to. Of course we would like to produce energy domestically - keep the jobs and money here. We certainly don't want to prop up violent governments with the money from our transportation needs. But, just because these would all be "nice to haves" - none of these address the fact that cities are growing and pushing further out, commutes have gotten longer and people want more safety and comfort in their cars. People have moved into more marginal environments where they need air conditioning just to survive the summer months.
So, when green thinking companies introduced electric cars that you have to plug in, people hated them. They were expensive, they had short battery lives. They always needed to be plugged in and there were not enough plugs. You couldn't pull into just any gas station and fill the batts. Even if you could, recharging took too long. They were tiny and uncomfortable cars and you could forget about that all-too-American of pass times: the road trip. Solar or wind power for the home never caught on because it, too, was expensive and difficult to use. People want green, just not the hassle.
Why didn't the Government step in and make things better? Well, first you have to look at that phrase, examine it. When has the Government ever been able to make something better? They make things work when no one else can, but making things work better is beyond most governments. Besides, governments work on tax dollars. Who's going to pay to have greener cars or cleaner electricity infrastructure when gas is $.69 a gallon and electricity is cheaper than ever?
Now that we are diving into the energy mud pit we built for ourselves, people are searching for alternatives. In a Capitalist Environment, where there is a market, someone will build a product to fulfill the needs of that market. Toyota built the Prius, a not terribly small and highly successful electric car that also runs on gas, so it will never need to be plugged in - we call this a "hybrid". Companies are making smaller, cheaper solar panels for the home, even ones that look and act like roofing shingles. And, check out OurEnergy.us! This one forces the Greens to put their electronic money where their mouth is. If you already shop online, now you can shop through OurEnergy and a portion of the purchase price goes to fund green energy projects around the country. It costs the consumer nothing more and makes them feel like they've done something for the planet. If you have never shopped online and are concerned about the environment, now you have no excuse! Your Xmas shopping could save the world! How perfectly capitalistic is that?
It's taken us long enough, but it's nice to know that people are finally getting their ducks in a row. Sure, the ice caps might still melt and flood 20% of the country, but the rest of us will be able to drive our hybrids and flex fuels with the knowledge that our shopping will change the world!
posted by Jericho Brown at 8/08/2006 10:33:00 AM
3 Comments:
Do I need to get off the green soap box?
I can talk about panties or something if everyone wants ... :)
Green is good.
People just need to put their money into green products. The suits will follow the money and things will start to happen
I agree, demand green. The next time we go looking for a car, even if it's used, I'm going to ask if they can help us find a flex fuel. They're out there and they have been for a little while. If the dealers hear the message enough, they will pass it up the chain. From what I understand, it's amazingly cheap to add the flex fuel feature to a new car - manufacturers just have to choose to do it and pass the couple of hundred dollar price increase to the consumer. I understand it's possible for existing vehicles, albeit expensive and difficult to install. Even if I buy a normal car, I'm still going to ask for flex fuel to get the message out.
This OurEnergy thing is intriguing, though, yes? In a way it feels like giving money to people who already have money, but, say in the case of Xmas shopping, you will already be doing the gift buying anayway. It won't cost you any more and it let's people above you know that you are serious!
Demand Green!
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