Now that Earth Day 2009 is over and we're almost finished with "Earth Month," it might be a good idea to take a breather from all the news and information that was thrown at us in the past few weeks. Beyond industry, the message is certainly saturating all aspects of our lives. From the message at the bottom of emails pleading us not to "print this out" to Oprah making sure we never use a plastic bag or bottle again to the roster of proposed bills related to the environment, there is no escaping the barrage of earth-friendly initiatives. How can we possibly digest such an overwhelming amount of information delivered in a day or even a month? Actually, it's not possible. It will take much time for all the announcements, initiatives, company formations, government programs, etc. to filter down to the field level where we all reside.
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Publisher's Watch
Archives for: April 2009
How does environmental protection rank in importance for Americans these days? If the results of two recent studies are to believed, our priorities have definitely shifted. First, a 2009 Pew Research Center for People & the Press study shows that only 41 percent of Americans cited protecting the environment as a top priority, down from 56 percent last year. Secondly, only 1 in 10 Americans would be willing today to pay more for an environmentally friendly vehicle, according to a study by the automotive research division of Strategic Vision, Inc. That study also revealed that out of 124 attributes desired by consumers for their next vehicle, overall environmental friendliness ranked 53rd, emissions controls ranked 87th, fuel economy/good mileage ranked 120th, and fuel efficiency ranked last at 124th.
The President has announced that the United States government is purchasing 17,600 fuel-efficient and hybrid vehicles to add to its fleet. The total amount of this purchase, approximately $285 million, will be drawn from stimulus funds; the cars will be operated in part by the General Services Administration. Although the expenditure barely scratches the surface of the $17.4 billion in loans to General Motors and Chrysler, it is still a rather healthy amount--most likely the largest single purchase of automobiles in the nation's history.
The mission of the Blue Green Alliance (BGA), formed by the United Steel Workers and the Sierra Club in 2006, is to create good jobs, a clean environment, and a green economy. Since its inception, three other unions have joined the alliance: the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), as well as the environmental group, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). All told, the BGA has over six million members.
Every day media coverage of the Obama administration's stimulus package(s) and efforts to revive the economy is primarily negative in regards to bonuses, bailouts to irresponsible financial institutions as well as the Secretary of Treasury, Timothy Geitner. The feeding frenzy continues over and over again and unfortunately misses some of the plan's positive outcomes.
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