Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Let us all just reflect for a moment

Smog terrorism.... on how stupid the EPA is for refusing California and 16 other states the right to control their air quality by requiring their own car emissions standards (from the NYT):
The Bush administration said Wednesday night that it would deny California's bid to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than federal law required as part of the state's efforts to fight climate change... The E.P.A's decision was a victory for the American auto companies...

Isn't the EPA supposed to be protecting the environment and not the oil companies? This just really makes me sick. Especially after watching the movie, Who Killed the Electric Car, last weekend.

Do you feel like the United States is stepping down as a world leader? Do you feel like the American public is completely hand-tied by the oil industry in all of our current policies?

Sometimes, unfortunately, I do.

12 comments:

SabrinaW said...

This becomes a blatant violation of the Constitution, since states are supposed to have the right to set higher standards for policy than what is on the federal level.

The good news is that Washington State will be joining the lawsuit, as will Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Chile said...

Stepping down as world leader? Oh yeah. Most definitely.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we could be losing our edge.

China just passed the U.S. to become the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. Maybe we could take back first place if we ramp up those Hummer tax credits again. On the bright side, at least the U.S. is holding firm on its refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol – it’s now the only developed nation that hasn’t done so (we’re #1! we’re #1!). Let’s just hold our breaths and hope Mike Huckabee is elected president and still believes that “abortion, environmentalism, AIDS, pornography, drug abuse, and homosexual activism have fragmented and polarized our communities.” He can surely unite us and make the U.S. the planet's top threat.

I guess crabs aren’t the only thing we need to pull out of the toilet.

May said...

Do you feel like the United States is stepping down as a world leader?

Yeah... only I feel they did that after WW2 and since then we've just been a world bully.

ruchi said...

This is truly awful. The government, it appears, does not work for the people. They only work for the lobbiests.

DC said...

Many people are outraged about this, and California has announced it will appeal the EPA's decision. The appeal will go to the federal appeals court in Washington, where there is a good chance the decision will be overturned.

Since the EPA is an administrative agency controlled by the executive branch, it's no surprise that it doesn't do much to protect the earth when the President is taking advice on the environment from people like Michael Crichton. Let's hope there are some positive changes in the white house after the next election.

In the meantime, we can all do everything possible to work for change on a grassroots level. The little things we do make a difference, and they have ripple effects beyond the immediate benefits. For example, I ride my bike to my son's elementary school to volunteer. It saves a little gas, but more importantly, I think it has changed some attitudes. The first day I showed up carrying a bike helmet, a woman at the front desk gave me a "who are you, and WTF are you doing here?" kind of look, but now she smiles at me. The kids in my son's class know that I ride a bike even though I have a car, and they know why I do it. Every little bit helps.

So vote, keep doing what you can in your own life, and don't let the blankety-blank politicians drag you down.

Magpie said...

It is unspeakably idiotic.

Theresa said...

Well, as a Canadian, I have to say think the US lost that moniker some time ago. Unfortunately, the Canadian government seems to be following suit and destroying Canada's reputation as well.

Living near the oil sands here, I see the same thing: governments in the pockets of the oil companies. Please write to your local, state and federal representatives, or write a letter to the editor of your newspaper. The politicians need to know we are watching them and we don't like what we see. Otherwise they just proceed on the assumption that 'no news is good news.'

Tara said...

I think the US is the only country who thinks that the US is still a world leader. That's what I think.

Janice in GA said...

I totally agree with Tara about the US folks being the only ones who still think that the US is a world leader.

We're behind many other countries in infant mortality and health care, among other things. And a real NATIONAL policy on air quality standards might make difference. But the lobbyists won't let it happen.

This country needs a real change of paradigm. We're losing ground in the world every. single. day.

Jane said...

Yes! I feel like a pawn in a corporate chess game. Hmmm we want holiday spending in the stores...we will lower gas prices. We want to punish CA for voting Democratic....let's take some refineries "off line" for "repairs." Hmmmm let's see we want to scare people about the war lets call it "Orange level." Watch the news and the gas prices and you can't help but wonder. Do they think we are all this stupid? I am filling up my car today, because as soon as the holidays are over and retailers have made their haul, I am sure there will be another gas crisis.

When I watched "Sicko" it made me ashamed of the US and I wanted to move to France. I have friends who are applying to live in Canada. I never thought I would live to see the day when Americans would rather live abroad for a better quality of life. It's very sad.

Anonymous said...

The case will certainly go in California's favor so don't be too upset, my Crunchy friend. Also Jane wants to move to France for the health care, but remember that France has a lot of "issues" too. Starting with the massive reliance upon nuclear power and going on to food quality problems, which is kind of shocking when you think about it. The national religion of France is FOOD, so this is troubling. I follow the issues at a website from Veracruz, Toulouse. My daughter is a French Citizen and contributes to that site. In many areas, the French are surprisingly behind the Americans {US} and in other areas like recycling, way ahead. In health care, they beat everybody.
Remember, guillotine the ruling class in your country and ever after they will not be so bold!