Part of driving smarter and becoming a smarter consumer is navigating the rhetoric with ease. Opponents of simple global warming science or of gas prices will often rely on segments of rhetoric to attempt to cast doubt on elementary principles, causing the average consumer to head into a tailspin of confusion. Learning to navigate the spin can be complicated, but it can be done.
First things first: question WHO the source is. Who is denying or debunking basic global warming science? Petroleum company scientists with vested interests are often the first to lead the charge and cast doubt over the obvious human involvement in climate change. Ask yourself what those vested interests would be (profit for their corporations, etc.) and define whether or not the source is a reliable one.
Second, watch for emotional appeals and sound-bytes. Statements casting doubt or shame on a “green movement” are usually laden with hollow criticism. The corporate culture in America wants to resist this change because it threatens to stop lining their pockets, but the average American wants to leave a better world for their children. How do we quantify this with our ethics? The answer lies in understanding the deceptive rhetoric used by corporate fat cats AND by global warming “supporters.”
Sound-bytes will describe not “blaming oil companies” or talk about dependence on Middle Eastern oil, despite the fact that more oil comes from Canada or Mexico than the Middle East. Understanding what’s behind this rhetoric is important, but complex.
Third, do your own research. A general rule of thumb in historical studies is, for instance, to use at least three different sources to find information. If the information is asserted by all three sources, it can generally be considered a fact with a few exceptions. Check the veracity of the sources by looking for references and following up on those references. Don’t use Wikipedia entries that lack references.
Doing your own research will likely lead you to driving smarter and picking a smarter automobile. With rising gas prices, home closures, global food shortages, and other calamities gripping us at this point in history, it can be hard to imagine simply shifting to a smarter car. Some families will simply have to struggle through until help arrives. But for others with the ability to afford making it a little easier on the rest of us, I implore you to drive and think smarter.
Start with a Toyota Scion, for instance. Drive a car with smarter gas mileage and environmental controls. While the American way is often only to do things for self, do things for your environment, your children, your family, and your friends. Do things for the earth. Start by driving smarter. Start by driving a Scion.
The green movement is afoot. It’s touching every aspect of our lives lately and there’s no getting around it. But did you know that engineers are 