When we last left GM Vice Chair Bob Lutz, he had dismissed global warming as a “total crock of shit” (see “General Motors is full of crocks“). That would be Vice Chair of Global Product Development, not, say, a finance or sales guy, but somebody who is in charge of scientists, engineers, technicians, and oh, I don’t know, the entire future product line of the largest U.S. automaker.

So this bastion of good judgment goes on cable TV’s leading ridicule-fest, The Colbert Report — justification enough to fire him for cause — to plug the Volt, as it were, and goes Cro-Magnon again:

NUTS LUTZ: I accept that the planet is heated, but like many noted scientists, I don’t believe in the CO2 theory.
COLBERT COLBERT: … It’s just sunspot activity.
NUTS LUTZ: In the opinion of about 32,000 of the world’s leading scientists, yes.

Well, I accept that Lutz is a human being, but like many noted scientists, I don’t believes he is evidence of the evolution theory.

Anyway, responding to a piece on Huffingtonpost by Josh Nelson, “General Motors Executive Doesn’t Recognize Global Warming as Fact — He Should Be Fired,” GM’s Director of News Relations, Tom Wilkinson, had this helpful comment:

Read more

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) at the Americans for Prosperity “Do Nothing” Rally

Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the Koch Industries front group formerly run by Koch lobbyist Nancy Pfotenhauer, spent all of August attacking “Speaker Pelosi’s decision to adjourn for a five-week recess without allowing a vote on whether to expand production of American oil, natural gas or shale.” Their conservative allies in Congress staged protests on the House floor attacking Pelosi as a “dictator” who wouldn’t allow a vote.

When Congress returned to session, Pelosi called the conservative bluff. She held votes on a Democratic package that expanded production of oil, natural gas, and oil shale and a Republican package that expanded production of oil, natural gas, and oil shale. The Democratic package passed.

If AFP were honest in the slightest about their call to action, they would now be calling on the U.S. Senate to pass the House bill with all speed. But of course they are not. The House package is a genuine “all of the above” bill that would lower energy costs and create jobs. It rolls back subsidies for oil companies to support renewable energy, establishes a framework for new oil leasing, and establishes a national renewable energy standard. All of these elements are anathema to the oil and gas industry that funds front groups like AFP and their conservative allies. So what is a polluter propagandist to do? Attack the do-something Congress:

Other liberal leaders are trying to raise taxes on oil companies (which will mean higher prices at the pump!)

Expanding domestic energy production by getting at untapped U.S. resources is the key to lowering prices at the pump — so use the box below to contact your lawmaker today and tell them to DO NOTHING. That’s right. Tell your lawmaker that doing nothing is the right thing to do for American energy consumers.

AFP, in flipping from attacking liberals for doing nothing to demanding that they do nothing, doesn’t seem to have a very strong irony radar. Last month, they had to cancel a global warming denial meeting in Florida because of Tropical Storm Fay.

For those of us who actually want a do-something Congress, join Green Jobs Now and call on Congress for a green recovery.

My post on the Bush bailout for the financial sector mentioned the “Green Recovery” report recently released by the Center for American Progress and Dr. Robert Pollin from the University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute. Here’s a little more detail:

The report looks at how a $100 billion strategic investment can generate 2 million new, well-paying jobs (at least $16/hour) in the renewable and energy efficiency sectors and beyond. The chart below shows the breakdown of job creation:

The number of jobs created by this investment is four times what the same spending in the oil industry would create, as this chart illustrates:

Read more

The number of companies planning plug-in hybrids is growing steadily. Some recent announcements can be found here. Calcars maintains an excellent update on “How Carmakers are Responding to the Plug-In Hybrid Opportunity.”

As for Honda, last year, the Wall Street Journal reported

Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said so-called plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles [PHEVs] offered too few environmental benefits for his company to pursue, and noted that an advanced hybrid vehicle called the Chevrolet Volt that General Motors Corp. is aiming to launch in a few years made little sense.

But while pretty much every other major automaker in the world has realized the need to start developing a plug-in, Bloomberg reported last week, “Honda, Citing Battery Limits, Avoids Rush to Plug-Ins.”

Yes, the batteries still need improvement, but that is hardly a reason not to aggressively pursue what is certain to be the car of the future. What is particularly ludicrous about Honda’s position is that they remain enthusiastic about hydrogen cars — indeed, they are probably the only major automakers still drinking the hydrogen-flavored Kool-Aid– even though the technological hurdles are infinitely greater. Bloomberg reports:

Read more