Michael Dawson over at the Monthly Review has an interesting piece called the “Alternative Fuel Scam.”
Michael is a sociology teacher and write for a self-proclaimed activist magazine, but he presents a cogent and at times powerful argument against the automotive industry.
In an interesting assertion when you strip away the rhetoric, he argues in part that our focus on hybrid cars and alternative fuels is a distraction. He suggests that green propaganda is misused to prevent addressing the foundational issue - that the automobile is an inherently wasteful and criminally stupid transportation system.
Michael canvasses some of the arguments that have been recently raised in this blog - arguments about fuel efficiency and the “unseen” energy used to build the specialised machinery of hybrid cars.
It’s a pertinent point - improving fuel efficiency does not address the fact that personal ownership of motor vehicles by millions of Americans is a criminally prolifigate waste of natural and economic resources.
“Green” cars only flatten the curve of that impact rather than eliminating it.
I should mention at this point that I’m coming to the issue from a distinctly different view-point from Michael so the following criticism should be viewed in that light.
The logical endpoint of Michael’s argument is almost impossible given the current social, cultural and economic topography of America. At least in the short-term, capitalism will not come crashing down - and sitting on our hands and waiting for that moment leaves the continuing consequences of our environmental impact unchecked.
In part, the hybrid car movement sits at the point where ideology gives way to pragmatism. It’s founded on recognition of the economic and environmental impacts of the automobile, and the crafting of a solution that could feasibly enjoy mass duplication across demographic groups.
Is it the best solution? Almost certainly not? However until Michael or someone else comes up with a credible solution it is one way that concerned citizens can take action. “It’s not good enough” is a mantra that the environmental movement has used in the past to justify inaction. It’s time we faced up to the fact that one step is better than no steps - that in creating momentum and inspiring action we can see something like hybrid vehicles as a small part of a broader and more gradual tapestry of change.
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