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Simon

GM asks students to Greenwash

Meg ImHolt, intern at Greenpeace USA and a senior at American University and Vice President of the school's environmental club EcoSense, writes about GM running their "gas-friendly to gas-free" greenwashing campaign at her University. GM wanted to promote their new hybrid and fuel cell cars while getting the "green approval" from the school's EcoSense club.

"As I write this, GM is feverishly lobbying Congress for $25B that it was supposed to get in exchange for fuel economy increases. The company wants the money now, but without the efficiency strings attached. Do a few hybrid and fuel cell cars compensate for such destructive policies? Do they make up for GM's opposition to stricter CAFE standards? Or the corporation's lawsuits against states for limiting car emissions?

[…] I didn’t take the bait, and neither did the rest of EcoSense. Citing GM's culture of corporate irresponsibility, we refused to endorse the auto makers latest greenwashing scheme.

For GM, it seems that "green" is not a movement, but a marketing strategy. If GM wants to profit off a green economy, it needs a green business -- one that puts efficient cars in showrooms and endorses, rather than interferes with, greener standards."

Also related: Vattenfall's latest climate campaign faces protests from environmental organisations and Let GM and the other failed auto giants go under.

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I am a bit leery about the bailout trend. I don't think that everyone needs in on the bandwagon. My guess is that several advisers for the big players are using the principles of game theory to suggest that they will be at a huge disadvantage if one of the other players gets the loan and they do not. What happen to a free market with little governmental interference. If it was another country subsidizing their industries, I doubt we would be supportive. The American Automotive industry is bloated and wanting a free ride. I think they need to reinvent themselves. -- Gus http://www.sustainablehosting.com - my preferred web host

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