Anti-Anthropogenic Global Warming Forces Focus on Cars. Why?

“Your camera can create clean cars.” That was the subject head on a mass mailing I received from the Sierra Club’s Greg Haegele. This was merely a gimmick—a “photo” petition to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is considering rescinding the Bush Administration’s decision to block California and other states from implementing CO2 emissions standards for cars, and the Sierra Club is leading the cheering section. While I am all in favor of reducing CO2 emissions and fast, while rescinding the Bush legislation might well be a good idea, I’m dismayed by the way so many advocates of reducing greenhouse gases focus on micromanaging automotive reductions rather than on the big picture. To be sure, Ann Mesnikoff of the Sierra Club says the group is also working on cap and trade, a big picture approach to greenhouse gas mitigation. But what is it with anti-anthropogenic global warming (AGW) crusaders and cars?

As TTAC’s William C. Montgomery has pointed out, the hundreds of millions of cattle wallowing about feedlots farting their exceptionally insulating methane into the atmosphere play a big part in global warming. Yes, cattle rival cars in total impact.

And what about industry, electric power plants, and buildings? Even in the United States, cars are responsible for less than 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

No doubt the focus on cars has to do with the human brain’s being wired to see patterns, and only then, only MAYBE, to think about what they mean. Cars certainly are sexier than heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), or power plants and feedlot cattle, and they seem to be everywhere! Perhaps it’s something in our nation’s puritan heritage that sees something sexy and either blows it up into a reality show or tries to cover it over with Victorian garb.

Attention advocates of mitigating global warming: most economists say an emissions tax is the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because it puts the onus equally on all emitters: Reddy Kilowatt, HVAC, Bossy th’ Cow, Calvin the Car, and the thousands of others that didn’t make this list, and it takes politics out of play.

But make that a revenue neutral tax—one that reduces the income tax, says Stefan Unnasch, an independent consultant on matters of climate change and fuels. A revenue neutral tax would have a far greater chance of gaining the support it would need to become law, and it would prevent the usual suspects from keeping politics in play by fighting over the proceeds of the tax.

So, Sierra Club, and other environmental groups: quit picking on the car, and concentrate on finding and promoting the most effective ways to ratchet down greenhouse emissions.