Honda's "Evironmentology" means fighting greenhouse gas regulations

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“Environmentology” is Honda’s buzzword for its commitment to the environment. To quote Honda’s environment statement:

“Honda will pursue challenging goals for the conservation of the global environment. As a responsible member of society whose task lies in the preservation of the global environment…”

While Honda’s word are commendable (and I am big fan of their hybrid line-up), their actions on the environment are much less so.

In Vermont today, the defense begins in a lawsuit filed against the State of Vermont by local auto dealers, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and two trade organizations, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturer’s and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturer’s.

The suit involves Vermont’s adoption of similar CO2 emissions regulations as those proposed in California. It calls for “each auto manufacturer to reduce carbon dioxide emissions beginning with the 2009 model year. The first cut would be 1% to 2%, but by 2016, vehicles would have to produce 24% to 34% less carbon dioxide than in 2002, the base year.”

Vermont attorneys argue that auto manufacturers can comply with minimal added costs. Automakers claim that “productions costs will soar,” and “tens of thousands of people could lose their jobs.” Of course, as is usually the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. And if history shows us anything, the cries of economic devastation by the auto industry usually turn out to be more fantasy than fiction. And last time I checked GM and DaimlerChrysler are bleeding red because of their inability to keep up with the times and manufacture more fuel efficient cars like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic. 

Of course, you would never see Honda and its “environmentologists” speaking out against this lawsuit, and that’s because Honda is a member of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturer’s (AIAM). As the old saying goes: actions speak louder than words, and if Honda truly is “a responsible member of society whose task lies in the preservation of the global environment…” they would speak out against this lawsuit.

At the very least, they should drop their association with AIAM.

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Kevin is a contributor and strategic adviser to DeSmogBlog.

He runs the digital marketing agency Spake Media House. Named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the “Top 50 Tweeters” on climate change and environment issues, Kevin has appeared in major news media outlets around the world for his work on digital campaigning.

Kevin has been involved in the public policy arena in both the United States and Canada for more than a decade. For five years he was the managing editor of DeSmogBlog.com. In this role, Kevin’s research into the “climate denial industry” and the right-wing think tank networks was featured in news media articles around the world. He is most well known for his ground-breaking research into David and Charles Koch’s massive financial investments in the Republican and tea party networks.

Kevin is the first person to be designated a “Certified Expert” on the political and community organizing platform NationBuilder.

Prior to DeSmogBlog, Kevin worked in various political and government roles. He was Senior Advisor to the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Asia Pacific, Foreign Affairs for the Government of Canada. Kevin also worked in various roles in the British Columbia provincial government in the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Health.

In 2008 Kevin co-founded a groundbreaking new online election tool called Vote for Environment which was later nominated for a World Summit Award in recognition of the world’s best e-Content and innovative ICT applications.

Kevin moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he worked for two years as the Director of Online Strategy for Greenpeace USA and has since returned to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada.

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