“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.
