Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Environmental Policy Alliance

The other day in our Green Communities class we had the privilege to watch the video below (Breaking up with fossil fuels is hard to do). It is both eye opening and comical. Eye opening because I didn't realize the extent of the amount of fossil fuels we are using, and this video helped me realize how quickly we are burning it up.

For those of you not familiar with the battle between renewable energy and fossil fuels let me briefly explain it. Lets say you work on a fixed income, meaning every month you make x. You can technically spend more than x, because of credit. Is it smart? Definitely not, because eventually it will catch up to you. That said fixed income is like fossil fuels, because we aren't going to get anymore, and we are using it up faster than the Earth can produce it. Renewable energy is exactly what the name implies...it renews itself. Examples of this type of energy are wind, water, sun, etc. Wind doesn't run out and when we use it we don't reduce its availability.

The video was put out by the Environmental Policy Alliance, implying that they actually care for the environment and that they are a good company. Going to their website you would be confused as well to what they actually do. After reading through the site, they spin everything to make it look like the "Big Green Radicals" are evil and in all this for profit.

"Big Green Radicals, have become big business. With the top organizations bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars...These groups have huge influence and are among the most powerful lobbyists in Washington. Their main goal is to use regulations, lawsuits, and congress to fundamentally shift how society and our economy work."

This is funny, because after doing some research I verified that the BIGGEST lobbyists in Washington are companies in the transportation, housing, defense, cell phones, medical, tobacco, and entertainment industries as you see above.

Let me clarify what he said in the video because it is tricky:
  • Big Green Radicals have become big business - If a big business is one that brings in 11 Million - 100 Million that what does that make Exxon Mobil a company that made a profit of 32.5 Billion dollars and lobbied 208 Million dollars, that is more than all of the Big Green Radicals (who brought in not profited the amounts listed in the video) combined.
  • With the top organizations bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars - One company outside of the ones listed here brought in over 100 million dollars, which would make the two companies bringing in, yes you guessed it 200 million dollars. Because it is two hundred it is now plural, and therefore not a stretch of the truth to say the top companies brought in hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • These groups have huge influence and are among the most powerful lobbyists in Washington - They have huge influence because they back their information with research, and they are among the most powerful lobbyists in Washington, because all the fossil fuels lobbyists are there. Literately they are among them, that is what you would say about anyone who is in a general group. They aren't the most powerful lobbyists, but are hopefully becoming them because of their facts.
  • Their main goal is to use regulations, lawsuits, and congress to fundamentally shift how society and our economy work - Isn't this exactly what the fossil fuel companies already did? Why would they be angry that green companies are doing the same finally?
Here is the ridiculous video that I mentioned at the beginning of the post:

Breaking up with fossil fuels is hard to do, because those companies don't want to spend money to adapt, and have the real power in Washington. They make it seem like we have no other alternative, but not only do we have a huge list of alternatives to everything mentioned in this video they are cheaper, more environmentally sound, and safer for those who create the products. I don't want to sound like a "Big Green Radical" but you can do the research yourself and see how ridiculous this company is.
 

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I just wanted to take a moment to send a personal message out to all those in the fields of Landscape Architecture, Gardening, Horticulture, and Urban Planning/Urban Ecology. I created Landscape Connections for the purpose to share my love and passion for Landscape Architecture and Design, and Urban Ecology. I was a Landscape Architecture Major at Utah State University and currently study Urban Ecology at the University of Utah. I am working to compile as much information in the four previously mentioned fields as possible. If you have any further information, or would like to either add information or see information posted to landscape connections please let me know.