Originally posted by: Harvey
Originally posted by: piasabird
I do think we can do more to fight against pollution. However, car companies dont force anyone to buy a car.
I disagree. Transportation is an essential part of contemporary society. We can't get to work, to school, home, or anywhere else without it. The mode of transport is another issue, but in California, we're stuck with a layout that that's centered on cars so, until that changes, we're stuck with doing the best we can with them.
If the car companies insist on promoting the big gas guzzlers, there's not a lot an individual consumer can do, other than try to make better informed choices, despite the sales hype we're force fed through the media.
The only times the auto industry has done ANYTHING to address societal problems their products cause is when they're forced to do so by legislation or litigation. Examples are legislated requirements for better milage, unleaded gas, seat belts, air bags and more.
Every time these bills came up, the auto companies sued and stalled and attempted to sway legislators through all possible means to forestall the inevitable. And it is inevitable. If we don't take care of the pollution caused by our means of transport, they can make all the SUV's they want, but they won't sell very many of them to a dying population that pollutes itself out of existence.