The Troquelet
Conscious
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2002
- Messages
- 1,950
Group Targets Car Pollution Via Ads
By EMERY P. DALESIO, AP Business Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Car buyers in four states will soon hear a
religious appeal to their environmental conscience: "What would Jesus
drive?"
A Pennsylvania-based environmental group is
planning television advertising in North Carolina,
Iowa, Indiana and Missouri to urge consumers to
park their pollutive SUVs Jesus would prefer a
cleaner auto, the group contends.
"Economic issues are moral issues. There really
isn't a decision in your life that isn't a moral
choice," said the Rev. Jim Ball, executive director
of the Evangelical Environmental Network, which
is sponsoring the "What Would Jesus Drive?"
campaign.
The Wynnewood, Pa.-based group will begin running television ads this
month in eight cities to urge consumers to park their sport-utility vehicles
and to buy fuel-efficient cars. The ads contend that the devout ought to
consider the SUVs' effect on the earth.
But it's a small voice in a sea of SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks last
year they accounted for half the new vehicles sold in the United States. The
average fuel economy for all 2003 model cars and passenger trucks dropped
to 20.8 miles per gallon, reflecting what automakers and many buyers say
is a higher priority on comfort and family needs than conserving gasoline.
Automakers say they'd be happy to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles if that's
what Americans wanted to drive.
"If people would be demanding tailfins on cars, we'd be making tailfins on
cars. But people aren't demanding tailfins," said Eron Shosteck, a
spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a coalition of 13
companies that produce most of the country's vehicles. "People want power.
Consumers want power."
Ball and a network of like-minded mainline Christians and Jews hope to alter
those buying habits.
Global warming (news - web sites) and smoggy air worsened by vehicle
exhausts threaten the health of humans, plants and animals worldwide, and
the faithful are called to preserve God's creation, Ball said in a telephone
interview.
"We think he is Lord of our transportation choices as well as all our other
choices," said Ball, an ordained American Baptist minister. "When you
need a new car, you should buy the most fuel-efficient one that truly meets
your needs."
The Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign plans to send mailings this
month to 100,000 congregations and synagogues discussing the
relationship between fuel economy and religious teachings about
stewardship and justice.
The campaign is a joint effort of the National Council of Churches and the
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life.
The organizations plan a Nov. 20 news conference in Detroit, where they
have requested meetings with executives from the Big Three automakers
and the United Auto Workers (news - web sites)' union, campaign director
Douglas Grace said.
The groups plan to frame their arguments in moral as well as economic
terms by promoting hybrid and fuel-cell powered vehicles, as well as
other fuel-saving technologies. Hybrids run on both gas and electricity, and
use less fuel than traditional engines. Fuel cells, a technology developed to
power space vehicles, makes energy from a chemical reaction with no
harmful emissions.
"We're trying to show the technology is there, that consumers are interested
in it, and they're interested in buying American," Grace said.
The Big Three Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and
DaimlerChrysler AG plan to mass market SUVs and pickups with hybrid
technology starting next year. Toyota and Honda began selling a limited
number of hybrid cars this year.
Bell said the e-mails and meetings will be supplemented this month by TV
ads running in Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C.; Fort Wayne and South
Bend, Ind.; Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa; and Springfield and
Kansas City, Mo.
___
On the Net:
What Would Jesus Drive campaign: www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org
Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign: www.protectingcreation.org"
My own take: complete hogwash! Jesus, as we all know, WALKED! Even on water. He was an all-terrain vehicle all by himself...
This has my vote for craziest news article of the year!
By EMERY P. DALESIO, AP Business Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Car buyers in four states will soon hear a
religious appeal to their environmental conscience: "What would Jesus
drive?"
A Pennsylvania-based environmental group is
planning television advertising in North Carolina,
Iowa, Indiana and Missouri to urge consumers to
park their pollutive SUVs Jesus would prefer a
cleaner auto, the group contends.
"Economic issues are moral issues. There really
isn't a decision in your life that isn't a moral
choice," said the Rev. Jim Ball, executive director
of the Evangelical Environmental Network, which
is sponsoring the "What Would Jesus Drive?"
campaign.
The Wynnewood, Pa.-based group will begin running television ads this
month in eight cities to urge consumers to park their sport-utility vehicles
and to buy fuel-efficient cars. The ads contend that the devout ought to
consider the SUVs' effect on the earth.
But it's a small voice in a sea of SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks last
year they accounted for half the new vehicles sold in the United States. The
average fuel economy for all 2003 model cars and passenger trucks dropped
to 20.8 miles per gallon, reflecting what automakers and many buyers say
is a higher priority on comfort and family needs than conserving gasoline.
Automakers say they'd be happy to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles if that's
what Americans wanted to drive.
"If people would be demanding tailfins on cars, we'd be making tailfins on
cars. But people aren't demanding tailfins," said Eron Shosteck, a
spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a coalition of 13
companies that produce most of the country's vehicles. "People want power.
Consumers want power."
Ball and a network of like-minded mainline Christians and Jews hope to alter
those buying habits.
Global warming (news - web sites) and smoggy air worsened by vehicle
exhausts threaten the health of humans, plants and animals worldwide, and
the faithful are called to preserve God's creation, Ball said in a telephone
interview.
"We think he is Lord of our transportation choices as well as all our other
choices," said Ball, an ordained American Baptist minister. "When you
need a new car, you should buy the most fuel-efficient one that truly meets
your needs."
The Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign plans to send mailings this
month to 100,000 congregations and synagogues discussing the
relationship between fuel economy and religious teachings about
stewardship and justice.
The campaign is a joint effort of the National Council of Churches and the
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life.
The organizations plan a Nov. 20 news conference in Detroit, where they
have requested meetings with executives from the Big Three automakers
and the United Auto Workers (news - web sites)' union, campaign director
Douglas Grace said.
The groups plan to frame their arguments in moral as well as economic
terms by promoting hybrid and fuel-cell powered vehicles, as well as
other fuel-saving technologies. Hybrids run on both gas and electricity, and
use less fuel than traditional engines. Fuel cells, a technology developed to
power space vehicles, makes energy from a chemical reaction with no
harmful emissions.
"We're trying to show the technology is there, that consumers are interested
in it, and they're interested in buying American," Grace said.
The Big Three Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and
DaimlerChrysler AG plan to mass market SUVs and pickups with hybrid
technology starting next year. Toyota and Honda began selling a limited
number of hybrid cars this year.
Bell said the e-mails and meetings will be supplemented this month by TV
ads running in Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C.; Fort Wayne and South
Bend, Ind.; Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa; and Springfield and
Kansas City, Mo.
___
On the Net:
What Would Jesus Drive campaign: www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org
Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign: www.protectingcreation.org"
My own take: complete hogwash! Jesus, as we all know, WALKED! Even on water. He was an all-terrain vehicle all by himself...
This has my vote for craziest news article of the year!
+ 
. Ejday I posted it because this board could use a laugh once in a while 
here is the text from the first one (and no, i can't edit them together)
