Long before I was passionate about social media, I had become passionate about the issue of global warming and emissions. Long before that I was passionate about cars and frustrated at how few of the really cool ones were being built in the US.
In fact, long before I team up with Scoble to write Naked Conversation, I researched what would have been a book about the auto industry, environmental non-protection under the Bush administration and the blocking of a California emissions standard approved by voters in 1998 and blocked by Detroit and the EPA in 2002. It was going to be called "Out of Gas."
So when I tangled on this same issue with Scott Monty, my friend who is the lead social media guy at Ford Motors, a while back, it got a bit up close and personal. Scott at one point dismissed me as someone who didn't know what I was talking about. Ford, Monty argued, opposed California setting a tougher fuel emission standard, because it would be better for Detroit, if the nation had one standard. My position was, fine: let the nation adopt the California standard.
My suspicion was that Scott was adopting the same hokey position that the EPA an Detroit had adopted earlier; that we Californians did not have the right to protect our air. This is an old issue. It goes back to the 1970s when fuel emissions had caused a near cataclysmic smog over Los Angeles, that lessened after catalytic converters were imposed on Detroit despite the protests that these devices would destroy the industry.
I have no desire to destroy the industry. In fact I would be happy to consider anything that coud help Detroit take place, short of sacrificing the world's breathable atmosphere.
But perhaps there was something Monty knew at the time that I did not know. A couple of weeks ago, Obama announced new national emissions standards that were extremely close to those that California has been attempting to impose. A few days later, to my surprise and great pleasure, Ford announced its endorsement of the plan.
Perhaps Scott had some advanced information this was coming when we tussled. Perhaps not. In fact it does not really matter so much as we have America's leading automake embracing a real and viable standard that will help reverse the damages to the air we breathe.
Thanks you, Ford. I'm sure there will be speed bumps, but from my pers[ective, it is encouraging to see all concerned parties heading in the same direction.
