Last week I wrote about fake protest letters that the coal industry sent to members of Congress urging them to vote against climate and energy legislation contained in the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This week, my news is more sanguine.
Twelve major U.S. companies weighed in on the climate debate last week by sending an open letter to the Senate asking members to pass legislation that would facilitate the creation of a clean energy economy and combat climate change. Interestingly, the companies specifically lobbied for regulation that would reduce U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases, which they assert will "harness market forces to spur technological innovation, invest in effective solutions, and jumpstart a clean energy economy—both in the United States and around the world."
In the letter, the companies—Bumble Bee Foods, Dell, DuPont, FPL Group, Google, HP, Johnson Johnson, JohnsonDiversey, Levi Strauss Co., Nike, PG Corporation and Xanterra Parks and Resorts—affirmed that by reforming their business practices to curb emissions, they have realized increased financial gain.
Almost invariably, the companies that leverage environmental policy reform to unleash new business opportunities will thrive in our evolving 21st century economy. Those who ignore climate change and try to preserve the status quo put themselves at risk of missing the opportunity to achieve real business differentiation.
As is the case with heath care, we have not yet been presented with legislation that proposes perfect energy and environmental solutions. However, similar to the health care debate, most stakeholders would agree that significant reform is long overdue. As these companies clearly stated in their letter, "the real threat to our long-term economic growth is failure to take action."
Without comprehensive policy that enables American manufacturers to access clean and affordable energy, water, and other essential resources, these companies, and the national economy that depends on them, will be at a huge disadvantage in the highly competitive global marketplace. If we fail to act now, our large manufacturers will be paralyzed by crippling energy costs in the same way that our auto industry was shattered by high labor costs.
Fortunately, there are measures being considered in Congress that will help manufacturers access clean energy, such as Section 48C of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that provides $2.3 billion in tax credits to manufacturers that make qualified investments in advanced energy projects in domestic facilities. Section 48C is expected to support total capital investments of almost $7.7 billion in new, renewable and advanced energy-manufacturing projects.
I applaud the businesses that had the vision, courage, and political will to send such an assertive letter to the Senate, as well as others in the building industry like Whirlpool, Masco, and Weyerhaeuser, who are taking proactive steps to develop comprehensive sustainability strategies that will simultaneously increase their competitiveness in the marketplace and decrease their environmental impact.
Posted: 9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM by
| with 0 comments
It has recently been revealed that certain groups with ties to the coal industry sent fake protest letters to members of Congress urging them to vote against climate and energy legislation contained in the American Clean Energy and Security Act. These letters were supposedly mailed on behalf of concerned minority groups by Bonner & Associates, a firm that purportedly leads grassroots campaigns for various organizations, and which has reputedly been disingenuous in some of its previous communications directed to the Federal government.
Bonner blamed the counterfeit letters on a temporary employee who they allegedly fired promptly after the incident. And, even though the coal industry feigned outrage over the bogus letters, their reaction did little to squelch the suspicion of foul play.
While deceit seems to be the order of the day, running rampant through the streets and boulevards inside the beltway, the rest of the country suffocates under strong-armed tactics from public utilities. These monopolistic energy providers, so threatened by rooftop solar installations and other decentralized renewable energy systems, which they fear will erode their domination of the $130 billion residential electricity market, are, in some cases, taking Machiavellian steps to thwart the adoption of clean technology.
Not long ago, Colorado-based utility Xcel attempted to place a surcharge on homes and businesses that used privately owned rooftop solar systems. Consumer outrage forced the utility to withdraw the proposal.
Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) recently filed a request with the state Public Service Commission (PSC) to reduce incentives for solar panel installation and, unbelievably, is claiming rights to all solar net metering systems that connect to the existing grid, even if they are privately owned.
To suggest that there is tension between the groups who are attempting to reform our energy infrastructure and the fossil-fuel based organizations who have historically dominated its current framework would be a colossal understatement.
The coal and oil industries have monopolized the energy equation for as long as anyone can remember, but now they're glimpsing an energy future in which their control and profits are drastically eroded. It's understandable that these groups are desperately clinging to their traditional market shares, but whose responsibility is it to make sure that it's a fair fight?
Big industry may still be at the core of our capitalist system, and their hired-gun, special interest lobbyists may continue to wield immense influence over a wide range of important issues and political perspectives, but when their fraudulent tactics brutally violate the very foundation of our democratic process, they victimize every one of us.
Posted: 9/9/2009 12:00:00 AM by
| with 0 comments