Author
Linda
Here's something to give you an idea what it's about...
Last week on eco radio we were talking about Reclaim the Streets and Critical Mass.
Events which put a focus on issues of air pollution and global warming.
Cars are very obvious cause of these problems.
There’s a worldwide campaign against SUVs other wise known as 4WD.
Josh:
Recently activists in California firebombed and vandalized a SUV dealership in California and caused several million dollars damage.
A radical environment group called the Earth Liberation Front or ELF claimed responsibility for these actions.
The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) is an international underground organization that uses direct action in the form of economic sabotage to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment.
Here’s an article which takes a closer look at the ELF.
Linda:
Here’s an article from Yahoo News September 15, 2003 The War on SUVs by: Ted Rall
NEW YORK--What kind of world would it be if someone set your car ablaze because it guzzled too much fuel?
A better one, argues the Earth Liberation Front, a loosely-organized ecoterrorist organization that spray-painted environmentalist graffiti such as "gross polluter" and "fat, lazy Americans" on 30 sport utility vehicles at two car dealerships and set fire to a third on Aug. 22. On Sept.2, 22 more SUVs were trashed at a Houston car dealership.
Josh:
Ecoterrorism expert Bron Taylor of the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, says that ELF believes "that ecosystems have an inherent worth that cannot be judged in relation to human needs, that human actions are bringing the earth toward mass extinctions, and that political action is insufficient to bring about the wholesale changes needed."
Taken at face value, most Americans agree with the "elves." A Los Angeles Times survey found that, even among conservative Republicans, two out of three people believe that the environment is more important than property rights, corporate profits or even creating jobs.[So that’s a good thing to here about Americans.]
Linda: Virtually everyone acknowledges that human-generated pollution is affecting the environment: only eight percent of Americans think that global warming is a myth. (The United States produces more greenhouse gases, both per capita and overall, than any other nation, making it largely responsible for climate change.)
The environmental crisis is, hands down, the most important matter facing humanity today. Who cares about peace in the Middle East if the region is under water, stricken by famine or choked by dust storms?
Josh:
Weather systems are becoming increasingly violent and unpredictable, species are going extinct and virgin-growth forests are vanishing at an alarming rate.
What should we do about this long-ignored crisis? Writing letters to the editor and joining The Sierra Club are admirable, but working within the system hasn't stopped the polluters.
Burning SUVs isn't the answer, argues the Sport Utility Vehicle Owners Association of America: "All told, the vandalism will not make any company think twice about producing more SUVs and other light trucks, nor will it shake the tremendous consumer confidence in the vehicles. Instead, the blaze destroyed the property of a small business owner, and put the lives of innocent civil servants in harm's way."
Linda:
But SUVs are a national blight, burning 33 percent more gas, generating 30 percent more carbon monoxide and 75 percent more nitrogen oxide than regular cars.
SUVs are so popular--they account for more than half of new car sales--that average fuel efficiency reversed a long-term trend by starting to drop beginning in 1987.
Since 1990, SUVs have wasted an extra 70 billion gallons of gasoline, costing even more than the war on Iraq.
They're the sole reason America dropped out of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases. SUVs have got to go.
Josh:
The SUV phenomenon is the creation of an unholy alliance of Congress, Detroit automakers and consumers.
The ELF’s idea of is to make SUVs as unfashionable, and as scary to own, as fur became after the PETA-inspired spray-paint attacks of the '80s.
In an ideal world, American consumers could be convinced to do the right thing through an appeal to logic with public service messages like the "What Would Jesus Drive?" TV campaign, but the kind of people who would buy a car that increases the risk to other motorists in an accident can't be reasoned with.
They're selfish and stupid. It's unfortunate that drivers must worry that their SUVs are being targeted by insulting stickers and Molotov cocktails, but one thing's for sure: It couldn't be happening to a more deserving group of people.
Linda:
Now there’s actually a guy in Brisbane, who comes originally from New Zealand, promoting a nosuv website here. We’ve played an interview with him about it previously on eco radio. Go to www.nosuv.org.nz to find out more and also download yourself some funky stickers.
We heard last week about problems facing the great barrier reef . Well here’s a connection between SUVs and coral reefs.
The connection may seem tenuous - after all, how could driving an SUV have anything to do with protecting coral reefs? But it does. SUVs are big-time gas guzzlers, adding substantially to the problem of global warming, and it's killing our coral.
Josh:
How according to Greenpeace the Howard Government is attempting to fool the Australian people into believing they have climate change under control.
Figures were released yesterday that show over two thirds of our emissions come from the energy sector.
Greenpeace says that we will not have climate change under control until we begin to phase out coal, oil and gas and replace them with clean, renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydrogen.”
Climate change is already hurting Australians through worsening droughts, bushfires and coral bleaching. Scientists at the CSIRO are saying we need to reduce emissions by 70% by the end of
the century if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
Greenpeace is saying that global warming and greenhouse issues should be an election issue.
Linda: Here’s some figures – air pollution from traffic claims 400,000 lives each year, mostly in developing countries, some 1.5 million people are exposed everyday to levels of pollution well in excess of World Health Organisation recommended levels.
Aside from the health issues 3000 people are killed everyday on the world’s roads everyday and 30,000 seriously injured.
Josh:
Reclaim the streets was broadcast on Four Triple Zed’s Brisbane Line Saturday 12 -2pm.
Let’s here a short segment from the RTS broadcast now.
Track 1 RTS…………………………………..…………..10.00
Linda: Coming up on Sunday is the Rhythm of Peace - Int' Peace Day, Suncorp Piazza, S'bank. 6 hours of celebration, reflection and commitment to peace across racial diversity.
Featuring, music, Peace Pole Ceremony, guest speakers, stalls and
peoplewho believe in peace!!
We just heard from Robbie Dunn who will be singing there, let’s here another song….