GM Gives A Taste Of Green Jobs In America

For far too long our automotive industry has been woefully behind the rest of the world when it comes to innovation and ways of dealing with climate change. It isn't that we aren't capable of it but more aptly that no one has stepped up to fund the large-scale projects that will propel us into the 21st century, whether that be private industry or the government. Finally, the old stalwart GM is starting to see the error of their ways and is not only talking about alternative energy but building the facilities right here at home to make it happen.

From CBS News:

(AP) General Motors Corp. said Thursday it will build a new factory in Flint to make four-cylinder engines for the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car and other models.

GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said the new plant will build a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that will extend the range of the Volt, and a turbocharged version that will power the Chevrolet Cruze, a new compact car to be built in Lordstown, Ohio.

"This will be one of the places. You will be one of the teams that help GM lead into our second century," Wagoner told workers and government officials gathered for the announcement.

Production at the new $370 million plant will begin in 2010, and both cars are slated to go on sale in the same year.

This is excellent news out of Michigan. For far too long we have lost jobs in this area and across the country because our leadership has failed to foster an environment that creates 21st century jobs. We cannot merely subsist on a retail economy by itself. America was made great by manufacturing and now it is being torn apart by greedy financiers that hedge their bets on housing market bubbles that were bound to burst, made worse only because the government is deliberating on how much of the taxpayer's money should pay for Wall Street's losses.

Last night before the debate a few friends of mine were talking about the economy and what to do with money put away in bonds and mutual funds. My answer for them is the same I tell everyone who is looking for solid investments with a long-term gain. Go green! Put your money in companies that are building wind and solar plants. Rechargeable cars, geo-thermal energy, anything that helps reduce our carbon pollution is a win.

The value of this budding industry is nothing compared to what it will be once we force ourselves off of oil, both foreign and domestic. Fossil fuel giants like ExxonMobil and Shell are blocking green efforts today, but slowly we are turning the tide. Down the road (no pun intended) we will be driving zero-emission vehicles and powering our houses without a coal power plant at the beginning of the transmission line. Getting in on this today is a smart move, for one's savings and the planet as a whole.

NYC Taxis Are Going Green!

After the PlaNYC was introduced by the Mayor a month ago, there were a lot of great programs being reviewed. However one was missing, the taxis that hurtle down the streets and avenues of the city. Well Bloomberg made sure they were included today, promising that the entire fleet will consist of hybrids by 2012.

From WCBS-TV:

According to the mayor, it will be 25 miles per gallon or bust. That's the fuel efficiency that the mayor is pushing for the city's taxi fleet by the year 2012.

"There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City obviously, so it makes a real big difference," Bloomberg said. "These cars just sit there in traffic sometimes, belching fumes; this does a lot less. It's a lot better for all of us."

Currently, roughly 90 percent of the city's 13,000 yellow cabs are Crown Victorias. And while they may be roomy inside for passenger comfort, they get a paltry 10 to 15 miles per gallon for city driving.

Hybrids can do a lot better than 25 miles an hour, but considering how taxi drivers handle their cars it is pretty good. I've heard some drivers complain about the hybrids lack of power, but frankly I tell them "tough." The air of New York is much more important than enabling their (mostly) reckless driving.

Rep. John Hall Buys American

The link from the Empire Zone had me worried about freshman Congressman John Hall who represents part of upstate New York. It said that he bought an S.U.V. and if anyone knows John Hall, he is very much in favor of protecting the environment. When I read the article at Capitol Confidential I breathed a sigh of relief to see that the S.U.V. was a small hybrid offered by Mercury.

The Mercury Mariner is a fuel efficient Sport Utility that is big enough to haul around campaign supplies and benefit the environment as opposed to a Chevy Tahoe or Suburban that are popular among many working for their constituents down in Washington.

The additional bonus for John is that as a politician, it is always better to have an American car instead of something foreign made. Plenty of elected officials have been criticized in the past for not buying their wheels outside the United States and now he doesn't have to worry about that either. Rep. Hall is a good example for other politicians to do their part for the environment unlike some that only pretend to go green for P.R. purposes.