Earth Day Reflections

by Ed Newman
AMSOIL Director of Advertising
This article appeared in National Oil & Lube News, May 2008

“EARTH DAY celebrates the deep-seated and persistent desire of populations around the globe for peace and harmony, which have been disrupted over the years by misguided leaders but never by the people themselves."     ~ George Gallup, Jr., June 30, 1999.

This past March I had the opportunity to visit the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. Essentially, the show is a place where the world’s automakers put on the dog, as the saying goes. Beginning at the Spring Equinox, the ten day event has become the largest auto show in the world.

The pervasiveness of “Green Thinking” has never been more visible than it was at this year’s show. Nearly every automaker unveiled something new in the realm of hybrids, fuel cells and other forms of technology designed to make vehicular travel more environmentally friendly. Every company with hybrids on hand showcased them front and center.

As I write these words Earth Day, April 22, is approaching. According to one source, twenty million people celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970. President Nixon gave us the Environmental Protection Agency that year and Congress amended the Clean Air Act to set national air quality, auto emission, and anti-pollution standards.

REJECT FATALISM
There’s a school of philosophy that says in essence “it is what it is.” It’s a somewhat fatalistic approach to life and reality. It implies powerlessness, as if to say that we have no power to change things, so why bother, as if we are victims of Fate.

I would suggest that we have far more power to make a difference than we realize. It begins with this commitment: I will do what I can in the realms where I am able. 

I’m not trying to make this into a moral issue. But in point of fact, if people do not take care of the earth, you won’t see sheep, chimps or elephants stepping up to take the lead. The responsibility is ours, both collectively and individually. 

What this means is, we need to learn more about what we can do. We’ve all seen the lists. Turn lights off, recycle what can be recycled, use reusable shopping bags, etc. One item not usually listed is to use a premium synthetic oil and extend drain intervals. Fact: premium synthetic oils last longer. The net benefit to our environment on this alone includes less packaging waste and less waste oil to dispose of. 

But the benefits of premium synthetic motor oils go further than this. The best synthetics clean the engine so it runs in a more optimal manner. The net result is improved fuel economy, which means cars can use less fuel to go the same distance. If every car and light truck in the U. S. were switched to premium synthetic oil and used premium synthetic oils, the savings would astound you.

In addition, it is well known that synthetics offer better engine protection. By protecting engine components against wear, less maintenance is required and a significant reduction in waste can be achieved.

When you see the new cars like those on display in New York, it’s obvious that environmental consciousness has been growing. For many Gen X and Gen Y-ers a green attitude is second nature. That’s probably a good thing, but many need help with the details. It’s a process of educating the motorists who are your customers so they understand that there really are more things they can do.
 
CONCLUDING SUGGESTIONS
 The ‘Green Movement’ continues to shed light on ways consumers can reduce their carbon footprint -- reduce, reuse, and recycle -- as well as ways to achieve sustainability. The evidence seems to indicate that motorists have not thought through all the ways they can apply this “green” mindset to their driving.  

According to a recent survey at Cars.com, few consumers consider green alternatives such as clean diesel, ethanol (E85), and plug-in electric vehicles as an attractive option. Nearly half of consumers surveyed said they didn't know enough about any of the various technologies on the market to consider them for their next purchase.

The Cars.com survey did indicate that nearly 60 percent of consumers would consider a hybrid vehicle for their next purchase. And, while most consumers buy or consider a hybrid for the gas savings, nearly a third said their primary reason for considering a hybrid is to help the environment or cut down on the consumption of foreign oil.

We live in an increasingly complicated world. But at the end of the day, there are a few unchanging “givens” that will likely be with us for a long time to come. First, that we are a people on the go, a people on the move. Second, people on the move need a way to get there. And finally, if it has moving parts, it needs lubrication. My recommendation is a synthetic solution.