I don’t know what the situation is in other areas, but Chevron’s use-less-energy ads, launched last fall, are still thick and heavy in the DC area. Its campaign, dubbed “Will You Join Us?”, shows people promising to use their cars less and “unplug things more.”
The print ads are plastered over subway car interiors and bus stops, while the TV spots proliferate during the Sunday morning talk shows. For reasons I’ve described elsewhere, I don’t like them. Oil gets demonized by lots of groups these days, but the notion of an oil company dissing its chief product seems perverse, and doesn’t bode well for the future of mobility.
So what does Chevron think of Vladimir Putin’s recent cut-off of Russian gas to the Ukraine and beyond? It seems to me that Chevron should applaud him. Putin may have monetary and military reasons for his action, but he’s also reducing energy use and encouraging conservation.
I think Chevron should give Putin a major role in its ad campaign. Here’s CEI’s suggestion:
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rofl
Dmitry Medvedev is going to at least consider a hybrid–they're all pitching in to save the Earth! All they need now is for the Duma to outlaw 100 watt light bulbs and they'll be just as sanctified as our government.
Thanks for dispelling my confusion regarding CEI's position on energy. I had thought you merely opposed overly zealous environmental regulations. Now I see you also oppose conservation and energy efficiency. Your economic reasoning makes sense: Oil companies should promote wasting oil. By that logic dentists should promote tooth decay and car companies should promote poor car maintenance…it gives them more business. How about this for a Chevron ad: “I will make more unnecessary trips in my Hummer. I will leave my incandescent lights on all day.”
James, I think you're confusing “use” with “waste.” Wasting energy makes no economic sense, which is why it's avoided.
Chevron is asking us all to use less energy, seemingly saying that simply using energy is a bad thing.
If I use energy to light and heat my home, watch television, use a computer, or even to propel my car down the highway, it shouldn't be viewed as immoral or wrong.
Energy is the primary resource behind all economic growth. To be anti-energy is to be against furthering human progress.
Energy is the engine of Capitalism, we don't need or want to use less energy, we want to use MORE energy. However I do agree that communists, and their cohorts, environmentalists want nothing more than to substantially reduce energy useage in America. That way leads to revolutionary overthrow of our country, it's Constitution and our freedom, the real aim of our enemies.
Chevron is inviting people to save energy by recycling a public relations strategy used by oil and gas companies in the 70's and early 80's. Recycling a program makes good business. Chevron encourages people to be temperate in their energy consumption and the promotion program certainly does no harm.
Putin's program, however, does harm many people. Because of it, many people in Europe do not have a choice about reducing their energy consumption. In these cold winter days, gas is just not there for heating, electricity and transport. Although I am angry that so many have been fooled into believing in global warming, I think Sam Kazman has stooped low to (not) make a point.
“Wasting makes no economic sense, which is why it's avoided.” So waste doesn't really exist, at least in a free market. Nobody throws away perfectly good food, or eats more calories than they should. Nobody buys a car or house that's bigger than they need; nobody makes unnecessary trips. Nobody puts more water on their lawn than it actually needs. Nobody fails to weatherstrips their homes. Companies never overpackage their goods. If there is ever any failure in these areas, it's surely the fault of the government for tampering with the sanctity of the free market.
People make mistakes all the time. People go to excess all the time. No reasonable defense of capitalism would say that it creates a perfect world free of bad decision making. But, capitalism does provide the best incentives for people to be productive and cut down on waste.
If you think state-controlled industries or socialist systems do better, I'd invite you to look at the historical record.
It is harmful to put out the message that energy consumption is bad or even immoral. It sets the stage for Congress to regulate the great evil that people accuse energy consumption to be.
F@cking western media - can't get their facts strait - AGAIN. Putin and Russia have nothing to do with the stopage of gas to Europe - Its the US puppet government in the Ukraine - who won't pay the bill they owe Russia and is STEALING the gas that is destined for Europe thus causing Russia to stop the flow. It takes an EU mediator to have to check the gas going into the pipeline and coming out to make sure that Ukraine doesn't steal anymore of Europes gas. Of course its big bad Russia to blame for not giving Ukraine gas. After all Ukraine should still be receiving gas even though they don't have a contract - even though they still owe money - even if its at below what other countries pay - even though for years they have been privy to this special price - and of course they should be allowed to “steal” any gas destined for Europe - but just let Russia practice normal business relations to get paid for their commodity and all of a sudden they are the bad guy.
What happens when you don't pay the gas company in your city? Or if you steal your neighbors gas, or gas from the company? Thats right you get your ass thrown in jail and you are made to pay what you owe. Same thing happening here only on a larger scale.
Sorry folks - hate to disapoint but no big bad Russia here.
Frank,
I've got to agree. Russia has problems….but I can't believe that Western media attacks Russia in this situation. What would companies in the US do if someone was tapping into their pipelines and stealing millions of dollars worth of gas???? BUT, Ukraine is our soon to be partner in NATO, and a strategic partner in our long-term plan to piss off and agitate Russia in any way we can.
Right, because energy is what drove the founding fathers to write the constitution and empower the people. The lack of energy back in 1776 is what led to the Boston Tea Party and the revolution against the British. Oh wait…
Look, it's not that hard to understand. Energy costs money, and the wealthier the country is, the more energy it will have at its disposal. America is the wealthiest country and therefore it uses the most energy of any country in the world. Asking people to consider curbing their energy useage is not something bad. If you don't leave all the lights on in your house, make less frequent trips to the store, or carpool/take the bus, you will save unnecessarily wasted energy. They aren't telling you to sell your car and shut off your heater in the winter, just conserve energy in general.
Alexander I don't think the people of the Ukraine are stupid enough to allow their government to join NATO - even they know that the US may be able to give them Disney and McDonalds, but its Russia that heats their homes and keeps the lights on. This NATO dream is just a dream of the current puppets - it won't go anywhere. I am living right now in Russia working at one of its universities and of course a few of its prominent businesses. Some of the Ukrainians I have spoken with tell me that they wish these “western asskissers” (their words) would pack up and go to America if they like it so much. I think that soon we will see a changing of the guard in the Ukraine
“the notion of an oil company dissing its chief product seems perverse”
They are in the same boat as tobacco. What do you expect them to do?
Big oil ignoring the fact that its customers' reliance on its products has bad side effects (pollution, keeping petro-dictator psychos in power… maybe even climate change) is as bad as big tobacco ignoring that smoking kills its customers.
Perhaps this is Chevron's public relations hedge against oil's version of those lawsuits which resulted in Tobacco companies paying billions to the states, starting in 1998.
Frank,
I agree completely with the sentiment, my closest friend is Russian/Ukrainian from Odessa and cannot stand the status quo in Ukraine now….but a Ukrainian in Russia is not the same as a Ukrainian in Kiev. May I ask why you believe Ukraine's NATO bid is a complete pipe dream? I think it depends more on the willingness of Nato to accept Ukraine rather than Ukraine's willingness to join.
The Ukrainian I am talking about live in Ukraine. They are students at the university where I work. As for NATO - first I question “WHY is it still around?” It was formed as a wall against Soviet agression, and last I looked that agression has faded almost 20 years ago. NATO has long out lived its usefullness. As for countries like Ukraine and Georgia becoming members, Russia will not let it happen, diplomatically or otherwise. The people living in the Ukraine understand that they need closer ties with Russia and not the west, especially the US. I think you may see the Ukraine join the EU but thats as far as the people will want to go and Russia would be ok with that. If you look close you will see that because of western medling in these countries affairs (Georgia and Ukraine) their economies are in shambles. You can dress a monkey up in a tux, but in the end its still a monkey. The peoples of these countries are part of Russia and always will be, no matter how many McDonalds you put there - they will never be “Americans”. This idea that in every person on the earth that doesn't live in the US there is an American inside wanting to get out is ridiculous. These countries belong in the sphere of Russia and should be left there, after all there's not much difference living in Russia than living in Canada (or America).
Putin has used energy as a weapon before…seems like this is the second or third winter in a row that natural gas supplies from Russia have been cut or threatened to be cut.
I see this less as a statement on Chevron's intent to put itself out of business and more as a cautionary tale about securing our own energy supplies. We'e put ourselves over a barrel, so to speak, and Israel's excursion into Gaza could be an excuse to reinstate the oil embargo we suffered through in the early 1970's.
Love it!
As a Chevron-Texaco shareholder for 25 years, I was appalled by this ad campaign.
Sandra
Great site.