Comment Log Display

 				                 March 18, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:

The upcoming CARB decision will play a more important role than
the return on investment.  It will affect the number of humans
that will survive global change. 

At least once before in Western civilization’s history, profitable
industries experienced a threat to their existence.  Economists
analyzing the paradigm shift before it occurred warned about a
domino effect destroying civilization, the economy and society.
This was the relinquishing of the slave trade by Europe. 

As Americans we take pride in our societal legacy from Rome. Rome,
developed civilization, democracy and accomplishments across
several continents.  Yet, they faltered and ultimately decayed
from within.  It wasn’t the northern tribal people that destroyed
imperial Rome.  It was self-destruction.  Ultimately their
destruction was the result of disassociation from what it cost to
provide Roman citizenship’s benefits. 

The CARB decision affects more than the survival of industry or a
way of life.  It is more than the collapse of a society, as we saw
in the Katrina aftermath and in future climate change scenarios
analysts inside and outside of the government tell us are coming. 
We, who contribute to a majority of gases altering our planet’s
balance, affect the fate of all mankind.

The rate of global change is a case for zero emission vehicles
within 4 years using available technologies. We should do this not
because its trendy or cheaper, but because there are not enough
bullets, bombs, police or military to save our grandchildren in a
civilization that will not remotely resemble the privileged one we
live in today, if we don’t do otherwise with this vote.   

CARB has weakened its BEV stance several times at the automakers’
proofs of industry collapse if the original standards were
accepted.  Europe had the luxury of changing its paradigm or not. 
On moral grounds it chose to end a commodity industry based on
slavery and the continent did not collapse.  Rome remained
convinced of its own importance and self-protection.  It put
emphasis on political allegiances to the destruction of its
civilization.

I know people who own battery only electric vehicles and are
extremely satisfied with them.  It is a waste of time to discuss
how most of them use wind and solar power to charge them or their
commuting.   What is crucial is moving CARB to set much higher
standards than the original ones, requiring battery electric
vehicles on the roads now rather than in incremental steps in a
twilight future that will not exist for our children.

Respectfully,


Ben Brown