Not to beat a dead horse, but this item continues to persist in the media.
As many of you know, Bob Lutz recently was quoted as saying global warming was a crock of sh*t. This resulted in an impressive run of internet and print media discussions, in the end Lutz made it clear that his personal opinions should not reflect the companies activities.
Now GM CEO Rick Wagoner has gone on the record as regretting Mr. Lutz’ comments.
Wagoner said “I would have preferred to pass on the comment”.
He also said “the data is pretty clear that the temperature on the earth is rising. It makes sense for us to put the business in a place where can respond productively,” and “a lot of things need to be done to address CO2.”
Source (Wall Street Journal)
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 12:53 pm and is filed under Environment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Mar 11th, 2008 (1:03 pm)I, like Wagoner, believe Lutz’s comments were a lot of hot air…ba-dum-pum!
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Mar 11th, 2008 (1:04 pm)Let the spinning wheel turn…
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Mar 11th, 2008 (1:41 pm)Much to do about nothing!!
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Mar 11th, 2008 (1:46 pm)I think Lutz may be very good at throw away lines..and he does’nt choose to be politically correct.
He is entitled to his views.
Regardless of what he says, he is given credit as the creator of the Volt, which is a grander plan for reducing global warming than I could ever invent.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (2:07 pm)To avoid repeating ourselves, I suggest that we review previous comments, found at
http://www.gm-volt.com/2008/02/14/bob-lutz-turns-up-the-heat-on-global-warming/, then continue the debate over there.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (2:08 pm)That is so true!
the guy who might revolutionize the auto industry, thinks global warming is "a crock of sh*t". It almost blows my mind how a guy only looking to sell more cars invented this, and not some eco-nut hell bent on reducing emissions.
p.s. I’m an eco-nut.
8 days till the end of the beginning of the automobile
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Mar 11th, 2008 (2:33 pm)Well, I don’t think you have to believe CO2 is a contributer to global warming to want to take care of the environment… If it is, then you’d better all stop breathing, because you’re "polluting" the air. Either way, getting rid of all the other unpleasant "real" pollutants along with oil dependence is a good enough reason in my book!
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Mar 11th, 2008 (3:42 pm)I have no more energy to devote to Mr. Lutz’s one liners.
Thank you thomdbhomb, #5.
Just show us the car.
Next.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (4:33 pm)I think that some people don’t realize that global warming very well may be a natural process caused by sun’s magnetic field, sun spots, cosmic rays not hitting clouds enough or who knows what … but, I think all the greenhouse gasses are also making this natural process worse to some degree. What degree that is, I don’t know. Maybe 70% natural process, 30% greenhouse gas emissions. I’ll leave that for the scientists to argue about.
If human activity is making an already bad "sun cycle" situation worse, shouldn’t we try to do something about it by cutting down on our greenhouse gas emissions? I hear that if the planet heats up 5-6 degrees things could get pretty bad. Major catastrophes that will really hit our pocketbooks … not to mention the lives lost, etc. Hurricane Katrina type stuff all over the place. Not cool.
Maybe if we cut down on greenhouse gasses, we could minimize problems and keep the temperature rise around 2-3 degrees instead.
I’m praying that solar thermal, photovoltaic solar, and wind will get more and more efficient and cheap every year and we won’t even think about using polluting coal fired plants anymore. They spew all kinds of stuff like mercury you know.
The new technologies will hopefully be just as cheap as coal in a few years. I bet the solar energy industry is going to surprise a lot of people. Once solar becomes ubiquitous and cheap, everyone will be happy campers … including Mother Nature. The sun isn’t going to have shortages of fusion fuel anytime soon either.
We might already be looking at "peak oil" in the next decade or two … especially with all the new car buyers from India and China. We need cars like the Volt for very practical reasons …. oil might be getting close to running out. The price of gas will motivate a lot of people to get cars like the Volt. The environmental benefits are a great secondary benefit. People would already be buying electric cars in droves if the economics were the same as internal combustion engine cars right now. Who wants a loud, polluting internal combustion engine car if you don’t have to?
Hopefully, in 10-20 years we’ll be able to have all kinds of transportation options like in the GM commercials. 100% electric quick recharging cars, hydrogen cars and trucks that go 1,000 miles between fillups, super fast electric sports cars …. whatever you want. It’s going to be interesting watching this energy revolution unfold in the next 20 years.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (4:36 pm)Here is my opinion on this:
If he is on "GM" time, he should realize that anything he says will be thought of as a company position.
If he is on "Lutz" time, he should say so, and prefice everything with, "this is my personal opinion".
If he is a mail clerk, no one would care, but when he is as far up the ladder as he is, he has to realize the consequences of his comments.
Look how much time we have wasted on this……
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Mar 11th, 2008 (5:42 pm)Lutz may are may not believe in global warming, but my guess is that they were more intended to raise attention than express an opinion. He wants the Volt to appeal to everyone and unfortunately there is a recoil by too many to anything considered "green".
No sure when or why global warming became a political issue. This is a crock in itself. The state of the earth’s climate is solely a scientific issue. How polution is addressed can be a political issue.
But enough of politics. Thankfully the Volt has appeal for everyone, except those that just don’t like change or new technology.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (6:07 pm)Lutz is absolutely right down the barrel dead center on this. Glad he said what millions of us think. Now, let’s move on.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (6:57 pm)just build the car…all this talking about global warming is a crock of S***
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Mar 11th, 2008 (7:01 pm)If you want watered down, neutral, PC comments, then Rick is your man.
I, for one, will stick with Bob and the "take it or leave it" comments. Most people know the "crock comment" was a personal opinion and not some corporate declaration. Bob’s more entertaining and (IMHO), provides a better glimps of the Volt’s progress than does Rick.
No sugar coating please…
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Mar 11th, 2008 (7:11 pm)wake up tree huggers Columbus just got 20 inches of snow
That has never been recorded before. Studies are now showing that global temperatures have went down 3/4 of one degree Fahrenheit injust one year.
The Good Lord has been heating and cooling the earth at his Good pleasure ever since He created it. He does not need Al Gore or anybody else’s help.
Global cooling should be a much more fearfull thing than Global cooling.
Corn based ethanol is another huge boondoggle.
The Chevy Volt is an Outstanding Concept Trains have used Diesel Generators to power Dc traction motors for years . Gm also had a big hand in that.
I am not usually a Gm fan but GO GM GO Chevy Volt . Bring jobs and respect back To the USA.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (7:13 pm)I’m nutz for Lutz. You Go Bob boy.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (7:16 pm)I am thinking about becoming sanctimoniously anti-nook-you-lah. Can anyone help me?
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Mar 11th, 2008 (7:51 pm)I hope they’re making the car because they believe they can make a profit. That’s all that matters.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (8:29 pm)I’ve said this before, it is really immaterial what Bob’s position is on Global Warming, and he echoed that in the Fastlane blog as well. GM is headed in the same direction as the proponents of that theory are headed by pursuing production of the Volt. So why fuss about it??? Now, with that said, 20/20 hindsight is probably telling him that he maybe should have at the minimum, worded his opinion in a different fashoin, or simply not have shared it at all.
For me…It’s water under the bridge. Anyone else feel like moving on with their lives?
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Mar 11th, 2008 (9:18 pm)jscott1000 wrote:
"just build the car…all this talking about global warming is a crock of S***"
I agree with this person re the task at hand.
Lutz does not NEED to express his personal or GM views re global warming or anything related to the global scene in his position to the public.
That’s Wagoner’s job.
JUST DO his job assignment per Wagoner.
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Mar 11th, 2008 (9:26 pm)Lyle,
I’d love it if this is the last time we see a post on this issue.
Thanks,
Chris
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Mar 12th, 2008 (8:04 am)#21 Chris
I agree. The vicious circle of the GW debate. I mean I guess if he mentions the Volt in the same sentence it is still relevant here…but other than that.
PS) I’m not going to wade on either side of the debate, but #15 snowfall does not equal coldness. The coldest places on earth receive very little snowfall. /just saying
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Mar 12th, 2008 (9:08 am)Lyle, Must be a slow news day! I know you are just trying to give us our daily fix. As opposed to beating a dead horse perhaps you could stretch the envelope on Volt related, including any thin film solar breaking news and the ability to store it during the day to charge our Volts at night etc. We all going to need something to power our volts with. As for the Antinukyala your definately not green as the only cost effective alternative currently is coal. Nukes are the the least polluting cost effective generation available today large scale bar none.
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Mar 12th, 2008 (2:45 pm)Well, there are plenty more reasons to drive an electric car than just because you want to stop global warming. I drive a pure-electric car everyday.. although it is nice to stop and think about the fact that I don’t pollute, the real pleasure is never having to take time out of my schedule to visit a gas station, or open my pocketbook at a gas station.
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Mar 12th, 2008 (2:48 pm)#24 David Murray:
What kind? Tell us more!
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Mar 12th, 2008 (3:01 pm)Noel Park… It is a car I converted myself. It was a gas-powered Eagle Talon. Assuming this forum will allow URLs to be posted, here is a website about my car:
http://galaxy22.dyndns.org/ev-talon/
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Mar 12th, 2008 (3:03 pm)It strikes me that denying global warming is a lot like playing Russian roulette. Five chances out of six you get a free pass, but the sixth chance is too terible to contemplate.
Except that I don’t think the odds are that good. And, the real losers are not us, but our children and grandchildren.
Or "Beer Hunter" as Doug and Bob McKenzie famously related.
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Mar 12th, 2008 (3:11 pm)#26 David Murray:
Very, very cool! My hat is off to you. Thank You.
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Mar 13th, 2008 (8:04 am)Noel Park (#27)
The only way to be sure and win that game it to totally ignore it and NOT play at all.
Playing at all will most certainly bring global ECONOMIC destruction, famine, war and world socialist government of, by and for the richest elitists.
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Mar 13th, 2008 (11:13 am)Re: global warming due to man made green house gases, I agree with the scientists. By the way, they don’t agree.
Funny how you can be dragged over the coals for NOT believing in global warming caused by man. I must be safe from the angry mob, as I am in the "not sure" column.
That said, each gasoline car puts out about 12,000 lbs. of CO2 per year. That’s pretty piggy, and inconsiderate of the planet.
There are many reasons why the Volt is so important. How about national security. I remember what happened during the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973/74: Gas rationing, no gas available on Sunday, and long, long lines at whatever station was selling it at the time, no fill-ups, I think it was 5 gal. max. People were killed, due to fights in those lines. A deep recession followed.
#26 David Murry.
Congrats! That’s pretty cool.
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Mar 13th, 2008 (7:01 pm)Yes, he is entitled to his views and I am entitled to my views. If he thinks that global warming is a crock of shit, then, he is deranged man.
Thank-you.
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Mar 13th, 2008 (7:05 pm)Oh, I see, he is not saying that global warming is a crock of shit, he is saying that talking about it is a crock of shit. Just build the car, he says. Okay, in that case, he is still deranged.
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Mar 15th, 2008 (3:31 am)Global warming is more than just a crock of s**t, it is being used to legislate our lives. Come on people, quite being so gullible.
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Dec 7th, 2008 (8:30 pm)Привет, я думала что это совсем не так происходит:)
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Мой блог: http://kursyrukodeliya.blog.ru/
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