Your tax dollars at work. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week sent an email urging its 67,000 employees not to buy SUVs, lecturing that fuel efficiency should be their “top priority” when buying a car.
“Every new sport utility vehicle on the road produces 60 percent more climate threatening CO2 emissions than a smaller vehicle,” said Energy News, a quarterly newsletter from a department that has nothing to do with energy, but everything to do with energy morality apparently.
“The toll that vehicles take on the environment includes air pollution, oil spills, pollution of our water supplies, and damage to natural habitats,” continues the HHS sermon. “In order to really cut CO2 emissions, higher fuel efficiency in all vehicles will be essential.”
Big Brother’s email inflamed U.S. automakers – the majority of whose profits come from light trucks – by also recommending the purchase of foreign hybrids like “the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid.”
Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines said the e-mail suggested “clear bias against American manufacturers. Can you imagine the Japanese government sending out an e-mail encouraging employees to buy American cars?”
Even green-preening Ford, which introduced the first SUV hybrid, protested. “We find it puzzling that a government agency such as Health and Human Services is advising its employees on what they should choose as a personal vehicle,” said a Ford spokeswoman.
We await HHS’ next quarterly newsletter telling employees to adopt a one child-per family policy.