Chemical Safety, Global Warming Balance Sheets and Hybrid Smugness
Canadian officials find that the presence of bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastic food containers, poses “no health or safety concerns.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission may require corporations to disclose the impacts of global warming on their bottom lines.
A recent online poll indicates that most hybrid car owners made their purchase for non-environmental reasons.
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1. HEALTH
Canadian officials find that the presence of bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastic food containers, poses “no health or safety concerns.”
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini on the irrational fears about BPA:
“Despite extensive study and the inability of anyone to document problems with Bisphenol A, the substance is the subject of much hype and press coverage. For example, a headline story in the Washington Post on the draft of the National Toxicology Program report read: “U.S. Cites Fears on Chemical in Plastics.” The story suggested that government researchers had made a new and major finding on BPA. Yet instead of discovering a problem, the draft brief—like the final report—underscored the fact that researchers have been unable to find any impact on humans from the chemical.”
2. BUSINESS
The Securities and Exchange Commission may require corporations to disclose the impacts of global warming on their bottom lines.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis on how to understand climate risks:
“In reality, there is little risk to company bottom lines from climate change per se. Even if one makes the questionable assumption, for example, that global warming will measurably intensify tropical storms over the next few decades, climate risk will always exceed climate change risk by a wide margin. For instance, due to completely natural climatic factors, a company in Florida has a much greater vulnerability to hurricane strikes and damages than a company in Ohio, regardless of how climate changes. Yet this does not stop people and businesses from moving to Florida, enjoying good weather most of the time, and building a prosperous society.”
3. ENVIRONMENT
A recent online poll indicates that most hybrid car owners made their purchase for non-environmental reasons.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Iain Murray on why hybrid owners aren’t as smug as they’re painted:
“Certainly, everyone I know in Northern Virginia who bought a hybrid did so because of the (no longer available) HOV lane access, but I am a little surprised and gratified to see that over 50 percent of hybrid purchasers made their decision based on personal rather than political considerations. More importantly, however, as the post author notes, this suggests that car companies are missing a huge marketing bonanza by concentrating so heavily on save-the-planet considerations in their advertising campaigns. If we really want to see hybrid technology develop and become more affordable, the auto makers need to wise up to this. Of course, with the major American automakers (apart from Ford) now substantially owned by politicians and their allies, the chances of this happening are slight.”
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