Why Is PBS Spreading Anti-EV FUD?

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I’ve seen a disturbing development just lately in public broadcasting and in left-leaning media typically that I believe we have to take a deeper take a look at. Whereas it’s positively true that we will’t solely sort out local weather change and different environmental points with particular person actions, I’ve seen some YouTube movies just lately that take that argument slightly too far. Worse, they’ve even began spreading anti-EV FUD!

Let’s begin with this primary instance from the PBS Terra YouTube Channel:

The theme? “Cease saving the planet. Begin saving the world.” Straight away, the video mocks the concept of driving an electrical automobile, and inserts some FUD about affordability (“… in case you can afford it”), regardless of the well-established incontrovertible fact that not solely is the full value of operation for EVs decrease than comparable ICE automobiles, however offers on used EVs are making it cheaper simply on the window sticker!

The host then goes on to level out that one individual’s contribution is such a small a part of the massive image that it actually doesn’t assist. All the things from EVs to rooftop photo voltaic will get criticized right here as “distracting.” We’re additionally advised that “the overwhelming majority” of individuals don’t have any choice however to purchase an ICE automobile or purchase meals from intensive feedlots. They even declare that EVs are soiled as a result of the ability grid makes use of fossil fuels! The concept EVs aren’t a lot greener than gasoline automobiles as a result of the grid isn’t but 100% renewable has been debunked numerous instances.

The host factors out that governments have finished little or no to handle local weather change, and that corporations have been doing a variety of greenwashing. That’s true, and I’ll get to that in a minute, however the host presents a false alternative the place we’ve got to cease doing issues like shopping for EVs or photo voltaic panels once we ought to as a substitute be focusing all of our power on fixing issues on the massive scale.

Movies like this one, and this related one, could be rightly condemned as FUD and fossil gas propaganda in the event that they have been produced by Fox Information or one among Elon Musk’s new buddies on Twitter. However, when PBS does it, individuals suppose it’s respected. In spite of everything, PBS is left-leaning! They also have a minority host with a PhD to lecture us and blink uncontrollably the entire time! That is critical progressive enterprise!

However, if we’re being sincere, that is nonetheless FUD. So, we have to ask ourselves why they’re pushing this proper now. Listed here are my theories:

Potential Cause #1: Letting The Excellent Be The Enemy Of The Good

Ideally, sure, we might clear up the entire energy grid so that everybody’s emissions go down no matter private decisions. We’d get extra individuals to experience on a clear electrical bus or prepare in cities. We’d additionally need to see higher bike infrastructure, long-distance electrical high-speed rail, and different issues that make it simple for the entire of society to have decrease emissions.

However, simply because these could be good outcomes doesn’t imply that we shouldn’t act in any respect. The reality is that particular person actions can and do have an effect on these entire of society points.

For one, the place do these fossil gas corporations provide you with lobbying cash? It comes from promoting their merchandise. If sufficient individuals stop shopping for fossil fuels, the businesses gained’t have the ability to bribe politicians and plan video games as simply. It requires a LOT of individuals to do it, but when no one does it as a result of we’re ready for perfection, nothing occurs and we don’t even transfer in the best course.

The identical is true for companies that place giant photo voltaic farms on the roofs of their services. In the event that they purchase much less electrical energy from the grid, this lowers our reliance on fossil fuels and alerts to the market that individuals need cleaner energy.

Potential Cause #2: Serving to The Biden Administration Save Face

One other factor that I believe is happening proper now could be that we’ve just lately seen the Biden administration again down on local weather targets, particularly for CAFE requirements. So, the administration’s progressive mates want to come back out of the woodworks to remind those that it’s really OK to purchase a plugin hybrid as a substitute of an EV, even when meaning spreading anti-EV FUD.

As an alternative of accepting anti-EV and anti-solar FUD, we must always as a substitute name this out for what it’s, no matter as we speak’s political expediencies.

Cause #3: The Outdated Sickle & Hammer Rear Their Ugly Heads

Right here’s the factor: there’s no motive we will’t do issues on the particular person degree whereas concurrently pushing for higher issues on the collective degree. Shopping for an EV doesn’t imply you’re unable to vote for higher politicians. It doesn’t imply you possibly can’t donate to climate-friendly organizations. It doesn’t preserve you from being a part of collective motion in any means in any way.

However, in case your aim is to radically remodel society and never clear up the atmosphere, all of that individualism does get in the way in which. When people really feel empowered and once we discover methods to enhance the scenario working inside the capitalistic semi-free market situations that prevail as we speak, it means these methods can keep in place whereas we scale back human struggling much more.

These varieties of individuals don’t need us to know that liberalism has improved not solely the human situation, however the environmental scenario in ways in which hundreds of years of feudalism and empire couldn’t. And radical collectivism? Yeah, let’s test in on North Korea and see how that’s going.

US per capita CO2 emissions now at 1913 ranges. In 1913 only one% of People had indoor plumbing and electrical energy 😮 pic.twitter.com/q5U5ORmIva

— Hank Inexperienced (@hankgreen) April 14, 2024

As a lot as I disagree with Elon Musk on some points, it’s troublesome to take a seat right here and say that these ivory tower lecturers have finished greater than him to enhance the worldwide local weather change scenario. Whereas they have been residing in an idealist collectivist echo chamber, particular person actions have been compounding and have been remodeling one of many dirtiest world industries!

We don’t must throw away the engine that created the trendy world and embrace authoritarian collectivism to sort out local weather change. What we have to do is take each motion we will take to create change. On the particular person degree, we do small issues that add as much as change as extra individuals do them. On the collective degree, we will nonetheless work collectively to fight corruption, company lobbying, and fossil gas subsidies.

As an alternative of arguing over whether or not individualism or collectivism is the reply, we must always as a substitute undertake an “all the above” method, the place we combat local weather change on all ranges as a substitute of placing such an vital subject on the again burner till we will create a socialist utopia first.

Featured picture: a screenshot from the embedded YouTube video above (honest use, commentary).