Greenie asks: "With fuel costs reaching record highs and more eco-friendly vehicles on the market than ever before, one has to ask, is it making a difference (yet)? NewEnough.com is an online retailer of new and surplus/wholesale motorcycle apparel based in West Texas. Recently, they posted a letter to the public on their website about how they've 'gone green,' and are offering incentives to their employees for switching to modern, fuel efficient vehicles (hybrid electric, diesel, bio-diesel...). While the specifics of their incentive program were not discussed, has anyone ever heard of larger companies offering a similar incentive program? According to Fortune.com, Wal-Mart is the largest employer in America. If Wal-Mart, McDonalds, UPS, GM, and Ford, the five companies that Fortune lists as having the most employees, all offered a similar incentive, more than 2,865,700 people would be eligible for incentive to go green. That could really start to make a difference for the environment. Now imagine the environmental benefit of every company in America making this same incentive offer..."Ads_xl=0;Ads_yl=0;Ads_xp='';Ads_yp='';Ads_xp1='';Ads_yp1='';Ads_par='';Ads_cnturl='';Ads_prf='page=article';Ads_channels='RON_P6_IMU';Ads_wrd='biotech,biz,hardhack,power,askslashdot';Ads_kid=0;Ads_bid=0;Ads_sec=0; Company Incentives for Going Green? Log in/Create an Account | Top | 274 comments (Spill at 50!) | Index Only | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 274 comments 0: 269 comments 1: 214 comments 2: 139 comments 3: 37 comments 4: 20 comments 5: 9 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Going green (Score:5, Insightful) by BWJones (18351) * on Monday October 24, @07:02PM (#13867409) (http://prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/ | Last Journal: Friday October 21, @01:11AM) If they really want to push more efficient automobiles, perhaps we could wean the American preference for the large SUV? I wrote about this some time ago here [utah.edu], talking about small car companies like Smart who really should be looking harder at the American market and employing creative marketing approaches to specific markets that would be most receptive to the small car.Of course a real way of going "green" would be to simply make it easier for people to telecommute. We saw a huge interest in telecommuting a couple of years ago, but since then, many corporations have cut back on telecommuting or reversed earlier policies.Programs to make broadband more ubiquitous and accessible would enable inexpensive video conferencing technologies (like iChat with an iSight), audio conferencing and the ability to be persistently available, which could be a bad thing for salaried employees though :-) [ Reply to ThisRe:Going green by liquidpele (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:14PMRe:Going green by MightyMartian (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:30PMRe:Going green by liquidpele (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:34PMRe:Going green by IamNotWitchboy (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:39PMRe:Going green by shawb (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:38PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:Going green (Score:4, Insightful) by philipgar (595691) <pcg2@NOspAM.lehigh.edu> on Monday October 24, @09:24PM (#13868355) The auto companies have no incentive to make their SUVs more fuel efficient? Are you retarded? With gas between $2.50 and $3 a gallon the auto manufacturers are starting to see the incentive. SUV's have sold poorly since gas rose in price. The reason is obvious, consumers don't like paying so much in fuel costs, and when gas is $2.50 a gallon they start to think more about getting something that is more fuel efficient.If you want the majority of cars sold to be extremely fuel efficient the easiest way would be to artificially increase the costs of gas through taxation. If gas were $10/gallon with no chance of lowering people would A: Drive a lot less, and B: when they purchase a new car the fuel economy would be much more important to them.The thing is the cost of ownership of a new car is kind of hard to judge, and depends how long people will be driving it. Assuming a 7 year ownership (beyond that it gets much more complex due to the car breaking down etc) we get a yearly cost of about (Purchase cost)/7 + yearly insurance cost + (Miles Driven/year)*(Cost of a gallon of gas)/(MPG). For many people if they actually did the math it works out that even with gas being $2.50/gallon it's cheaper not to buy a hybrid car! Wasn't there a study not too long ago showing that?Of course people don't really use these equations when buying a car, but many rough estimates are considered, and it's probably remarkably accurate. Of course than the category of car (how fancy, status symbol, etc) come into play as well. But even than gas prices will likely factor into the purchase (unless the person is wealthy enough that they wouldn't bat an eyelash at paying $20/gallon).That being said I'm completely against the whole idea of the government getting that involved with the affair. As far as companies giving incentives to employees. . . WHY the hell would they? If Walmart gave employees credits for buying hybrids they'd either have to pay their employees less, or raise prices or profits. Does that make any sense to them? I don't know what world /. thinks we're living on, but without an incentive to do this there's no reason a company would. Maybe some small operation who's owners are willing to lose profit (or their employees are willing to lose some pay) will follow this, but I can't forsee the major company's doing this. Of course the government could do this, but this essentially works into pay cuts for everybody and a benefit to those who buy the hybrids. Of course who gets helped the most by the deal .. . those who drive THE MOST!!! Those are the ones with the most incentive to get a more fuel efficient car.Phil [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Going green by Halfbaked Plan (Score:1) Tuesday October 25, @12:26AMRe:Going green by FrostedChaos (Score:1) Tuesday October 25, @12:41AMRe:Going green by CastrTroy (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:40PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by punxking (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:15PMRe:Going green by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:41PMRe:Going green by punxking (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:02PMRe:Going green by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:09PMRe:Going green by laughingcoyote (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:04PMRe:Going green by supabeast! (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:45PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. the SmartCar (Score:5, Insightful) by Tumbleweed (3706) * on Monday October 24, @07:17PM (#13867504) (http://tumbleweed.smugmug.com/) Look, as much as I love the idea of the SmartCar, no way in hell am I going to be driving one on the roads around here, with all the monster SUVs on the road. I'm green, but I'm not suicidal!Some better ideas are coming along shortly, though. VW is coming out with their "twin-charger" engine cars (Polo & Golf, and in 2008, a Scirocco successor, possibly named the Rivo). A twin-charter Polo may get up to 69mpg - on gasoline.Another idea is to use an efficient diesel auto - like the TDI Volkswagens currently available in most U.S. states. The TDI Jetta & Golf can get over 45mpg (some get slightly over 50; depends on how you drive, I imagine). Since these are diesels, you can run them on biodiesel and not only get great gas mileage, but also have much-improved emissions at the same time.VW recently announced they're switching to common-rail diesels, so as to improve emissions.And all this without resorting to an overly-expensive (not that VW is cheap, mind), overly-complex, not-so-safe-for-emergency-workers hybrid.I'm really hoping that hydrogen injection system, H2N-Gen, actually comes to market and works as advertised. This is a device that injects hydrogen into the cylinders during combustion to enable around 97% of the fuel to be burned, thus almost eliminating emissions; should work on any internal combustion engine (gas, diesel, or natural gas). Let's hope it's also relatively affordable. "Another fine Canadian product (based on an American invention)"I now return you to your regularly-scheduled Slashwhining, already in progress... [ Reply to This | ParentRe:the SmartCar by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:44PMRe:the SmartCar by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:11PM Re:the SmartCar (Score:4, Informative) by mmurphy000 (556983) on Monday October 24, @08:22PM (#13867984) And all this without resorting to an overly-expensive (not that VW is cheap, mind), overly-complex, not-so-safe-for-emergency-workers hybrid.Let's take that one at a time.overly-expensiveOverly expensive compared to, what? There are plenty of car models that are more expensive than the most popular hybrids (Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid). Besides, if somebody wants to plunk down hybrid-sized money for a hybrid, that's their choice.overly-complexOverly complex compared to, what? Yes, they're different than a regular car engine. Kinda like a manual transmission is different from an automatic transmission, a catalytic converter is different from a carburetor, and an electric start is different from that godawful hand crank the Model T's used. Considering that the repair track record for the hybrids, as reported by Consumers Union and others, is pretty stellar, it's not clear how this incremental complexity is causing anyone much trouble.not-so-safe-for-emergency-workersNot as safe as, what? It's not like a tankful of gasoline is exactly the epitome of safety. Yes, there are new challenges for emergency workers. Yes, it will take time for emergency workers to be as used to hybrids as other types of cars. This is similar to emergency workers having to deal with undeployed air bags, particularly in new locations (e.g., side-curtain), and their possible accidental deployment in dealing with a wreck. Emergency workers have to adapt to new technology frequently — hybrids are just another change. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:the SmartCar by Tumbleweed (Score:3) Monday October 24, @08:36PMoverly-complex by falconwolf (Score:3) Monday October 24, @09:07PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.hydrogen embrittlement by DigiShaman (Score:3) Monday October 24, @09:56PMRe:hydrogen embrittlement by Green Salad (Score:1) Tuesday October 25, @12:45AMRe:the SmartCar by electroniceric (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:33PM Re:Going green (Score:5, Insightful) by Arandir (19206) on Monday October 24, @07:20PM (#13867515) (http://www.usermode.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday September 04, @08:28PM) Of course a real way of going "green" would be to simply make it easier for people to telecommute. We saw a huge interest in telecommuting a couple of years ago, but since then, many corporations have cut back on telecommuting or reversed earlier policies.Bingo. The idea that companies should offer incentives for "green" cars is bizarre, because there is no benefit to the company for employees having "green" cars. Companies are not in the business of pure philanthropy, neither are they social experiments. For a small company it might be possible if enough of the shareholders lean one way or another politically, but it's not viable for larger companies.It's one thing for a company to organize a weekend charity drive, but to actually redirect revenues towards political posturing is nuts. If the cost savings for fuel efficient cars isn't enough incentive for employees, then maybe they're not the global panacea everyone says they are.But telecommuting *benefits* the company, so it makes sense to encourage it for those jobs where its practical. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Going green by TapeCutter (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:54PMRe:Going green by Arandir (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:38PMRe:Going green by Omestes (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:03PMRe:Going green by falconwolf (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:32PMRe:Going green by Omestes (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:00PMRe:Going green by DigiShaman (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:13PMRe:Going green by Omestes (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:48PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by Arandir (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:18PMRe:Going green by Omestes (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:57PMRe:Going green by Arandir (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:02AMRe:Going green by shawb (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:02PMrecyling by falconwolf (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:47AMRe:Going green by ceoyoyo (Score:1) Tuesday October 25, @12:07AMRe:Going green by dgatwood (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:07PMRe:Going green by Arandir (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:09PMRe:Going green by LurkerXXX (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:29PMRe:Going green by Arandir (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:53PMRe:Going green by LurkerXXX (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:09AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by TheRaven64 (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:23PM Re:Going green (Score:4, Interesting) by Heian-794 (834234) on Monday October 24, @08:11PM (#13867897) (http://www.geocities...94/tyoras-guide.html) Easy, just put up fuel prices. In the UK, we are paying around 90p per litre - around $6 per gallon. If people were paying that sort of price, then they might be more keen to drive something that gets more than 20 miles per gallon.Ideally, this should be coupled with non-profitmaking public transport, which is exempt from fuel tax."Simply" taxing fuel more won't help the average person unless those taxes go directly towards your second proposal of public transport, and these taxpayers get to weigh the costs and benefits of driving their own cars. The public transport has to be available to a significant-enough percentage of the population, otherwise the people out in the sticks are still stuck driving their cars, only now they have to pay even more for fuel.In a small country like England, this might be feasible, but in the US and Canada you just can't plan train and bus routes over the vast expanses of places like Wyoming. For people out there, driving is the best solution (and pollution is less of a factor in their air quality, given the lower density of cars).How about variable fuel taxes based on the proximity of public transportation? [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Going green by shawb (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:06PMRe:Going green by Xugumad (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:25PMRe:Going green by swillden (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:33PMRe:Going green by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:29PM Re:Going green (Score:4, Insightful) by MightyMartian (840721) on Monday October 24, @07:34PM (#13867616) Translation: I've got this mother fucking hog of a vehicle, and I want to come up with some outrageous bits of hyperbole to justify me still driving the vehicle that ultimately gives Middle Eastern despots control over my country, pollutes the atmosphere and is starting to make my pocket book and the overall economy crumble. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Going green by GreyWolf3000 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:41PMRe:Going green by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:51PMRe:Going green by A nonymous Coward (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:00PMRe:Going green by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:34PMrefining oil shale by falconwolf (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:02PMRe:Going green by phageman (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:39PMRe:refining oil shale by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:17PMRe:refining oil shale by frohike (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:47PMRe:Going green by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:50PMAnd where did that come from? by falconwolf (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:08PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by Zakabog (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:16PMRe:Going green by phritz (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:29PMRe:Going green by smidget2k4 (Score:1) Tuesday October 25, @12:40AMRe:Going green by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:50PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by budgenator (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:43PMRe:Going green by Alex P Keaton in da (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:47PMRe:Going green by falconwolf (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:13PMRe:Going green by budgenator (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:16PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by Spectra72 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:57PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by happyemoticon (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:37PMRe:Going green by Omestes (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:15PMTelecommunting models by Create an Account (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:02AM2 replies beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by ackthpt (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:41PMZap Smart cars by lotXLIX (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:45PMRe:Going green by deacon (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:40PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Going green by JonathanR (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:41PMRe:Going green by MightyMartian (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:54PMRe:Going green by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:00PMRe:Going green by swillden (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:12PMRe:Going green by meccaneko (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:57PMRe:Going green by SorryToHaveTaTellYa (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:10PMRe:Going green by crossconnects (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:21PMRe:Going green by QuesarVII (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:16PMRe:Going green by crossconnects (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:12PMRe:Going green by lloydtesterman (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:03PMRe:Going green by shawb (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:20PM3 replies beneath your current threshold.We do this here at Halliburton by Anonymous Coward (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:03PM Google (Score:5, Informative) by ornil (33732) on Monday October 24, @07:06PM (#13867425) Google benefits page [google.com]: Fuel Efficiency Vehicle Incentive Program [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. WalMart?! Bahahaha... (Score:5, Insightful) by FatSean (18753) on Monday October 24, @07:08PM (#13867429) (Last Journal: Monday February 03, @10:33AM) They don't care, the factories in China that produce the majority of WalMart's goods spew pollution wholesale. [ Reply to ThisRe:WalMart?! Bahahaha... by TheRaven64 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:26PMHA HA!!! The US has done it's best to kill... by arfonrg (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:44PM Ummm... (Score:4, Funny) by Otter (3800) on Monday October 24, @07:08PM (#13867431) (Last Journal: Monday October 17, @10:42AM) Sorry, do Wal-Mart and McDonalds really seem like companies that are likely to give hefty bonuses to their employees to buy a Prius? Good question, though...Meanwhile, shouldn't employees at a motorcycle leathers maker ride, uh, motorcycles? Or does "motorcycle" nowadays just mean sticking an Orange County Choppers sticker on the rear window of your SUV and going home to watch TV shows about motorcycles? [ Reply to ThisRe:Ummm... by BWJones (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:11PMRe:Ummm... by Amouth (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:13PMRe:Ummm... by doctypo (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:19PMRe:Ummm... Mopeds by spooky_nerd (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:21PMRe:Ummm... by FullCircle (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:30PMWhat can a motorcycle haul? by tepples (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:34PMRe:Ummm... by RY (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:44PMRe:Ummm... by doctypo (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:06PMRe:Ummm... by falzer (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:07PMRe:Ummm... by periol (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:34PMRe:Ummm... by ldspartan (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:28PMRe:Ummm... by bfizzle (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:05PMRe:Ummm... by Doppler00 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:36PMAnd the question is by jma34 (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:08PMRe:And the question is by Hey, Retard... (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:11PMRe:And the question is by jma34 (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:12PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Government Stopping It by Kinky Bass Junk (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:08PMYeah, sure by gerf (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:09PM2 replies beneath your current threshold. The incentives... (Score:5, Funny) by drmike0099 (625308) on Monday October 24, @07:09PM (#13867443) Wal-mart: Buy a smaller car, cuz next week we're going to start paying you less.McDonald's: Buy our salads and lose weight; it will cut your fuel costs by not dragging your fat butt (which you must have got at Burger King and not here) around.UPS: Don't take it there and waste gas yourself, pay us to.GM and Ford: Trade in that old, fuel-inefficient sedan for a new, advanced-fuel-utilization sport-utility vehicle. You know you want to!Not just to mock this, but what incentives do these companies really have for their bottom line that would inspire them to make this an issue? As a rule, top companies stay out of potentially politically-charged issues, and this is, unfortunately, one of those. [ Reply to ThisRe:The incentives... by Doppler00 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:39PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Rebates for Alternative Transportation by fossa (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:10PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by E-Rock (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:27PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by cortana (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:38PMImagine Car Companies going insane by K-Man (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:41PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by MoxFulder (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:27PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by DarkVader (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:53PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by Grail (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:51PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by Manchot (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:55PMRe:Rebates for Alternative Transportation by YrWrstNtmr (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:45PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.FYI... by Jason Hildebrand (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:11PM Ford and GM: not likely (Score:4, Insightful) by rgoldste (213339) on Monday October 24, @07:11PM (#13867456) "If Wal-Mart, McDonalds, UPS, GM, and Ford, the five companies that Fortune lists as having the most employees, all offered a similar incentive..."Recall that Ford and GM missed the hybrid boat big time, and are now struggling to catch up with Honda and Toyota (who are developing prototype hydrogen cars already). Further, the Ford Escape hybrid (Ford's first hybrid), while technically a hybrid, has roughly the same fuel efficiency as the standard model; the electric engine is used to better performance, not efficiency. Thus, it's not clear how much green benefit society would get from Ford employees buying Ford hybrids.Something tells me that Ford and GM wouldn't subsidize purchasing their competitors' cars, especially given their dire financial situation. Don't expect Ford and GM to jump on this bandwagon. [ Reply to ThisRe:Ford and GM: not likely by oliverthered (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:30PMPatents by tepples (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:37PMRe:Ford and GM: not likely by synergy3000 (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:29PMA step in the right direction, but... by dslauson (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:11PM Paternalism (Score:5, Insightful) by Brian Stretch (5304) * on Monday October 24, @07:11PM (#13867459) (http://www.mindspring.com/~bstretch) Is anyone else bothered by all these paternalistic, lead-the-unwashed-masses-by-the-hand approaches? Just give me my salary and I'll decide how I want to spend it. I'll make an exception for little things done in the name of tax efficiency though (buying bus passes for employees because it's a business tax deduction, etc), and even then only until the Flat Tax [stanford.edu] can be passed (alas, it won't be by President Bush). [ Reply to ThisRe:Paternalism by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:19PMRe:Paternalism by MobyDisk (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:46PMRe:Paternalism by Foamy (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:03PM3 replies beneath your current threshold.Pffft...Green... by BushCheney08 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:12PMI love NewEnough by zbuffered (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:13PMRe:I love NewEnough by Knetzar (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:18PMAnd move every time you change jobs? by tepples (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:42PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.I wish I could ride year round by georgeha (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:05PMRe:I wish I could ride year round by zbuffered (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:20PMTurn off your monitors and the lights... by Myko (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:13PMRe:Turn off your monitors and the lights... by vantango (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:36PMIncentives aren't free ya know... by djrogers (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:15PMBuying New and Green vs. Buying Old by fossa (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:16PMRe:Buying New and Green vs. Buying Old by NaruVonWilkins (Score:3) Monday October 24, @08:22PMRe:Buying New and Green vs. Buying Old by radl33t (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:50PMRe:Buying New and Green vs. Buying Old by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:48PMIncentive = Marketing by Gothmolly (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:16PMGM and Ford? by TodLiebeck (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:18PMRe:GM and Ford? by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:25PMFor sure! by jmorris42 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:18PMIncentive? by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:18PMGot it backwards. by technoextreme (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:51PMRe:Got it backwards. by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:01PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.The free market is already doing it by geekee (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:23PMRe:The free market is already doing it by zerus (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:34PMMod this up. by slashkitty (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:58PMOn Lab Parking by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:25PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Greenbacks (Score:5, Informative) by Doc Ruby (173196) on Monday October 24, @07:26PM (#13867561) (http://slashdot.org/~Doc%20Ruby/journal | Last Journal: Thursday March 31, @02:48PM) In California there's a market for "landfill credits". Corporations get landfill credits they spend when filling land with waste. They can trade their unused credits in a market. I used to work for a recycling company that was paid to haul off several shipping containers each week from Silicon Valley firms, which then traded that volume in credits for cash. Big "customers" of ours included Apple, HP, IBM, Lockheed, Bank of America. We resold and recycled all that material, redistributing technology around the Pacific Rim in partnership with our Phillipine and Australian branches. California managed its landfill expansion, corporations had a market for their participation, material got distributed more around the world, and we made a bundle. And I got to play with the craziest Frankenstein lab ever, right on the shore of the San Francisco Bay - even buying my first BMW for $300 as "salvage" - and my first SGIs and VAX, too, along with all kinds of Akihabara-grade tech mutants. The landfill market monetized the hidden costs of the product lifecycle which otherwise would be paid by everyone in pollution costs, while still making clear that "we're all in it together". When the actual costs are included in the economy, the incentives for "going Green" are simple and obvious. [ Reply to ThisRe:Greenbacks by JonathanR (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:55PMRe:Greenbacks by Doc Ruby (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:19AMBut the Heart of our Economy is Oil by DarthTeufel (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:27PMWhere does the green power originate? by TheStonepedo (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:47PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Going Green = Hell for Mechanics by OneByteOff (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:28PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Today's work habits are silly anyway. by Ivan Matveitch (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:29PMRe:Today's work habits are silly anyway. by Clod9 (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:12PMRe:Today's work habits are silly anyway. by ldspartan (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:32PMDiesel by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:32PMRe:Diesel by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:27PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Going green? The USA? You're kidding!? (Score:4, Insightful) by Simonetta (207550) on Monday October 24, @07:34PM (#13867618) There are basicly two Americas now: the red states (rednecks) and the blue states (blue noses). This isn't a state division so much as it is an urban vs. rural/suburban division. Its roots go back to the division between the original settlers of the USA who came two-three hundred years ago and the people whose ancestors immigrated here a hundred years ago.    The reds are not going to go green - ecology - earth-friendly - global-consciousness or whatever you want to call it. They are direct descendents of the Indian killers who believe that God has given them America as a promised land to do whatever they want with it with His blessing. They are the ones with the $30000 absurdly oversized giant 4x4 trucks parked out in front of the WalMart. These are the people who form the alliance between the fundamentalist churches and the multi-national corporations. They consistently vote against their own economic interest in the belief that allowing the global corporations free reign will get them a guaranteed ticket to heaven. They vote for the most reactionary politicians, fly flags on their giant trucks, and support with their children's blood any crypto-fascist or bone-headed foreign policy war or adventure. They support Jesus; they hate big government and liberals. As as the US economy holds together and they keep getting their checks from the feds, they will be 100% against any form of going green or environmental protection simply on principal. These people would rather kill you than listen to you explain about the long-term consequences of their bone-head mentality. These people aren't unique to the USA, but there are some many more of them in the USA than elsewhere because the USA has so much more money than other places.    The blues are primary city people. They are much more open to adapting to international environmental policies and going green. However their only hope of implementing a change in US government policy is to break the connection between the fundamentalists and multi-national corporations. Since they don't have the ability to offer the reds a ticket-to-heaven and would impose restrictions on the pollution generated by the corporations, their current prospects are bleak (Especially since they don't count the votes). These people will individually buy 'green' products, but they won't have any influence on the policies of the major corporations. As for getting WalMart to do anything progressive, forget it. It's a lost cause there.    The only way to get the USA to adopt 'green' policies is unbalance their economy. Whether this will happen without any serious organized international attempt to do is currently anyone's guess. But will the American people voluntarily adopt 'green' policies, don't hold your breath. It's most unlikely. [ Reply to ThisRe:That's the most idiotic thing I have ever heard by technoextreme (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:48PMMod parent +5 funny! by Alaska Jack (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:49PMRe:Mod parent +5 funny! by Simonetta (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:28PM Support the gasoline tax! (Score:4, Insightful) by Chalex (71702) on Monday October 24, @07:36PM (#13867625) (http://yalb.net/) A number of economists agree that the simple tactic (from your intro microeconomics class) of imposing a tax on the consumption of gasoline will do a lot more social good than harm. You can read more about it at the excellent blog http://www.env-econ.net/ [env-econ.net]Of course, no one wants to pay even more for gasoline! Many Americans don't realize that they already pay much less than people in other parts of the world. [ Reply to ThisRe:Support the gasoline tax! by ldspartan (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:35PMRe:Support the gasoline tax! by Xross_Ied (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:13PMRe:Support the gasoline tax! by YrWrstNtmr (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:50PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Haha... right (Score:4, Insightful) by lewp (95638) * on Monday October 24, @07:37PM (#13867635) Because the only thing standing in the way of the Wal-Mart "associate" with 2 kids working for minimum wage 31 hours per week or the 16 year old kid flipping burgers at McDonald's buying a US$21,000 Prius is the lack of corporate incentives. Sure both companies have their share of white collar work force, but let's keep in mind who the vast majority of the foot soldiers are.Unless those corporate incentives amounted to about US$20,990 I don't think so. Half these people would kill for any reliable transportation, much less some slick hybrid. Give it ten years for plenty of them to leak into the used market, then we'll talk. [ Reply to ThisGee why not get the government involved by technoextreme (Score:3) Monday October 24, @07:38PMWho cares about the environment? by leoxx (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:39PM Natural Incentives (Score:4, Interesting) by t_allardyce (48447) on Monday October 24, @07:40PM (#13867660) (Last Journal: Tuesday September 14, @09:18PM) Why not let capitalism be the incentive?As fuel prices increase, everyone has an incentive to do _something_ that reduces their fuel consumption, walking, better mpg, moving home etc.The government should be the ones nudging the course of the economy and environment by taxing fuel and penalising pollution the right amount. For too long *some* countries in the world (no names) have been taking fuel for granted, im sorry but you just cant all spend your life driving everywhere you go in a 12 mpg truck, the economics of that lifestyle on mass are just not compatible with the worlds resources and atmosphere, your hummer is causing a deficit somewhere, and somehow that deficit needs to be collected, whether its from fuel tax, emissions ratings or whatever.Yeah I know in reality capitalism probably doesn't work like that, but there is definitely something wrong when I can't afford to have a car because in my country the costs are through the roof and in other countries you can't afford not to have a car because the costs are so low. [ Reply to ThisRe:Natural Incentives by infosinger (Score:1) Monday October 24, @11:27PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.low-interest car loans by evershade (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:41PMAsk the government! by Spy der Mann (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:41PMI've got a better idea by Reality Master 101 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:45PMEconomics by caseih (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:48PMIn Canada not much better.. by jkind (Score:2) Monday October 24, @07:50PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Do you know economics? by ireay (Score:1) Monday October 24, @07:50PM Keep dreaming (Score:5, Insightful) by supabeast! (84658) on Monday October 24, @08:00PM (#13867828) "...if Wal-Mart, McDonalds, UPS, GM, and Ford, the five companies that Fortune lists as having the most employees, all offered a similar incentive"Most Wal-Mart employees are limited to fewer than 32 hours of work per week simply to avoid giving them any benefits, so I doubt they'll offer up any enviromentally friendly car benefits soon, not that most Wal-Mart employees could afford a new car on their salaries in the first place. McDonald's is even less likely to hand out benefits - especially since a large number of McDonald's employees work at franchises, and doesn't pay well enough for most of it's employees to afford a car at all. GM is on the verge of bankruptcy and slashing benefits, while Ford isn't too far behind, as they're about to announce plant closings and thousands of job cuts. UPS pays pretty well and has great benefits, but their employees generally work long hours as drivers, so UPS would do better by just using greener delivery trucks.This one isn't going to happen any time in the near future, and between rising health care costs and the continuing demise of American manufacturing, corporate America isn't too likely to jump on this one in the near future. What's really going to drive adoption of green products is Chinese production of them for use in China as they start dealing with the environmental impact of their population. Once China starts pumping out mass quantities of hybrid car batteries, solar cells, and fuel cells, all at dirt cheap prices, humans can enter a new age of green living. [ Reply to Thismost = half by YesIAmAScript (Score:2) Monday October 24, @11:08PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.biogas by blackest_k (Score:2) Monday October 24, @08:07PMDon't be so quick to judge Walmart... by cffrost (Score:1) Monday October 24, @08:14PMWal-Mart, McDonalds, UPS, GM, and Ford? by guardia (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:08PMgoogle's biodiesel shuttle by adpowers (Score:2) Monday October 24, @09:14PMthese companies are polluters themselves by dindi (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:17PMRe:these companies are polluters themselves by jlanthripp (Score:2) Monday October 24, @10:31PMRe:these companies are polluters themselves by dindi (Score:2) Tuesday October 25, @12:38AMpenalties not incentives by heidmotron (Score:1) Monday October 24, @09:38PMHyperion has a green car incentive program by David Taylor (Score:1) Monday October 24, @10:00PM1 reply