Why Is PBS Spreading Anti-EV FUD?

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I’ve seen a disturbing development lately in public broadcasting and in left-leaning media basically that I feel we have to take a deeper have a look at. Whereas it’s positively true that we will’t solely deal with local weather change and different environmental points with particular person actions, I’ve seen some YouTube movies lately that take that argument a bit 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 (“… should you can afford it”), regardless of the well-established undeniable fact that not solely is the full price of operation for EVs decrease than comparable ICE autos, however offers on used EVs are making it cheaper simply on the window sticker!

The host then goes on to level out that one particular person’s contribution is such a small a part of the massive image that it actually doesn’t assist. Every thing 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 that EVs aren’t a lot greener than gasoline automobiles as a result of the grid isn’t but 100% renewable has been debunked numerous occasions.

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

Movies like this one, and this comparable one, can be rightly condemned as FUD and fossil gas propaganda in the event that they had been produced by Fox Information or considered one of Elon Musk’s new buddies on Twitter. However, when PBS does it, folks assume it’s respected. In any case, PBS is left-leaning! They also have a minority host with a PhD to lecture us and blink uncontrollably the entire time! That is severe progressive enterprise!

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

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

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

However, simply because these can 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 complete of society points.

For one, the place do these fossil gas corporations give you lobbying cash? It comes from promoting their merchandise. If sufficient folks give up shopping for fossil fuels, the businesses gained’t be capable of 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 fitting course.

The identical is true for companies that place massive 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 indicators to the market that folks need cleaner energy.

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

One other factor that I feel is happening proper now could be that we’ve lately seen the Biden administration again down on local weather objectives, particularly for CAFE requirements. So, the administration’s progressive mates want to come back out of the woodworks to remind folks that it’s really OK to purchase a plugin hybrid as a substitute of an EV, even when which means 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 at the moment’s political expediencies. 

Cause #3: The Previous Sickle and Hammer Rear Their Ugly Heads

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

However, in case your objective is to radically remodel society and to not 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 state of affairs working inside the capitalistic semi-free market situations that prevail at the moment, it means these techniques 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 state of affairs in ways in which 1000’s of years of feudalism and empire couldn’t. And radical collectivism? Yeah, let’s verify 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 tough to take a seat right here and say that these ivory tower teachers have performed greater than him to enhance the worldwide local weather change state of affairs. Whereas they had been residing in an idealist collectivist echo chamber, particular person actions had 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 deal with local weather change. What we have to do is take each motion we will take to create change. On the particular person stage, we do small issues that add as much as change as extra folks do them. On the collective stage, 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” strategy, the place we combat local weather change on all ranges as a substitute of placing such an vital problem on the again burner till we will create a socialist utopia first.

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