{"id":385,"date":"2015-09-22T21:14:31","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T21:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=385"},"modified":"2015-09-22T21:14:31","modified_gmt":"2015-09-22T21:14:31","slug":"vw-greenwashing-and-a-learning-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=385","title":{"rendered":"VW, Greenwashing, and a Learning Moment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jodi (hi, Jodi) and I am the once-proud owner of a 2012 TDI Jetta Sportwagon named \u201cJetty\u201d.\u00a0 Prior to that I owned a 1998 TDI Beetle, in beautiful, bright blue, named \u201cBlue Jay\u201d AKA \u201cBeej\u201d. I am sad and I am embarrassed and I am here to be with others like me, who have placed trust poorly.<\/p>\n

I am a firm believer in low-sulfur diesel being part of a complete, many-fuel transition period leading us to higher efficiency with controlled particulate emissions, then to exceptional efficiency with zero GHG and zero particulates.\u00a0 And Volkswagen just peed in my pool.<\/p>\n

I am not a market expert, though I am knowledgeable.\u00a0 I am not someone who gets onto a soapbox and chants for a company to be destroyed when they reveal that they\u00a0have duped the public in some way.\u00a0 I am, however, a proponent of tough love, and VW must pay for this dishonesty.\u00a0 I am fully behind the additional awareness that will come to pass across the entire industry with the intent that nothing like this can happen again.<\/p>\n

Background article – Bloomberg<\/a><\/p>\n

Frankly, emissions should never be tested\u00a0separately from MPG.\u00a0 We really need to stop testing single-attributes and start testing with a triple bottom line mentality.\u00a0 Ideally, we will also start to fold some of the oft-ignored \u201cexternalities\u201d into the performance testing and calculations (cost of mining and transporting fuels, costs for remediation of spills, costs for healthcare due to emissions\u2026)<\/p>\n

I am one who fully expects restitution as an owner of a VW diesel.\u00a0\u00a0 I am a sad, embarrassed Sustainability Leader who now drives around in a car that will be the butt of many jokes, that will be the poster child for greenwashing and for foolish consumers (me being one, I guess).\u00a0 Though accepting a lie from a trusted source is not really the mark of a fool, though it is painful. I\u2019m not quite sure how VW will repay me for that part of this situation.<\/p>\n

So how do I get through this? \u00a0I realize, once again, that greenwashing is part of the messy process of learning and understanding greener choices, and what they mean, and how to get there.\u00a0 We have to embrace the mistakes. We need to do this is a way that does not accept the mistakes or allow them to continue, but in a way that says \u201cface up, learn, fix it, move forward\u201d and then watches for any sliding in our mis-behaving green-child.<\/p>\n

VW, you are on notice.\u00a0 Your allowance is docked and your bedroom door is removed.\u00a0 We want to trust you, but you will have to win that trust.\u00a0 You will have to do so in many little ways and big ways over a long, long period of time.\u00a0 In that process of time and effort you will find and cherish your own value, if it truly exists.\u00a0 For the moment, I will be looking harder at Ford, and you need to know this.\u00a0 They are a USA company (though they need to build more cars in the USA).\u00a0 They have a broad and well-applied green core to their business, though they NEED more e-cars and other high efficiency vehicles.\u00a0 They did not take a bailout (bravo, Ford) and they have not been cheating anywhere\u2026 that we know of\u2026 yet.<\/p>\n

I, for one, hope I will again take pride in ownership of a VW diesel and then perhaps a VW e-car down the road a piece. \u00a0I love your styling and your drivability, but abhor your dishonesty, and I truly hope this was an error that will never be repeated.\u00a0 \u00a0I look forward to Fahrvergn\u00fcgen being honest and once again relatively guilt-free.<\/p>\n

VW \u2013 let your penance begin.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jodi (hi, Jodi) and I am the once-proud owner of a 2012 TDI Jetta Sportwagon named \u201cJetty\u201d.\u00a0 Prior to that I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,10,2,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-critical-commentary","category-energy","category-products"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/vw.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-6d","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1145,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1145","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":0},"title":"The Complexity of Carbon","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Zero Net Energy (ZNE) and Zero Net Carbon (ZNC) are in the news and in our current planning and policy discussion. This makes for an exciting present and near-future for anyone passionate about greener buildings and long-term resiliency while divesting from fossil fuel use. But what do they mean? You'd\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/bullitt.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2892,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=2892","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":1},"title":"Renaissance Man (S2C E13)","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In our deep and fascinating conversation with Bart Trudeau of Trudeau Architects, pllc, we learn about data, computer programming for planning, landscaping, mankind's relation to Nature, the Pope's perspectives on the planet, politics and voting rights, zero net energy home renovations, edible plants, renewable energy solutions, difficult lessons learned, residence\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Advocacy"","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=128"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":144,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=144","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":2},"title":"Electric Harley!","author":"greenerjsa","date":"June 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"WOW http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national\/harley-davidson-introduces-electric-motorcycle\/2014\/06\/19\/8bfe0242-f7a9-11e3-8118-eae4d5b48c7d_story.html Jodi","rel":"","context":"In "Energy"","block_context":{"text":"Energy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":448,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=448","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":3},"title":"Mythbust #1: We have to take perfect steps","author":"greenerjsa","date":"December 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Why is it that we can't look at work and critique it in a way that is supportive of learning from the lessons without blaming anyone for poor choices or performance? Why does someone always have to be wrong? I have been involved in projects and policy work as well\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Our wonderful car","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/jetta-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1741,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1741","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":4},"title":"Being WELL","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I capitalized \"WELL\" in the title for the rating system that focuses on the health and well-being of people within the spaces we create. I find this fascinating. We have spent the last few decades trying to recover from a industry that has made buildings all about cover stories and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bio-synergistic design"","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=63","url_meta":{"origin":385,"position":5},"title":"Bicycles RULE!","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 29, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"sustainablecitiescollective.com\/big-city\/187346\/infographic-10-ways-riding-bike-can-save-world?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=hootsuite_tweets Check out this info-graphic. Post it at your work, school, church, library, town hall! Jodi Sent from my i-Brain.","rel":"","context":"In "Outdoors!"","block_context":{"text":"Outdoors!","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=6"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=385"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":387,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions\/387"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}