The Millennial Files

New Labeling to Help “Do the Right Thing.”

There are tons of us who would like to by more energy-efficient vehicles, but do not have the time to research how much pollution each vehicle emits, regardless of how much fuel is consumed. While current labeling on cars provides information about fuel efficiency, nothing is addressed regarding CO2 emissions, one of the worst culprits of global warming.

Katherine Probst of Resources for the Future, an environmental research/informational website, has proposed labeling that focuses on CO2 emmissions instead of just fuel efficiency. The example at the right demonstrates how consumers could be informed not so much on what the vehicle itself consumes but rather what it produces. There is currently legislation in California, AB1229, which would require environmentally informative labels on all vehicles sold in the state. Within AB1229 is a clause that calls for the state board to ” Seek input from automotive consumers, graphic design professionals and persons with expertise in environmental labeling,” in the design of such labels. Probst has offered a series of decals and environmentally informative charts in a recent posting at RFF. I encourage all Californians to contact their Assembly Representative to pass this bill (which is likely), but more importantly recommend the decals propsed by the Resources for the Future. For residents of all other states, I think it would be a good idea to contact your State Legislative Representative and urge him/her to follow California’s lead.