Robert Redford wants you to Kick the Oil Habit
The Center for American Progress, which bills itself as a nonpartisan organization (we'll let our readers form their own opinion), has kicked off a campaign to Kick the Oil Habit. Academy Award winner Robert Redford was given a spot on CNN.com's front page to speak his mind about the project, which is certainly an unusual opportunity.
The first step to kicking this habit, according to Redford and the CAP, is to encourage oil companies to increase the availability of E85 and flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs). The goal is to double the number of E85 pumps in the next year, and to make E85 available at half of the nation's gas stations in this decade. After that, things get a bit fuzzier, with calls to "launch new challenges to our elected leaders".
Certainly, we look forward to the successful deployment of alternatives to oil, and hopefully the campaign can generate some concrete proposals. At this time, however, there doesn't yet appear to be much to this push, except an effort to promote the so-called "carbohydrate economy".
[Source: CNN.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris 5:19PM (6/01/2006)
Another thing for the Hollywood set to try and make fashionable. I really don't think any of these actors and actresses give a damn about the cause, just how "responsible" it makes them look. All image, little substance.
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Gunnar Heinrich 5:27PM (6/01/2006)
If what Mr. Redford and other Hollywood figures do to promote the cause of alternative energy actually pushes industry into action, it won't matter whether or not these folks really give a damn.
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
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iQuack 5:29PM (6/01/2006)
Oh, goody! More brilliant, economics advice from an actor.
We burn oil because it's the cheapest vehicle fuel we can buy. If/when the price of oil rises to the point that alternative fuels can be brought to market less expensively, then oil will be replaced as the predominant fuel.
All the blather from actors or misguided legislation from loopy politicians won't do squat compared with the efficiency of the price system without distortions brought about by bad laws.
The best advice would be for all concerned citizens to pass a class in Economics 101 and overcome the ignorance.
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Dave 5:34PM (6/01/2006)
All image, little substance -- is that the new left wing motto?
Although I'm not against some of the ideas for helping America use less foreign oil, I wouldn't trust anyone at this organization any further than I could throw them.
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Bob_Ericson 5:37PM (6/01/2006)
Let me get this right. This clown (just WHEN was his last viewable movie? The Sting?) goes down to Cuba to lick Castro's toes and romance about that cowardly commie Ernesto, threatens to move to Ireland if Bush is elected (still waiting on that...) tells us unwashed to "kick the oil habit".
I'd bet that that has-been flew (flies) on more private jets than the entire readership of AutoBlog has ever done.
My message to Robert. Get bent freak!
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gbh 5:44PM (6/01/2006)
It does tend to ring a bit hollow when you live very well.
It would be infinitely preferable if he were to stick to the film festival.
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Beckett 5:52PM (6/01/2006)
I wonder if his PRIVATE JET burns E85.
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Chris 5:53PM (6/01/2006)
I'll kick the habit if he can propose a viable alternative...oh, he can't. E85 is just like everything else new, it'll take a while to become a standard.
Of course Redford is an engineer so why hasn't he given us cold fusion? Wait, I'm wrong, he's not an engineer and no one has proven cold fusion. You know, because it's so easy to sit on a mountain top in CO and tell people how to do things.
In all his years he has failed to learn that we live in a market driven economy. The market will tell people where to find their next gastank full of fuel. Not some actor, pretending to be a politician, acting like engineering is easy.
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Chris 5:55PM (6/01/2006)
Dave, together we can throw them pretty far.
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TDI_Driver_Found 6:01PM (6/01/2006)
Daryl Hannah is an actor who really does give a damn and shows it in the way she lives her life! Bob could learn a few things...
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Brian M. 6:41PM (6/01/2006)
DOH!! Beckett beat me to it. :D
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Jim Bowerman 6:45PM (6/01/2006)
If the average American has trouble paying the price for gasoline, then how the hell will it help him/her to use E85 which gets much worse mileage?
When E85 is 40% less than regular gasoline, it will be competitive.
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E.B. Ramsey 6:47PM (6/01/2006)
Hey Oil Barons, Warmongers and Rightwing Nazi's, Newman is a college graduate with a degree in Economics. He has raised 175 Million for charities. I think his motives are more altruistic than yours. You can complain about us left wingers all you want, but while we help our fellow human beings, alleviate hunger and suffering and strive to keep our planet clean, ya'll can continue to contemplate Nascar, beer and porn...
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Derek 6:51PM (6/01/2006)
I'm an avid autobloger so I thought Id post it here too! Itsjustlife.com
Proof the the mona lisa is really a self portrait of da vinci himself in 3d, see it to believe it!
-Derek
If you guys do a posting about my site, i'll do one about yours!
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Kyle C. 6:52PM (6/01/2006)
My Ranger is on it's first tank of E85 right now (1 public station in all of Cali), and boy does my mileage suck so far.
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David Lazarus 7:28PM (6/01/2006)
Well don't shot the messanger because you don't like the message. In the rest of the world some of us have gas prices 3 times what the average American pays and we think that he is right!
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Campisi 7:51PM (6/01/2006)
"Hey Oil Barons, Warmongers and Rightwing Nazi's..."
So... should we Republicans listen to you as well, or can we continue to ignore your vitriol? Meh, I'm overdue for a lark, so I'll listen.
"... Newman is a college graduate with a degree in Economics."
I'm in college right now, and trust me, a college degree in no way guarantees you know a damn about your major.
"He has raised 175 Million for charities."
I applaud him for his selfless action. How does this bolster his ideas?
"You can complain about us left wingers all you want, but while we help our fellow human beings, alleviate hunger and suffering and strive to keep our planet clean, ya'll can continue to contemplate Nascar, beer and porn..."
In other words, we can continue to live our lives the way we choose, while your ilk can attempt to further substitute equality of opportunity for equality of results. I'd be worried, but the Democratic Party is still too busy spasming to get much done, so I'll be off now.
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Campisi 7:57PM (6/01/2006)
"Hey Oil Barons, Warmongers and Rightwing Nazi's..."
So... should we Republicans listen to you as well, or can we continue ignoring your vitriol? Meh, I'm overdue for a lark, so I'll listen.
"Newman is a college graduate with a degree in Economics."
I'm currently in college, and trust me, having a college degree in no way means you know a damn about your major.
"He has raised 175 Million for charities."
I applaud his selflessness. Now, how does this bolster his ideas?
"You can complain about us left wingers all you want, but while we help our fellow human beings, alleviate hunger and suffering and strive to keep our planet clean, ya'll can continue to contemplate Nascar, beer and porn..."
In other words, we can continue living the way we choose in our free country, whilst your ilk can continue to try and replace equality of opportunity with equality of results. I'd be more worried, but the Democratic Party is too busy spasming to get much of anything done.
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Fazzster 9:09PM (6/01/2006)
F you.....shut up and act!
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donald douglas 9:43PM (6/01/2006)
so whats wrong with nascar, beer and porn ? my 3 favorite things in life !
After that, things get a bit fuzzier, with calls to "launch new challenges to our elected leaders".
how about we just elect some new leaders and not some moron who has his hand in the cookie ( oil ) jar, the sooner bush is outta office the better !
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