Gore: Polluters Manipulate Climate Info

[Snazzy]

Source: AP

Gore: Polluters Manipulate Climate Info

Aug 7, 5:11 AM (ET)

By GILLIAN WONG

SINGAPORE (AP) - Research aimed at disputing the scientific consensus on global warming is part of a huge public misinformation campaign funded by some of the world's largest carbon polluters, former Vice President Al Gore said Tuesday.

"There has been an organized campaign, financed to the tune of about $10 million a year from some of the largest carbon polluters, to create the impression that there is disagreement in the scientific community," Gore said at a forum in Singapore. "In actuality, there is very little disagreement."

Gore likened the campaign to the millions of dollars spent by U.S. tobacco companies years ago on creating the appearance of scientific debate on smoking's harmful effects.

"This is one of the strongest of scientific consensus views in the history of science," Gore said. "We live in a world where what used to be called propaganda now has a major role to play in shaping public opinion."

....



Read more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070807/D8QS3FC03.html

[luckyleftyme2]

1. and the bush administration does it so well

How this man got elected to his landing on the aircraft carrier has all been via public relations propganda.
the way to cut thru the bull in this era is go to the computer,get your info ,then ck out the source!

[deacon]

2. Shaddup Al and run for president dammit! Hurry! n/t

[RestoreGore]

4. Yes because this surely isn't important enough to discuss

[OnionPatch]

8. How about "Keep talkin' Al, and run for president!"

:shrug:

[RestoreGore]

19. How about discussing the important topic at hand?

[OnionPatch]

20. I'm all for it.

Most people here already know about this propaganda. I'm glad Al is telling everyone else.

And I still wish he'd run.

[Harper_is_Bush]

21. How about acknowledging what he's saying, and perhaps acting on it?

:shrug:

[RestoreGore]

3. Recommended because Mr. Gore is taking it to the source

Which is why he is a keynote speaker at the Global Brands Forum this week in Singapore. It is time to take on the deniers who are working against truth for profit where the sustainability of this planet and its species are involved. Mr. Gore is already making great advances on this, and as recently as last week had a very positive discussion with the President of Mexico. This is why his being a free man unconstrained by beltway BS will go a long way in forging alliances regarding sustainability. He is already standing up to the status quo, and we need to stand up too.

[NJCher]

5. stidemts

I had my students do this as a topic for term papers last semester. What they turned up shocked even jaded me, who has been reading at this forum for years.

One solution, however, is to change the corporate charter. As it stands now, it is the corporation's obligation to do all they can to make a profit and they apparently consider propaganda part of that mission.



Cher

[rosesaylavee]

6. Tell em, Al. n/t

[Locrian]

7. corporatism will destroy us

Ultimately, we have created our own demise by unleashing an "entity" that is sociopathic.
Unless we can redirect corporations away from profit at any expense, and stop them from externalizing costs we are doomed.

Think the propaganda about climate change is bad?
Wait until the health care / pharmaceutical companies spool up to the "sicko" threat and/or any legislation for universal care.

[Deja Q]

23. He's also on Apple's board of directors:

http://www.badapple.biz

Coalition Presses Al Gore To Raise the “Inconvenient Truth” at Apple Shareholder Meeting

A coalition of over 70 environmental, and consumer groups and other activists are asking former Vice President and Apple Board member Al Gore to publicly support two Apple shareholder resolutions on protecting the environment, and to help lead Apple to improve its environmental record. The coalition includes the Computer TakeBack Campaign, Greenpeace, Consumers Union, Friends of the Earth, National Environmental Trust, and Clean Water Action.

Summer, Fall 2006 Mr. Gore refuses repeated requests for follow up meetings about Apple issues
Summer 2006 Greenpeace launches "Green My Apple" campaign
Nov 2006 As You Sow files shareholder resolution on takeback again. Trillium Asset Management files resolution on toxic materials.
Jan 2007 Requests from As You Sow and CTBC to meet with Mr Gore.
Feb 22, 2007

Letter to Vice President from CTBC asks for meeting or we can no longer honor request to keep last year's meeting "private."
Gore aide says he is too busy, won't give meeting
March 9, 2007 CTBC sends letter to Steve Jobs outlining areas of concern and request for dialogue. No response.
March 13, 2007 Apple releases opposition statement to both shareholder resolutions, indicating that Apple Board has voted unanimously to oppose resolutions.
March 16 Apple lobbies against producer responsibility bill in Connecticut.
March 26, 2007 CTBC, Greenpeace and over 70 organizations and activists sign letter to Gore requesting him NOT to support Apple in opposing shareholder resolutions. Statements released to press.
Apple Shareholder meeting not yet scheduled - it's usually late April.

Site has more.

[yardwork]

9. I've recently become aware of how much influence gas and oil

has on supposedly "academic" research at universities and institutions throughout the nation. The polluters also fund publishers that generate lies packaged as books, magazine articles, position papers, and quasi-academic reports. I've seen some of this b.s. in my local Barnes and Noble.

Thousands of people are employed by this propaganda machine. It's entire purpose is to protect the profits and interests of gas and oil and other carbon producers.

The industry's profits skyrocket, while the earth warms out of control and millions of people sicken and die.

[yellowcanine]

10. Case in Point:: Western Fuels Association

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Fuels_Association

Big backer of Patrick Michaels and other global warming skeptics. Not so coincidentially, they are funded by coal companies.

[Hobbs]

11. No, Means NO

No more polluting of our air, water, food, children, and our minds.

Run Al, we love ya and need ya.

[NastyDiaper]

12. Putting down skeptics is whack-a-mole.

It's time to destroy the fiction machine.

Keep Talking, Al!

[jimlup]

14. Yep!

They throw everything no matter how stupid. On a mainstream forum (runnersworld) I often got into "global warming" debates and I was very dissapointed to see how wide the disinformation is. Everything from "They don't take into account water vapor" to "sunspots". All are easily dismissable but some of the "neocon" posters are so beligerent that it is indeed "wack-a-mole".

One of my friends suspects that the industry even plants posts and has trolls planting posts so that it appears that there is an even debate and that the facts are in questions.

Run Al Run!

[Blue Belle]

13. I just read this article in USA Today online...

And right at the bottom, some right wing hack was blogging about Al's house and how he flys all over the world, blah, blah, blah - this guy hit every right wing talking point out there about Al. I read his post and thought, "Thank you for making Al's case for him."

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2007-08-07-gore-climate-change-manipulation_N.htm?csp=15

[Uncle Joe]

15. I quit buying my fuel at Exxon, I refuse to fund their propaganda.

Keep up the good fight Al!:thumbsup:

[whistle]

16. The same top management culture and mind set as Big Tobacco executives

<snip>
TOBACCO'S ROUGH ROAD
Correction and clarification: In 1993, Philip Morris International's pre-tax profit per cigarette was 0.51 cents and Philip Morris U.S.A.'s pre-tax profit per cigarette was 1.44 cents. A graphic with a story in Sunday's Business News section was incorrect. Correction published Tuesday, August 9, 1994.

<deep cut to end>
``These people are expert,'' Ballin says. ``Who else could take a product that is a known cause of cancer, heart disease, emphysema, birth defects, et cetera, et cetera, and keep it on the market 30 to 40 years practically unregulated? It's unheard of.''

The industry, he says, ``is fighting more aggressively than they have in a long time . . . The question is: Are we going to fight them tooth and nail and turn the tide once and for all?'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos

Scott Ballin, chairman of the Coalition on Smoking or Health:

``People are beginning to see the tobacco industry for what it is. They are in the business of withholding information, deceiving the public, selling a product that they know causes disease and death and is addictive in spite of their denying it ... There have to be some policy changes that are fair and equitable and bring tobacco in line.''

Brennan Dawson, The Tobacco Institute's vice president-public affairs:

``I think part of what we have to do is let people know just how far some of these anti-smoking proposals go because they're simply not in accord with public opinion. If that portrays our opponents as zealots or neo-Prohibitionists, so be it. In fact, that's what they're calling for.
<MORE>

[19jet54]

17. Yes and...

I wanted to know my carbon footprint and tried several different sites (UK, US Gov, Al Gore's and other Green Advocates) on-line calculators to find out. Al's site gave me a much higher number than any of the other sites. I don't know why, but I did notice there is fewer specific details & more fudging going on in his method for the final number? I have concluded that everybody is "skewing" the outcome depending on their cause and mindset; especially the ones who want money for "Carbon Offsets"! Perhaps the conservations should also be "Money Footprint" & "Global Greed" too? Motives do mean allot...

[catgirl]

27. "more fudging"?

Do you have proof there is fudging? Those are strong accusations. You
must be some expert who knows more than everyone else. So you're
suggesting Al Gore is simply greedy? And you really care about the environment?
Hm.

[Auggie]

18. What gets me is that it doesn't make business sense

If these companies put their efforts into R&D they could corner the alternative fuels and environmental technologies markets -- the real growth industries of the 21st century -- not to mention the good-will P.R. they'd garner from the public. And they'd make more money than ever before.

[digidigido]

22. But they'd have to work for it

[Auggie]

24. Welcome to D.U. digidigido

I guess their plan then is to sit back and take over small companies via merger or acquisition. If anything is left to saved, that is.

[Kurovski]

25. K&R

:kick:

[Quantess]

26. One more kick.