Jumpstart Ford!

Dear friends,

Here's an example of a strategic campaign about oil consumption -- working to encourage Ford and other manufacturers to produce energy-efficient cars. (Another alternative to the SUV stories from France a few weeks ago?)
Local action for Jumpstart Ford (should you or your community choose to get involved) begins with adopting your local Ford dealer, and asking them to sign a letter to the Ford corporation asking for more cars that are fuel efficient, and proceeds to vigils and creative action -- a step-by-step approach.
The partners in the campaign include the Ruckus Society, Rainforest Action Network, and Global Exchange.
Visit the campaign website, http://jumpstartford.com, for many resources, background, and action pakcets. More info included below.

Check it out!

Matt Guynn
On Earth Peace

p.s. Flash Animation titled "A Declaration of Independence from Oil" is available here: http://jumpstartford.com/fileadmin/materials/zero_emissions/freedom_from_oil/FreedomFromOil.swf


From www.jumpstartford.com:

Our Vision

The Jumpstart Ford Campaign works to end America’s oil dependence, to reduce oil related conflicts and to stop global climate change by convincing the auto industry to dramatically improve fuel efficiency and to eliminate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. We envision a world in which customers go to a car dealer to meet their transportation needs, and can buy a pollution-free, petroleum-free vehicle.

Our dependence on oil strains our economy, threatens our national security, damages our environment, contributes to human rights abuses around the world, puts our troops at risk and harms our health. People need transportation, yet we never bargained for these side affects that are now threatening our way of life. We envision a world with no gasoline stations, no oil-funded dictatorships, no oil wars, no oil spills, no refineries, and where most people have access to mass transit and bicycle transportation infrastructure.

Campaign Demands

The Jumpstart Ford Campaign is calling on Ford to get serious about breaking its oil addiction. We are asking Ford to manufacture a fleet of cars, trucks and SUVs that:

• Averages 50 mpg by 2010.
• Achieves zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020.

Ford revolutionized the auto industry by inventing the assembly line over 80 years ago. Ford’s brand recognition gives it the power and the responsibility to drive the market in the right direction. It’s time for Ford to recapture its spirit of innovation, live up to its reputation, and lead the way to an oil-free future!

Ford has the technology today to make cleaner vehicles­including SUVs­that get better gas mileage. Rather then improving the fuel efficiency of all of its vehicles, Ford spends millions on marketing efforts to “green the blue oval” and lobbying efforts to fight federal and state market incentives to ease America’s oil addiction. Since the oil crisis of the 1970s, the EPA has ranked Ford last in overall fuel efficiency for 20 out of the last 30 years.

Ford can get on the road to oil independence by rapidly phasing out production of gas-guzzling internal combustion engines and replacing them with existing alternatives such as gasoline-optional, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). PHEVs would free most drivers from filling up at the pump. When coupled with residential rooftop solar, PHEVs would put us on the road to energy independence.

It’s time for Ford to hire engineers to build innovative cars, not lobbyists to weaken environmental standards. We urge you to Adopt-a-Dealer and join the growing movement to Jumpstart Ford today!


www.jumpstartford.com


==================================================

You are receiving this message as a part of the "Peace Witness Action List," a program of On Earth Peace. This list is to alert you of creative nonviolent action throughout the United States and beyond, with the intention of inspiring Spirit-filled creative action in your community.

On Earth Peace is an agency rooted in the Church of the Brethren, helping people faithfully discern "the things that make for peace" (Luke 19).

If you know stories of nonviolent action that are happening that others might want to know about, please e-mail them to mattguynn@earthlink.net.

If you would like to receive these alerts or end your subscription, kindly send an e-mail message to mattguynn@earthlink.net.

On the web: www.brethren.org/oepa; Tel (410) 635-8704; On Earth Peace, PO Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188.