Intended (Unintended) Consequences

My Grandma Jacobs once reminded me that the people building golden statues lost their jobs when Moses came off the mountain and declared ‘no false gods’ (including golden calves). This declaration impacted real families and real lives. Those gold sculpturers had to find new work. They figured it out.

Reducing our consumption to slow climate change has real consequences. If we switch to driving electric vehicles, workers building gas-powered vehicles will lose their jobs. People who make those gadgets we no longer purchase will need to find other work. If we choose solar over coal, coal miners will suffer. Wasting less food or reducing our meat consumption will impact farmers.

Consuming less or changing what we consume will have impacts across the US economy. Consumer spending (spending by you and I) makes up 70% of the US economy. Not spending will reduce GDP and impact the stock market. Not spending on fossil fuels will lower energy prices and the profitability of fossil fuel companies.

I drive an Electric Vehicle. I love it! I will never own a gas powered vehicle again. The ride is awesome and not pumping gas in a Minnesota winter is something I wish for everyone. But the most important part about driving the EV is that I am NOT supporting the oil industry! If everyone drove EV's there would be no need to drill in Alaska, in the Gulf of Mexico or anywhere else. Who would care about the Strait of Hormuz? There would be no need for new oil pipelines. Putting big oil out of business is an Intended Consequence.

But Big Oil is only doing their job. It is Economics 101. It is not their fault that we demand oil to fuel our economy.

I don't agree with many things the current president is doing but he once said "Kids need just 2 dolls not 30". That is something I can get behind. Buying less is good for the planet. However, his concern is not about over consumption, it is about purchasing products from China. He would be celebrate if we all purchased 60 dolls if they were made in the USA. That is where he and I differ.