Volkswagen logo (Assocaited Press file)
Re: “Colorado pollution data helped expose VW emissions cheat,” Oct. 2 news story.
Looking at the Volkswagen emissions scandal from a distance, you have to admit the engineers at VW were brilliant. Had it not been for Colorado’s RapidScreen program, the Germans may have been able to hoodwink the entire country for years to come.
Imagine if we took that same engineering savvy and applied it to today’s most pressing issues. Perhaps we could actually affect the planet in a good way. When the ultimate goal is making money, as it was for VW, we seem to be able to rise to the occasion — developing software to cheat emissions testing, for example. But we can’t seem to find a way to burn coal cleanly. We can’t seem to produce a mode of affordable transportation that works on anything other than fossil fuels. We can’t seem to find a way to harness the sun in a cost-effective way on the roof of every home. Why?
If we are going to change, it has to start with the understanding that there must be a reason to change. If the only motivation is the bottom line, we can expect more of the status quo.
Darren Hessem, Morrison
This letter was published in the Oct. 16 edition.
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