According to the International Earth Day Web site, “All individuals and institutions have a mutual responsibility to act as Trustees of Earth, seeking the choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, foster peaceful progress, awaken the wonder of life, and realize the best potential for the future of the human adventure.” From this, it’s reasonable to raise the question: How do sport utility vehicles fit into this picture?
According to “The SUV InfoLink,” a Web site with factual information and statistics about SUVs, driving one will, on average, put two to three times more pollution into the air than a car. Whereas in the 1970s, sport utility vehicles were used primarily for farming and commercial work, today they account for one of every four new vehicles sold.
Sociology Professor Val Burris said SUVs can be looked at from a variety of sociological perspectives, from political to social to militaristic.
“They are clearly a status thing,” Burris said. “I’m annoyed by them — but I’m also annoyed by the political reaction to them.”
He noted that it’s difficult to consider the pollution problem by merely looking at it from a driver-side perspective.
“Pollution is caused by corporations and their government lackeys,” he said. “It individualizes blame to go after the drivers of vehicles and feel so self-righteous about it.”
Two campaigns aim to increase awareness of the impact SUVs have on environmental and the socio-political concerns. Last year, “The Detroit Project,” co-founded by political activist Arianna Huffington, launched an ad campaign linking SUVs with terrorism.
The second campaign, “What Would Jesus Drive?” links the issues with religion, trying to persuade people that transportation is a moral choice because pollution affects the world.
Burris said SUVs are sometimes associated with military and police vehicles.
“(SUVs) are what the military and death squads around the world use as vehicles,” Burris said, when interviewed in February. “Whatever armored vehicle gets the most press footage in the next war on Iraq, they’ll be marketing in America, just like the last time we invaded.”
Burris said AM General introduced a consumer version of the Hummer in 1992, due to the notoriety it received in the Gulf War and partially at the behest of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A salesperson for Kendall Lexus of Eugene, who preferred to remian unnamed, said while SUVs are considered family vehicles, there is a fad aspect for some purchasers. He said that while he was not comfortable speculating on other people’s mindsets, he saw a general trend forming.
“It’s kind of like a hula hoop in a way; some people absolutely want to have one,” he said. “I have no idea why Americans are so in love with these things — it’s the craze. The thing is, you’re not going to be able to stop the demand of the consumer. People are going to spend their money. That’s just the natural law of supply and demand. That’s the way the world works. What form that takes is going to be directed by the mass will of the people.”
Portland resident Jesse Vella said he bought his SUV with his girlfriend because he was able to receive an $8,000 employee discount off the retail price. He ended up paying $27,000, and said he is now disgusted with the vehicle.
“No, we are not satisfied, because it is too expensive and is a product of the American attitude,” Vella said. “With the current gas prices, we spend $50 a week in gas, not to mention $400-a-month car payment. It has been a lead weight around our necks. We are currently trying to get out of it.”
Psychology graduate student Chuck Tate, who specializes in the area of social psychology, said social desirability and impression management are two key factors in being unable to make people aware of the potential problems in owning, purchasing or even wanting an SUV. He connected these problems to the dynamics of advertisers’ portrayal of the vehicles as hip and fashionable. Tate said this is endemic of a larger problem.
“It’s a lot of social positioning,” he said. “That’s why it’s hard to frame SUVs as a vice. If everyone’s doing it, it can’t be bad.”
Tate suggested approaching consumers about SUVs in a way that allows them to reason and evaluate on their own.
“When (SUVs) stop looking good in the conversation, that’s when you get negative reactions,” he said. “Trying to frame something pleasurable as bad is not going to work. Get them to think about the process of what’s going on.”
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