What Were They Thinking?

Both my professional and personal passions have grown from being in the outdoors, publishing sports magazines and being obsessed with sports like climbing and surfing. These obsessions usually mean that I make it to the Outdoor Retailer trade show every year.

Over the years, I've been proud to be apart of the outdoor community. Many companies in the industry have taken a lead in the environmental movement, understanding that a commitment to the environment is a commitment to places for customers to use their products is a low impact way. The Outdoor Retailer trade show has even gotten involved by putting a "Green Steps" button on their home page.

Getting ready for this year's show I noticed this promotion on the trade show's site:

Hummer Search and Rescue Test Drive
Be sure to stop by the newest attraction at the two-day Open Air Demo on August 8th and 9th at Willard Bay. HUMMER will offer attendees the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the H2 and H3 on a custom all-terrain ride-and-drive course. You are invited to experience first-hand the off-road capabilities of HUMMER and these vehicles' reputation as an excellent outdoor recreational vehicle. You will also learn about the positive partnership between HUMMER and Tread Lightly!, a national nonprofit organization with a mission to empower generations to enjoy and protect the great outdoors responsibly while maintaining a healthy environment. We hope to see all of you on August 8th and 9th where HUMMER and Tread Lightly! will demonstrate how to have fun, yet 'tread lightly' when off road driving!

Hummer's treading lightly? They don't seem to go together.

When curious and inconsistent messages start to happen, it's only natural for customers, in this case trade show attendees, start feeling abused. Does Outdoor Retailer have the best interest of their customers in mind or is the Hummer demo an example of trying to turn a quick profit?

Comments

[Artisans]

I find life cycle analysis preocss to be highly frustrating not because they are not accurate and not because they are based on numerous value based assumptions. My frustration lies in how people use life cycle analysis as a basis to make arguments for changes in policy, behavior or product description. The hummer/prius debate is interesting because the study goes into great detail on the development and manufacturing side of the equation but essentially ignores the details of the fossil fuel use of the vehicles. if we begin to take into the account the full impacts of gas guzzling vehicles including war, oil spills, and more, the life cycle equation will quickly tip in favor of the prius. how do we put a price on losing a life in defense of oil fields in the middle east? Its because of our country's citizens addiction to oversized and wasteful vehicles that we find ourselves in wars overseas and because thousands have lost jobs in teh auto industry. So before we award the hummer a prize for sustainability, we should acknowledge the imperfection of the life cycle analysis preocss and then but an asterisk to any conclusions gleaned from such preocsses.

[cheap north face]

What Were They Thinking? - John Winsor