I already know one reader that will get a kick out of this post, but I will restrain myself from making fun of the reason I posted this blog.
The “exciting” sport that brings me to you today is NASCAR. (Why do they capitalize it?) They have decided, in conjunction with the 2009 Coca-Cola 600, to use a different kind of pace car than we are used to seeing. A pace car, in most instances, is a Corvette or the latest new hot rod from Chevrolet. You have to match the speed and energy of the race cars with a sporty and speedy pace car. But now they have opened the gates to all sorts of shenanigans.
This year, at the 600, you will be able to see a new kind of pace car. You will get to witness a hybrid car setting pace to all the blaring engines behind it. In an effort to go green with their image, NASCAR as teamed up with Coca-Cola to set a new sort of precedent. But do you think it will catch on?
I think this is getting to the point of becoming an almost joke in itself. I am getting so sick and tired of people in this plot to going green. Give it up already, will you? I mean, sure, Paris Hilton went green. Oprah went green. Oprah started a Twitter account. So does that mean you are all going to join Twitter? (OK, yeah, maybe you will. She is sort of a cult.)
Why do we keep going green to help this world when there is no proof of our efforts? I mean, do you think you are really making a difference by using a paper bag instead of plastic? Unless we are doing in in the millions, then we are not going to see a single ounce of difference. What about the new Walmart commercials. (I seem to be using them a lot in my examples.) They are using a new advertising campaign that is supporting all of these green products. But in the end of every commercial, they say something like, “And if only 200,000,000 Walmart shoppers make this change, we can make a difference.” Does that not just prove my point?
I mean, I believe pretty much everything Walmart says. (And that is another argument that I like having. More so in a face to face manner, but still. Walmart is the best store on the planet. You might say, “Oh, no, Walmart is the devil. They put my grandfather’s general store out of business. I hate Walmart.” Yeah, they put him out of business because they understand how to run a successful one. I am sorry, but I am not going to go to a local distributor for my necessities and spend twice (sometimes more) than what I can spend at Walmart. Who in their right mind would? Change with the times or figure out something else to do for a living. Something along the lines of, “If you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen.)
The moral of this post, however, is just that I am sick and tired of everyone riding this going green band wagon. Our planet is either going to fall to our own pure stupidity (and that will not happen in your lifetime, your children’s lifetime, or their children’s children’s lifetime. It is something that will take billions of years. And by that time, the sun will die anyway, so why worry about it) or we will figure out a way to deal with it and live around it. I mean, I am not seeing the effects of it yet. I currently live in Indiana, sure, but it’s the latter half of April and it snowed today. And it is going to be 81 on Saturday. Someone explain that please.
There is nothing you can do. There is nothing I can do. There is nothing anyone can do in moderation. So I am not going to stop using plastic bags. I am not going to be eco-friendly light bulbs (they do not save a noticeable different on your light bill anyway). And I am sure as hell not going to condone the use of a hybrid car to kick off a NASCAR race. Of course, I hate NASCAR and I think turning left should be something that just comes natural, not something that is celebrated by a bunch of rednecks. (Sorry, Anita, you fit the mold!)
Way to be pessimistic Ricky! Haha!
Although, I will agree that it’s a complete joke that NASCAR, an organization who uses God knows how much fuel per race, oil out the wazoo, and rubber tires like they grew on trees, actually thinks they can mask the fact that they pollute the hell out of the earth by having a pace car lead the pack.
If anything, scrap the freakin’ pace car. These drivers are good enough that they can keep a constant speed for a lap!
They done be razed good!
Josh and Ricky,
I’m confident that neither of you have ever given the sport a fair shot. And you call the boring game of GOLF a sport? Jesus please shoot me in the face!!! NASCAR is in caps because it’s actually an abbreviation for “National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.” Who cares about the pace car anyway – I agree with Josh that they don’t really need one but whatever – I don’t run the sport. Back to NASCAR and it’s awesomeness… you can bash the rednecks that go or the crazy over the top advertising but a driver takes on 800 pounds of force in every corner (depending on banking of the track) and no NFL player could bench that. They get beat up in those cars and risk their lives for a sport that they love. It takes physical endurance to be successful and for the most part – all of the drivers and crew are very athletic. If you had any REAL understanding of everything that goes into racing you would appreciate it more. Instead, you have not an ounce of knowledge and judge it based on the sterotypical fan base as a redneck sport.
As for going green – also siding with Josh on this. Could you be any more negative Ricky? If we all stopped trying then no – we would make NO difference. But if we continue to do it in small doses and advertise how good and helpful it can be then it will motivate others to act as well.