Environmental Literature: Green energy or green washing

Due Thursday, 28.

green energy or green washing? 

Many companies in the U.S. seek to represent themselves as “green” or environmentally friendly organization, and Chesapeake Gas and Oil is no exception. Aubrey McClendon, the CEO of Chesapeake holds a steadfast belief that natural gas will allow the U.S. to meet its energy needs in a way that is more environmentally friendly than foreign oil or coal. For this assignment you will be writing a 4-5 page paper which tests the mettle of his claims. Revisit “Fueling America’s Future: Aubrey McClendon on the Potential of Natural Gas in the 21stCentury” and explain whether you think his claims are sincere and well-founded or whether you think they are merely “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is the environmental equivalent of whitewashing, a way of deceptively promoting themselves as environmentally friendly when they aren’t.  It can refer to companies that actively cover up major spills, or simply those who spend more money on green advertising than they actually spend promoting environmentally friendly practices. 

Obviously, McClendon is writing a PR document, and is going to be one sided.  But do you think he’s crossed the line between self-promotion and disinformation?  That decision will rely mostly on whether you think the social, health, and environmental costs associated with fracking outweigh the positives that he’s provided. Support your arguments with sources.  McGraw’s book is more appropriate for these purposes than The Legend of Colton H. Bryant or Promised Land but even those stories can inform your arguments indirectly.  They help give us a sense of what questions to ask or what to look for.