Hydrogen filling station open in Washington D.C.

According to Yahoo, the AFP reported yesterday that a hydrogen filling station, or gas station, opened in Washington, D.C.

Another step towards the 'hydrogen economy', the project is a joint venture between Shell Oil and GM. "The Benning Road station in Washington, DC represents a real-world urban-driving scenario to demonstrate hydrogen cars and refueling. Today marks the next major step in Shell Hydrogen's effort to make a substantial advance and move research further into reality," said Jeremy Bentham, chief executive officer of Shell Hydrogen."

While I do believe in the hydrogen economy, I believe neither in Shell, nor GM, based on their previous business with the American people.

The promise of the hydrogen economy has been made for decades by these companies, as they have continued to amass incredible profit utilizing militarily enforced, cheap oil. The same cheap oil that has reeked havoc on the world in local and global pollution.

While honest profit is acceptable, profit at the risk of the health and safety of consumers and citizens, is completely unacceptable. Japan shouldn't be the leader of clean energy, America should - and we have thus far failed miserably.

A significant amount of that failure falls directly on the shoulders of the oil and auto industry.

Toyota, which has become the most sophisticated automaker, is also working on hydrogen, yet they have created the first production full hybrid vehicle. If every American drove a hybrid, the world would change significantly.

Apparently, making the world a better place is not really that important to GM and Shell.