Automaker spin on global warming responsibility

The following are two Automotive Alliance quotes regarding California's Clean Air Legislation that were pulled from an article by the Union of Concerned Scientists .

“CO2 is a fundamental building block for life on earth. Life on earth is carbon based. Plants—the anchor of our planet’s food chain—rely on carbon dioxide for life itself. CO2 is no more a pollutant than water is a poison.”

“First, C02 is not a pollutant. Repeat, NOT a pollutant. It is a naturally occurring part of the air we breathe—we humans exhale it and plants need it.”

This is the automotive world's spin on the global warming created by CO2 exhaust from cars.

Gotta give 'em credit. Big bucks can buy good marketing. Just like a good car salesman, are these statements trustworthy?

Well, they are definitely slick. Of course, if you go into a room full of CO2 you die. It's the balance of CO2 to the rest of the air we breathe that is essential. The point is, automobiles are changing that balance, and that imbalance is affecting the environment in negative ways, according to numerous, unbiased scientific studies done at Universities throughout the planet.

So who should you believe?

It's either the extremely well-paid, slick car salesmen with a huge financial incentive, or scientists with no financial angle simply studying the earth, using repeatable analysis?

It's your choice.