In July 2009, at a lecture to the Stanford Business School, the CEO of British Petroleum Tony Hayward explained to attendees that BP was going in the wrong direction before he took over as CEO because, "we had too many people that were working to save the world."
BP is obviously under a lot of pressure at the moment given that it is dumping tens-of-thousands of barrels of oil into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and threatening the existence of hundreds of species of animals and the livelihood of millions of Americans.
No company is going to look like roses in this unprecedented situation. But what has made it all the more worse for the oil company is that they spent a lot of money over the last few years branding themselves as a company looking "Beyond Petroleum" - playing up their paltry investments in renewable and clean energy technology while only investing about 5% in such green technologies.
The other 95% being invested in fossil fuels and offshore oil exploration.
Spinning like BP did, might have appeared to pay off in the short-term, but in long run it gets you ads like this from Greenpeace:
Would Greenpeace and other activist organizations come after BP for the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Disaster if they hadn't been greenwashing? Absolutely. But it's one thing to make a mistake and be harshly criticized for it and a whole other to make a mistake and also have the public feel they have been lied to.
Too bad Tony Hayward hadn't spent more time thinking about "saving the world." Maybe this disaster would have never happened if he had.
Too bad BP tried to pretend they were something they weren't because now not only is the public outraged, they don't trust a single thing the company has to say.
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The continuing crisis in the Gulf has demonstrated beyond any doubt that every aspect of our system of regulating oil exploration is broken. We need a thorough enough review so we can learn how to start over.
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The U.S. seems to have already begun its own "lost decade." Unlike Japan, the U.S. is expending its precious resources on fighting two debilitating wars and maintaining a declining empire. If we're lucky we will be "lost" only for a decade.
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Tony feels the financial reform bill is a step in the wrong direction, while Arianna thinks it doesn't go far enough. And the panel agrees the full political and environmental effects of the gulf spill are yet to be felt.
We use paper, ink, technology that is obtained from mining, bulldozing and drilling into the Earth. Aren't we the great protectors of your home?
Greenpeace is part of the problem, not the solution. How come organizations that live and operate like everyone else believe they are saving the planet. They are not.
In the meantime take control and demand that regulations be put on big business before they kill us all with their greed. They DO run the world as we know it.
Your post is very sad and pathetic. Businesses are bad and they corrupt Congress, so let's go after the businesses.
How about going after THE CONGRESS. CONGRESS WRITES THE LAWS, not business. We all should demand better representation, no matter your political party.
Second Congress would only have an impact on U.S. companies and policy. Thirdly, Congress can write as many laws as they want, as they have, but how well they are enforced is the issue.
Take for example, illegal immigration. It's always been illegal to work in the U.S. without proper documentation, yet businesses continue to hire illegals. This has nothing to do with Congress, nothing to do with being evil, and everything thing to do with responsibility and accountability. You can have all the laws in the world but unless someone fears the repercussions of their enforcement then why have them in the first place?
So Vote for the new GO-BP in November and save "mom & pop " oil rigs.....”
so vote for the GO-BP party in November and help save "mom and pop" oil rigs.....
ecologically delicate areas on earth.
The photos are sickening, their crime unforgiveable.
When any fool knows it just needs a thin film of oil all over, in order to protect it.
Can you spare a few people to save the
Gulf?