Koch Industries Responds to Greenpeace

2010-04-07
By

On Saturday, I reported that Greenpeace was distributing a “report” accusing Koch Industries and Exxon Mobil Company of funding work that counters global warming propaganda (as if it would be a bad thing). On Tuesday, I posted additional information on Koch Industries with a link to a 2006 WSJ interview with CEO Charles Koch. Below is a response to Greenpeace directly from Koch Industries.

******************************

Statement regarding Greenpeace Report, March 2010

In a consistent, principled effort for more than 50 years – long before climate change was a key policy issue – Koch companies and Koch foundations have worked to advance economic freedom and market-based policy solutions to challenges faced by society. These efforts are about creating more opportunity and prosperity for all, as it’s a historical fact that economic freedom best fosters innovation, environmental protection and improved quality of life in a society.

The Greenpeace report mischaracterizes these efforts and distorts the environmental record of our companies. Koch companies have long supported science-based inquiry and dialogue about climate change and proposed responses to it. Koch companies have put tremendous effort into discovering and adopting innovative practices that reduce energy use and emissions in the manufacture and distribution of our products.

We believe the political response to climate issues should be based on sound science. Both a free society and the scientific method require an open and honest airing of all sides, not demonizing and silencing those with whom you disagree. We’ve strived to encourage an intellectually honest debate on the scientific basis for claims of harm from greenhouse gases. We have tried to help bring out the facts of the potential effectiveness and costs of policies proposed to deal with climate, as it’s crucial to understand whether proposed initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases will achieve desired environmental goals and what effects they would likely have on the global economy.

Other Voices

Abandoning Reality
Examiner.com, April 4

Global Warming: Who’s funding the fight?
Examiner.com, April 3

Attack on Koch Industries exaggerates, misleads
WichitaLiberty.org, April 1

Donations Follow Opinions – Who Knew?
Reason.com, March 31

Report aims to stifle debate on climate science
WichitaLiberty.org, March 31

Koch Industries Newsroom

651 views

  • jjtaup

    What? An industry not prostrating itself and issuing apology upon self-recrimination to appease the ravenous wolves? An indsutry actually taking on the indictment and point blank saying it’s false. Unheard of!

    Next, we’ll have CEO’s not groveling to misandrous libel, instead tearing down posters of “women’s history month.” Demoralizes the male half of the work force, you know.

  • jjtaup

    Sorry, I meant male nine-tenths of the workforce.

  • Jeremy

    Roger,
    May I ask, in the name of fairness, why you went out of your way to publish this corporate-speak “response”. Oh, I suppose we have to give these PR folks something to do between rounds of golf.
    Citing your first article in the assumption that vast sums of monies are being funneled for this smear campaign that is being waged.
    “Read what I print…don’t look at what I do” should be stated here for the Koch group.
    Cause doubt and delay action for immediate profits and so-called prosperity….a poor bargin.

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    Jeremy;

    It’s an actual act of fairness that doesn’t go far enough. Greenpeace should be hung out to dry for their slander. I’m most definitely not alone when it comes to being more than tired of the shenanigans of the little weenies. I’m more than tired of the corruption that they engage in and support.

    BTW: Greenpeace Inc. is also a corporation and their international umbrella organization is also incorporated in The Netherlands.

  • Jeremy

    Very apparent that you are just a mouthpiece (or better yet, “gun for hire”)in their desperate attempt to derail a clean energy policy for this country.

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    Right Jeremy. There’s a huge international conspiracy against cleanliness. LOL!

  • Squiggy

    Okay Jeremy – you caught us. While we don’t get a dime from “big oil”, in fact we pay stupid prices for gasoline and home heating, we’re in their pocket. Not only that – we LOVE pollution! Bring on the dirty air!

    Well, now that I think of it, if we turned oil companies loose to drill, gas would come down in price. And if you guys would actually come up with workable “clean energy” (that didn’t cost more than my house) we’d jump on it.

    But until then – GO BIG OIL! And Obama? Keep selling America out – it’s for the children.

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    Actually, the DOE and other agencies have invested heavily in energy research over the decades; and there’s been intense international competition all along. So far however, I haven’t heard of a single useful invention coming from a politician or Greenpeace activist.

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    And here’s something on how the left works against progress:

    “In case you haven’t heard, this deep economic recession has hit the engineering community fairly hard. There are other factors involved to be sure, but let me maintain the focus. With the government so heavily involved in market manipulation through arbitrary control of science and technology, long term planning is no longer possible, or at least far less effective. Among the layoffs from private companies are engineers and scientists who were engaged in envisioning and realizing the future. As mature engineering organizations are dismantled, the ability of industry to maintain an efficient flow of innovation suffers. Industry becomes reactive rather than progressive; competitively weaker.”

    From: Global Warming : Condemn the IPCC

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” but that doesn’t count, right Jeremy? The statement has a religious tone and all that has to be rewritten; because the modern left didn’t have the opportunity to hold meetings on it to decide how it should be dictated to the masses.

  • Benoit

    “Mouthpiece”? “Hired gun”? “Between rounds of golf”? Honestly – how can one take any person seriously who cannot speak to issues, facts, data, reason and instead resorts to vituperative name calling? This is how you expect to sway opinion?

    Hitch up your socks, sir, and deal with the substantive issues. Are you interested in trying to make a better world, or do you just want to drag people out into the mud to shoot them? These are real people you are talking about. Treat them with the dignity they deserve and perhaps they will start taking you more seriously.






Search