Energy Efficiency's New Arch-Villain

Never let it be said that this was an administration that didn't do its part to curb needless expenditures of energy. Well, no , the U.S. didn't sign on to the Kyoto Protocols, it's true. And Congress just passed an Energy Bill most notable for granting tax benefits to large energy companies, gotta admit. The White House opposes the only possible way to achieve meaningful cuts in U.S. energy use, which is a big boost in vehicle mileage standards, yes, yes, I know all about that. But here's the thing - Energy Hog is here to save the day! Yes! Hot off the press: U.S. Government Unveils Energy Hog To Promote Conservation.

Because heating bills and gasoline prices will soon be at a point where most regular people will freak out in a major fashion (will we finally have revolution in the streets?), the White House thinks it needs to make some noise about energy conservation. Not meaningful noise; no, forget that shit - a cartoon pig is exactly what we need now. From the article linked above:

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman and the Alliance to Save Energy consumer group on Monday launched what was billed as a major campaign to encourage Americans to cut energy use this winter. It dusts off mostly old energy-conservation tips such as adding home insulation and turning down thermostats.

To help sell the plan, the White House created a cartoon mascot, the Energy Hog. The pig, who wears blue jeans and a leather biker jacket, will follow in the footsteps of Smokey Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog by appearing in ads.

The interesting thing is that this "campaign" was actually "launched" March 9, 2004, and apparently went absolutely nowhere fast (March 9, 2004 DOE Launches "Energy Hog" Energy Efficiency Campaign. I watch a fair amount of TV during baseball season, and to catch up on reruns during the summer, and I've never seen this pig on my screen. There is, in fact, a whole family of pigs. As you can find out for yourself by going to the Energy Hog Website, maybe staying a while to play those really cool games. Yes, after you unload the groceries from the Hummer, sit down with the kids and check into Energy Hog. It's the American way!

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