Ford takes astoundingly sensible steps towards sustainability

Reagan and I were thinking we'd have to ride this to work in a few years, but auto manufacturing in Michigan is starting to look up.

Our domestic auto manufacturers have taken some giant, leaping bounds in stupidity over the last several years, but I have to concede that Ford has won my heart - and likely, in the future, my customer loyalty.

Ford just announced its intention to convert its factory in Wayne, Michigan, from a large SUV and truck factory into a "flexible small-car" manufacturing facility. Jon Hodgeman said it best on the Daily Show when he said "Jon, our auto companies were just giving us what we wanted. We wanted bigger, gas-guzzling SUVs, they gave us enormous gas-guzzling SUVs. We wanted smaller more fuel efficient cars, they gave us enormous, gas-guzzling SUVs."

I remember very clearly what dad had to say about GM's first civilian Hummer. "It's nothing but a shitty SUV chassis with a flimsy Hummer-shaped body bolted on!" Hummer consumers didn't seem to care (I apologize for my bluntness, if you have ever owned or considered owning a Hummer. I also urge you to reconsider your choices.) - but worse, with an impending energy crisis and Middle Eastern conflict over oil, you would think GM would think twice about designing cars which required an increasing amount of resources - steel, polymers, aluminum, petroleum none the least. The other auto companies have done no better. The kind of cars my parents bought 40 years ago were not only more durable than today's cars, but they made 40 miles to the gallon without breaking a sweat. Even my little 20-year old Mitsubishi pickup wizzes by at 30 miles to the gallon.

But late is better than never, and Ford is quickly seeing the error of its ways. The converted Michigan factory will support 3,200 jobs - a nice break for a state that has had unemployment rates peaking at 15%. The conversion will take an anticipated $550 million - a brave step for one of the few U.S. auto companies NOT taking any bailout money. 

The plant has plans to have a new, fuel efficient Ford Focus on the market by 2010, with further plans for a electric battery operated model being released in 2011.

Incidentally, the car Reagan and I bought last year is a Ford Focus. It gets 30 miles to the gallon (which is why I bought it), and I love it.  I'm looking forward to investing in my first electric car in 2011.

Ford understands that this conversion - and, hopefully, many more to come - is not only a good idea for the current industry market, but ESSENTIAL. It's essential for Ford's survival as a company because it's essential to us as a country, as a nation, as a species.

I thought this was exciting news and wanted to share. Thanks for tuning in, and for sticking with me as the Mojo finds its niche. How nice to hear from Amy and Andy!

Coming soon:

Venison peasant stew (including some funny pictures of Reagan and our neighbors enjoying it)

Quarantine review - my first zombie movie review ever!

The lowdown on Joss Whedon's new series, the Dollhouse

...and more!