This Halloween, the big oil companies have a sinister plan. After a disastrous year for the industry, they are desperate to rehabilitate their image. Consequently, they have taken to the airwaves to spend millions of dollars in advertising to protect their profits.
You have probably seen these advertisements on television here in Charlottesville, even though it is not always obvious that they are paid for by big oil: ads criticizing clean energy policies that would reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and ads that claim what is good for the oil industry is good for the American people.
Many of these ads are produced by front groups with names that initially sound innocuous, but they want to trick us into believing they are "grassroots" organizations representing everyday Americans.
But make no mistake, their main goal is to help line the pockets of oil companies and leave average Americans out in the cold.
In short, oil companies and their allies are playing a game of "trick or cheat." Such companies are even funding a Halloween ad campaign to trick the American public into believing their lies. And their goal is to cheat us out of a clean energy future.
The groups behind this advertising are not always well-known or obvious. One group, Americans for Prosperity, is funded by Koch Industries, which owns oil refineries and pipelines, and has a long history of funding groups that help protect the oil industry's interests. We have also seen ads from ideologically conservative groups, such as the National Taxpayer's Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
So far, oil companies and their allies have spent millions on advertising during the past two years. Americans for Prosperity, for example, has spent more than $6 million on ads since 2009. ExxonMobil has spent more than $90 million and BP more than $130 million.
It is easy to understand what is going on when we take recent events into account. This year, fossil fuels created one monumental disaster after another. The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster was the worst accidental oil spill in history and it will take years for the Gulf Coast to fully recover. Earlier in the year, 29 coal miners died in the Upper Big Branch mine in Virginia. And then there was a huge oil pipeline explosion in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The oil companies and their allies want to trick us into forgetting about this recent history - so they are lying to Americans. They are using advertising to spread misinformation and hope we ignore the truth.
One after another, these ads claim that limits on oil company pollution will harm our economy. They attack policies that would limit pollution that causes global warming. They want more tax breaks for oil companies even though the oil industry is one of the most subsidized in America - with tax breaks averaging about $4 billion per year.
And do not let them fool you: They have a financial interest in keeping us dependent on fossil fuels. To keep their profits, they want to convince us that it is all right for America to keep falling behind China in the global race to invest in clean energy. In fact, China overtook the United States in clean energy investment last year.
Oil companies are simply putting profits before the needs of all Americans. But we do not have to fall for their tricks. We know that by investing in clean, renewable energy, we can build new industries and create millions of new jobs. We can revive our economy by harnessing our vast energy resources here at home. At the same time, we can reduce the pollution that is warming our planet. And we can end our dependence on fossil fuels.
Some of the front groups even question the scientific evidence of climate change, ignoring the fact that 2010 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record. They are seeking free rein to keep polluting our air and water, harming our health and threatening our future. We need to take action now. As a University student who feels strongly about the clean energy issue, I have been active in garnering the support of my peers to stand up for clean energy initiatives and against the oil companies.
Oil companies have virtually unlimited funds to pay for ads that distort the truth. But as everyday Americans, we will not let them cheat. Let's not sit back and accept this shameless advertising to protect oil industry profits. This oil company ad campaign is nothing more than a dirty trick.
Brian Maloney is a fourth-year College student.
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