Los Angeles Auto Show – Day 1. Well, actually it’s the pre-show press-only days, but it was Day 1 for us. I came down with a contingent of people from RAN and Global Exchange, meeting up with folks from CodePink and other local LA activists. The LA Auto Show is one of the major international auto shows – where everyone in the auto industry meets to debut new products, show off new technologies and prototype cars (many of which will never make it to the road), and this year especially – to talk about energy and the environment. The show this year is themed “New Beginnings” – and a big emphasis of the show is talking about “green” issues and alternative technologies.

On one hand, we’d like to be really excited when car companies start talking about environmental concerns and energy usage. But we also have a healthy bit of skepticism – which is informed by a long legacy of green washing and broken promises from the auto industry. So one of our biggest goals of being at the Auto Show this week is to keep pressure on automakers to actually move forward on improving fuel efficiency and offer more than just P.R. campaigns. We want commercially-available products – not empty promises (or mere prototypes).

The opening of the show began today with a keynote speech by Rick Wagoner of General Motors, to a packed house of nearly 1500 journalists. It was a much-anticipated speech – GM has received a lot of media attention in recent weeks as they announce development on a plug-in hybrid and other “green” technologies. And, as was expected – much of his speech centered on GM’s commitment to addressing environmental issues, diversifying energy sources, national security and more. Basically – oil. Wagoner focused heavily on alternative fuels – ranging from hybrids to bio-fuels to hydrogen. All lofty ideals – but our goal was to ensure those ideals translate to results.

At the close of Wagoner’s speech, 2 of us decided that we should join him at the podium, and ask him to sign a giant pledge committing GM to be the leader in fuel economy by 2010. (Actually, we had decided to do this earlier in the week – but his speech re-affirmed the need for this action) We figured that after all the great statements he just made about energy usage, oil dependency, and environmental concerns – why WOULDN’T he commit to this? With all the talk of moving GM forward – this would be such a basic way to illustrate GM as a visionary leader in the industry. Raising fuel economy is good for GM, good for consumers, good for national security, and good for the environment.

So, in front of 1500 reporters, 2 of us simply went to the podium, shook his hand, and addressed the crowd. Dressed in suits, most of the audience (including Wagoner) didn’t realize that we weren’t an official part of the show. Apparently, we even fooled the sound engineer who had the microphone turned off when we first took the stage, and turned it back on for us! We commended Wagoner for making such an inspiring speech, and presented him with the pledge. He seemed quite confused at who we were until we unfurled the giant 3’ x 4’ pledge (complete with a Hummer in the background!). Sadly, he just tried to weasel his way out our demand stating “I think my speech spoke for itself” as he tried to usher us off the stage. But the damage was done.

Unfortunately, we weren’t surprised by his refusal to sign the pledge- but we clearly said what the rest of the room was feeling: that talk and action are often different things in the auto industry. We were swarmed by press following the action, and congratulated by many of them. We’ve been floored at the amount of positive media coverage we’ve received across the nation. So while GM is making steps in the right direction – we feel those steps are too few, too small, and too slow.

Sadly, we don’t have the luxury of too few, too small, and too slow. We know why the US is at war in Iraq. We know why our climate is getting hotter. We know why glaciers are melting. We know why asthma rates are exploding. We know that oil addiction is killing the planet and everything on it – and we know who is fueling that addiction.

We’ll be at the LA auto show the rest of the week, and encourage others to come join us in holding automakers accountable for oil addiction, and to urge proactive steps towards fuel efficiency. And next month, we’ll be at the Detroit Auto Show as well. Join us!