“The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Dirty Secret” - Vice News, 2021, 13:34 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvbm8xEgQ9s

The fossil fuel industry knew about climate change before it entered the public conversation, yet they shunned their own research and lobbied to weaken environmental legislation. This is now a widely-known story, but this video touches on how recent actions by this industry are furthering the problem. We learn about greenwashing, or when companies market themselves as eco-friendly despite perpetuating environmental harm and climate change. Similarly, fossil fuel companies are embracing “carbon footprint” calculators which are marketed as tools to help individuals reduce their carbon emissions. The problem is that this individualizes carbon emissions, taking responsibility off corporations and placing it on consumers. This would not be as problematic if these companies supported collective solutions (e.g., laws to reduce greenhouse gases or promote more solar energy). Yet fossil fuel companies are notorious for lobbying against any climate policies. In short, the carbon footprint rhetoric allows corporations to escape blame for the climate crisis while stifling more effective approaches.

From the video’s description: Fossil fuel companies knew about climate change decades ago. But instead of doing something about it, they spent millions to confuse the public and seed doubt. VICE World News explores their seedy tactics.