Turning a Trip to the Pump into an Act of Moral Reckoning

Andy West in his book The Grip of Culture: The Social Psychology of Climate Change Catastrophism explains that one of the primary functions of climate catastrophism is to embed itself in daily life through ritualistic behavior and symbolic acts.

The effectiveness of such tactics, as West notes, does not lie in their scientific accuracy but in their ability to shape social norms. Once embedded in law and everyday behavior, these actions seek to establish and impose a cultural consensus, making alternative perspectives (such as the reality of energy trade-offs, economic necessities, or technological solutions outside of carbon reduction) increasingly unthinkable.

One recent example of this was California’s proposed warning on gas stoves.

Such warnings affixed to new gas stoves, and even on the websites where one can purchase one, amount to nothing more than a mandated act of environmental guilt This echoes religious traditions in which reminders of sin and virtue are woven into daily routines—prayers before meals, confession of sins, ritual fasting.

Now in Colorado, seemingly participating in some sort of imaginary Olympics to out-California the failing state of California, has a bill to add a massive warning to gasoline and diesel pumps, certain containers, and even online sales of similar products under HB25-1277 Increasing Transparency Impact of Fuel Products with inclusion of the warning:

"Combustion of this product releases greenhouse gases known by the state of Colorado to be linked to global heating and significant health impacts."

Under the comments for What’s in a Warning,

J.K. Lund

wrote, “When everything has a warning label, they no longer carry any meaning. The true intent of these regulations, in my humble opinion, is to create an avenue for lawsuits and fines.”

Lund is right and per this bill if it were to become law, the failure of retailers to display this warning would be in violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). The CCPA covers the state’s deceptive trade practice laws of knowingly or recklessly make a false representation in the sales or marketing of a consumer product. Violations of the CCPA cover both civil and criminal domains of the law.

The bill passed the House Committee on Energy & Environment yesterday, the same committee that heard the PUC bill. This bill passed and will be referred to the full House at a later date on mostly a partisan vote.

Source:https://app.coloradocapitolwatch.com/bill-votes/1/HB25-1277/2025/0/all

Once again, supporter and lobbying-wise, the usual suspects are at play - 350Colorado, Colorado Communities for Climate Action (or whatever they want to be called these days), The Sierra Club, Conservation Colorado, and Earthjustice.

Source: https://app.coloradocapitolwatch.com/lobbyists/1/HB25-1277/2025/0/

HB25-1277 amounts to nothing more than performative virtue signaling masquerading as consumer protection policy from a handful of out of touch activists absorbed in their own eco-narcissism and inflated self-righteousness.

Just how, exactly is one more silly warning is going to inform the consumer in any meaningful way or encourage a behavior change?

That’s a question those in support will never have to answer but it’s the every day business owner and purchaser of the products who will pay the cost, and that cost won’t be increased global heating or health decline.

Without clear, actionable information, consumers are unlikely to adjust their habits to make the green authoritarians happy, rendering such warnings completely impractical.

But then again practicality or genuine consumer protection isn’t the point here.