Henry Ford the environmentalist?
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From: Houston area
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Has anyone else received the Hundred Years of Ford marketing magazine? There's an article about the renovation of the old River Rouge plant. On page 37, the writer claims "Instead of roasting coal for power, Ford built 20 hydroelectric plants" for the River Rouge facility. Just above this statement is a picture of a coal receiving station at the River Rouge plant. Now, the coal may have been used to manufacture steel, but that's still using a bunch of coal. And, there is an effort to preserve the old coal fired power plant at the River Rouge facility - the plant was constructed in 1921, which contradicts the article. Next to the coal receiving station picture is one described as a line of Edsels coming off the line - but, these cars appear to be much older. You'd think these guys could have done just a little more research!
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From: Fort Wayne, IN
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
I've been a big fan of Henrys for years. He loved dams and hydroelectric.
When he was a boy on the farm he and a friend damed up a stream and built a waterwheel. (And flooded a field...lol he caught the dickens!)
At his home, Fairlane, he had a big hydro plant there, with marble floors, brass hardware..etc.
When he was a boy on the farm he and a friend damed up a stream and built a waterwheel. (And flooded a field...lol he caught the dickens!)
At his home, Fairlane, he had a big hydro plant there, with marble floors, brass hardware..etc.
Post Fiend
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From: Eastern WA
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Henry was one smart guy when ya look back and think about it. I'm a big fan of dams too; they produce inexpensive power, no pollution, and don't consume fossil fuels. If I had my way we'd be building more of them today.
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From: Fort Wayne, IN
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Henry had a lot of good ideas. He was one of the first people to see the potential in soybeans. He made many plastic parts (Before most folks had heard of plastic) using soy.
Last edited by Indiana Trucker; Jun 26, 2003 at 07:00 PM.
Postmaster
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From: Nevada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
And he had cheap hydro-electric power potential right there. Initial investment being about the same, why pay for coal on an ongoing basis for normal operations when the water was free? Henry was an industrialist, and environmental isssues in that era were always secondary to money.
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From: Atlanta GA
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Do not forget people still used coal to heat their homes and factories, even when using hydro power to run machines. If you buy any New England house, with a basement, over 60 years old, you will most likely find the coal hopper at the front of the house or its opening in the foundation.
Henry Ford was one sharp cookie. Too bad we do not have more solar and water projects generating power now.
Henry Ford was one sharp cookie. Too bad we do not have more solar and water projects generating power now.
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From: Calgary Canada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
I obviously can't be certain, as I didn't know Henry Ford personally, but from my knowledge of him, I don't think he gave a rat's axe about the environment. Most "industrialists" of his time didn't. Just take a look at some photos of gold mines, coal mines, oil fields, and chemical plants. Until the 60's, they weren't pretty.
Henry Ford saw hydro power as cost saving, money making venture, and not much more. If the price for the hydro power was greater than coal, especially in the long run, do you think he'd a gone hydro? I sure as heck don't.
Give credit where credit is due, I'm just not sure it's due.
As for hydro power, ask the people and the "environment" that get's flooded how great they think hydro power is.
Waxy
Henry Ford saw hydro power as cost saving, money making venture, and not much more. If the price for the hydro power was greater than coal, especially in the long run, do you think he'd a gone hydro? I sure as heck don't.
Give credit where credit is due, I'm just not sure it's due.
As for hydro power, ask the people and the "environment" that get's flooded how great they think hydro power is.
Waxy
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From: Fort Wayne, IN
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Waxy,
Your kind of painting the old industrialists with a broad brush. Ford had his faults (anti-semetic..et al) but he did care about the world he lived in. He was very much for conservation, racial equality and many other things.
He was one of the first to hire blacks, immigrants, and handi-capped to work in his plants (At full pay). Some of the things he stood for back then were considered to be radical but now they are commonplace. These are just some of the few things he did.
His interest in hydro power, wind power...etc goes back to his childhood.
Not all industrialists of the guilded age were they "Robber barons" the leftists want us to believe. Some of the greatest acts of conservation were done by the same ones the tree huggers of today makes villians of. If it wasn't for the Rockefellers there would be no Yellowstone park. Weyerhouser was the man who single handedly got tree replanting into the timber industry.
Find the truth for yourself, not just what the commie libs in the media want you to know.
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From: Nevada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
You might want to consider re-reading Henry's biography (not the Ford edition), especially the parts about equality. He hated Jews, blacks and anyone else not in his imagined social circle. Big supporter of Hitler.
A typical industrialist of that era in his genius regarding mass production, people and the environment were only there ti buy his cars and supply raw materials.
A typical industrialist of that era in his genius regarding mass production, people and the environment were only there ti buy his cars and supply raw materials.
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From: Fort Wayne, IN
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
I wasn't quoting the Ford edition. I have read several books about him.
I did mention his anti-semetic views. But in that era he wasn't alone. Many people were that way. As for blacks I believe you are wrong. I mean if he hated blacks why did he rebuild the town of Inkster, MI? a black dominated town. he even made the entire workforce of the foundry at the River rouge plant all black. Even the superintendent!
You cannot in good consience take an historical figure and hold him to todays moral (If there is such a thing these days) standards. No one would be considered great. Even the sainted Abe Lincoln would be considered racist.
Lincoln said:
Abraham Lincoln, as cited in "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln," Roy Basler, ed. 1953 New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press:
"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races -- that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."
But he has been made a saint. No one person is perfect. We all have our faults. let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.
I did mention his anti-semetic views. But in that era he wasn't alone. Many people were that way. As for blacks I believe you are wrong. I mean if he hated blacks why did he rebuild the town of Inkster, MI? a black dominated town. he even made the entire workforce of the foundry at the River rouge plant all black. Even the superintendent!
You cannot in good consience take an historical figure and hold him to todays moral (If there is such a thing these days) standards. No one would be considered great. Even the sainted Abe Lincoln would be considered racist.
Lincoln said:
Abraham Lincoln, as cited in "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln," Roy Basler, ed. 1953 New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press:
"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races -- that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."
But he has been made a saint. No one person is perfect. We all have our faults. let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.
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From: Nevada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
I consider him a man of his time. Agreed, to use modern social characteristics to describe his personalitywould be incorrect. In my opinion, I've never read anything about Ford that didn't relate to, one way or another, and enhance his business drive.
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From: Calgary Canada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Originally posted by Indiana Trucker
Waxy,
Find the truth for yourself, not just what the commie libs in the media want you to know.
Waxy,
Find the truth for yourself, not just what the commie libs in the media want you to know.
Not all acts of "good will" were done for benevolent reasons either, as the "rightists" would like people to believe. The Rockefellers, while granted they did see Yellowstone as a natural treasure, also saw it as an economic treasure. Weyerhauser planted trees so his sons could cut them again in 50 years. Tax breaks and Washington politics were also major driving forces. Sometimes you have to step back and see the forest through the trees so to speak.
If someone gives you a bag of heroin for free, is he being benevolent, or is he ensuring his future wealth? An extreme example I know, but hey, that's what I do.
It is a broad brush, to that I'll agree. There are examples and exceptions, but like all stereotypes and generalizations, it has it roots in facts.
I also agree with yout point about holding historical figures up to today's standards, it's not "fair" to them to take their words and actions out of their historical context.
Waxy
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From: Nevada
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
I've noticed on several forums, primarily car/truck oriented, that many conservative posters consider any opinion other than their own to be blasphemy. In particular references to media being liberal when most mainstream media fully supports the current administration, blaming any one president for our present economic state, the ever popular end justifing the means and vehicle X is superior to vehicle Y (take either side) because of the make seem to dominate a lot of thinking.
Be it Henry Ford or any other subject, a lot of people pick bits and pieces favorable to the prevailing point of view from an exchange and refuse to accept any expansion of their knowledge base beyond those parameters. In many cases it becomes obvious that they feel more comfortable joining a popular stance rarther than studying the issue to arrive at their own decision, be it from laziness or a lack of education. Then comes the name calling.
Be it Henry Ford or any other subject, a lot of people pick bits and pieces favorable to the prevailing point of view from an exchange and refuse to accept any expansion of their knowledge base beyond those parameters. In many cases it becomes obvious that they feel more comfortable joining a popular stance rarther than studying the issue to arrive at their own decision, be it from laziness or a lack of education. Then comes the name calling.
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From: Eugene Oregon
Henry Ford the environmentalist?
Ol' Henry was also involved in researching plant based alternatives to petrolium based fuels and luricants, and had a hemp based plastic in the works. Perhaps a contributing factor to the demonization and criminalization of the noble hemp plant.