Attorney General's Suit Against Automakers Should Also Name ALL Californians

Humans Emit 2.5 Pounds of CO2, a Greenhouse Gas, Every Day

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 20 -- All comments may be attributed to John Merchant, chairman, California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse:

"In his latest crusade, Attorney General Bill Lockyer has decided to sue automakers, arguing they have created a public nuisance by building cars - cars which emit greenhouse gases. He's requesting that a jury award monetary damages as well as attorney fees and costs, but he's missing out on the really big money with this one.

"The AG's complaint overlooks 36 million other sources of greenhouse gas emissions -- the human beings occupying California who ought to be sued for 'negligent breathing.'

"Californians each emit about 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2 - a greenhouse gas) every day just by breathing. If you multiply 2.5 pounds of CO2 per day by 36 million Californians by 365 days, that's more than 16 million tons of CO2 just from breathing. Talk about a public nuisance ... and don't even get me started on the methane people produce.

"This lawsuit is a public nuisance. Activist attorneys general who abuse our legal system and impose a system of 'government by lawsuit' to gain publicity and further their own political agenda do so at the expense of the people they are paid to represent. Inevitably the costs of litigation in cases like this will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Just what we all need."