In developing and producing the excursion, is the Ford Motor Company sacrificing the environment for profits, or is it acting in a socially responsible way by making the excursion relatively energy efficient for its vehicle class?

The Ford Excursion is a large SUV that advertises its status and performance but this vehicle is not environmentally friendly. Therefore, the production and promotion of the Ford Excursion may sacrifice the environment for profits. The Ford Excursion was exempt from the proposal for emission restrictions because the proposal only applied to light trucks, and the Ford Excursion was considered a medium duty truck. Vehicles like the excursion also produce carbon dioxide which is the primary cause of global warming. However, some characteristics of the Ford Excursion could be viewed as environmentally friendly such as that its emissions is $43\%$ below the maximum for it$$s class and that $85\%$ of the vehicle is recyclable. Some may argue that the production of any large, luxury vehicle is inherently unsustainable, while others may appreciate Ford's efforts to make the Excursion relatively energy efficient and environmentally responsible.

It is important to consider the full range of Ford's environmental initiatives and not just the production of a single vehicle when evaluating the company's commitment to sustainability.

If you had been on the Board of Directors, would you have voted for the project? Why or why not?