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Just to ::StirTheP a bit ...
LINKIE
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Building a Toyota Prius causes more environmental damage than a Hummer that is on the road for three times longer than a Prius
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When you pool together all the combined energy it takes to drive and build a Toyota Prius, the flagship car of energy fanatics, it takes almost 50 percent more energy than a Hummer - the Prius’s arch nemesis.
Once again the holier-than-though-tree-huggers, don't do the research and end up looking like fools.
LOL! I love it. Thanks for sharing that article.
Here is an aerial shot of the nickel mine in the article
So they assume the Hummer will last 300k MILES! HAHAHAHAHA. On 5+ motors, 6+ trannies, and thousands of dollars more in other misc parts. Whereas the Prius will keep chugging away with little more than brakes, fluids, and tires for it's expected 100k miles.
Seriously, what idiots wrote that article? They go on about how expensive it is to ship the batteries, and the damage that one plant does, blah blah blah. Those batteries can't be more than a small percentage of the nickel mined at that plant, so to blame ALL the pollution that plant expells on the Prius would be unfounded.
Their argument could be blown apart so many different ways.
As much as I hate the green holier then thou mentality, I have to agree with ray_sir_6 on this one. Not enough science to back up the assumptions in the article.
I don't disagree with him either that there is more than just batteries being mined there. However, you still can't turn your back on the irony that they no matter how hard they try are still polluting. And in an attempt to counter act one environmental evil, they are now contributing to two evils.
Imagine if all the SUVs were Prius's? Imagine the all the positive environmental impacts that would bring?Quote:
Originally Posted by MiataMike
Quick Example: Supertankers can't be a very "clean" product to make. Less of them will be needed due to less oil being shipped. Less ships also means less spills, cause the older ships could be canned, so world fleet would be almost 100% double-hull.
They would not tow worth a crap.Quote:
Originally Posted by ray_sir_6
Because double-hulled ships never sink, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by ray_sir_6
Here's the reality. There is no magic bullet. Hybrids won't save the world. Double hulled tankers won't, either. And if you think global pollution is bad now, give China and India's economies another few decades to expand.
You wanna do something for the environment? Buy a smaller house. Turn up your thermostat when it's hot, and turn it down when it's cold. Stop showering every day - any idea how much energy it takes to heat the 30 or so gallons of water the average shower takes? Don't flush your toilet when you take a leak. Buy solar panels and a windmill and get off the grid.
There are plenty of things you can really do to conserve energy. Problem is, most people don't want to do them. They're too comfortable.
We would still have trucks.Quote:
Originally Posted by HudsonHawk
I said spills would go down, not end completely. Nothing is 100%. I was just pointing out that the "evils" of that mine are nothing when you compare the impact of all the supporting architecture that gas/oil dumps on the environment.Quote:
Originally Posted by altiain
Buy a smaller house - Actually, I am gonna get a ranch style (1 floor) brand new house, not big, but not small. The new house with Energy Star appliances, sunscreened windows, and all the other "green" stuff I like to have on my house (to save money, not the environment) would be just as good as buying a small 20yr old house.
Turn up your thermostat when it's hot, and turn it down when it's cold - I am hoping to get my house built into a hill. Constant 72-76 degrees year round, with zero heating or AC bills.
Stop showering every day - any idea how much energy it takes to heat the 30 or so gallons of water the average shower takes? - Turn the temp down on the water heater, plus roof mounted tanks that use the sun to warm it work pretty well.
Don't flush your toilet when you take a leak. - I normally don't. ;)
Buy solar panels and a windmill and get off the grid - Solar Panels, yes, the rest, no. The benefits of having power off the grid is more than enough to offset the "evils" it brings.
Don't we AGREE on this? Why are we arguing the same side?
If its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down.Quote:
Originally Posted by altiain
That was the sign over a toilet at a house in the mountains we rented one time.
As much as I dislike GM cars, they are reliable...just not the trim attached to them. Sure the door panels and dash will look like ::Censor:: at 300k but the POS will still run! Hell, even after 30 yrs in a field with plants growing through the floor our 71 Camaro still started up and drove!Quote:
Originally Posted by ray_sir_6
To my surprise both of the Honduhs my girlfriends has owned have been huge disappointments to me as far as quality. A 95 and a 97 Accord and both have had some problems that they are not supposed to have at 140k miles. Not to mention the "GM quality" interior. Man I love my Miata's quality! 240k hard miles in Texas sun and still looks great!::Banana::
Honestly I do not see too much wrong with that article aside from the lack of sources in a few areas. A bit of exaggeration here and there but far from what you hear from the ::hippi::
Sure the Hummer is probably the most useless vehicle made but as several other articles similar to this one have pointed out so may be the Prius. The author is right, if you really want to save gas and money then buy a true economy car like the Aveo or a VW diesel, etc.
Just remember, human produced greenhouse gasses account for a minute percent, something shockingly low like 1% or 0.1%. So if we truly wish to fight global warming then we must slaughter all cattle and engineer a time machine to reverse the Earth cycle!::Fruity::
I'm the biggest energy-conserving junkie around, but only to save money (I HATE spending money on stuff that isn't fun ;)).
My brother gets ticked at me when I don't flush after I tinkle. I tell him to buzz off. I NEVER shower every day (which explains why I've been single for the last 2 years). I also, to the consternation of my brother, replaced every single bulb in our rent house with flourescent ones and if LED bulbs were cheaper I would do those too. I'm also going to tint all my windows.
My main weakness is the AC. It's hard for me to get along without cool air, but only while I'm indoors. So I fly RC airplanes and drive all the time to get out of the house and only run the AC when I'm home ::Banana::
I do my best.. I rarely use the oven either. Everything that is not in immediate use gets turned off. Etc.
Don't come complaining to me 'bout no in-viro-mint-uhl problums ;)