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November 02nd, 2009
Video: Katie Couric Interviews Al Gore.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
November 02nd, 2009
We Need A Stringent Auto Emissions Policy Nationwide ASAP.
Why is it that all 50 states in our country has different auto emissions laws? Each state government is free to decide whether to require vehicle safety inspection and only metropolitan areas whose air quality does not meet federal standards are required to implement vehicle emission inspections. Thus, only 18 states and D.C. have a periodic (annual or biannual) safety inspection program. Sure, the Federal Government tells automakers what kinds of emissions they don’t want coming out of their cars, but every state has their own version of what is “OK”. For instance, I lived in CA for almost 15 years, and they have the most stringent emissions policy of any state. If your car is not in tip-top shape, you won’t pass inspection…period. No if’s, and’s, or but’s in California, as they were working hard to clean their air after years of letting pollution build up. And if you buy a new car in California, chances are that you will be buying a car labeled as PZEV (Partial Zero-Emissions Vehicle) or something similar. The Subaru Forester I bought new in 2008 is a PZEV car and won’t have trouble meeting any emissions test it could possibly come up against.
However, I had no need for it here in New Mexico, as there are absolutely NO emissions requirements or tests anywhere outside of metro Albuquerque. None. Your car burn enough oil to kill everyone driving behind you? That’s fine in 99% of the state of New Mexico, which makes me very upset. I have occasionally had to stop my car and wait a bit because the car in front of me was making it hard for me to breathe – it can be that bad!
I see more cars here than any other place I have ever been to with all colors of smoke coming out of them, multiple burnt out lights, and broken suspensions. And there is not a single test to get these cars in better operating condition, which just means worse MPG numbers and more pollution…not a recipe for a healthy environment, and New Mexico is by no means alone in this.
I have lived in 4 states and about to move to my 5th, and all of them (save New Mexico, of course) have had pretty tough inspections and emissions testing. Massachusetts, Virginia, California, and my soon-to-be new home of Colorado all have requirements on getting your car tested before you can register it in the state. This is the good news. However, as I mentioned above, only 18 states have state-wide required testing and inspections, and this needs to change asap. We are in a time of quickening environmental damage from our emissions, and the automobile is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gasses. So…What will it take for our Federal Government to step in and require standardized testing and inspections in all 50 states? I don’t know, but I sure hope we can figure it out sooner rather than later.
How do you think we can work to make this happen?
November 01st, 2009
More Affordable Energy-Efficient, Lower Emission Cars.
Dear EarthTalk: Celebrities and billionaires are shelling out big bucks for cutting edge green-friendly cars like the Tesla Roadster. But what are the rest of us—who live in the budget-constrained real world—to do about buying a new car that does right by the environment?
With so many new energy efficient cars in showrooms today, there’s never been a better time to go green with your next car purchase. A few years ago the Toyota Prius was the go-to model for those with an environmental conscience and up to $30,000 to pay for the privilege of getting 35-40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45-55 on the highway. But today there is such a wide selection of fuel efficient and low-emissions vehicles that even those on a budget can afford to go green.
To wit, Honda’s new Insight is the first hybrid gasoline-electric car available new for less than $20,000 (starting at $19,800). With fuel efficiency ratings of 40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 43 on the highway, the Insight surely won’t cost much to operate either.
There are plenty of other hybrids to choose from today, too, though most cost at least a few thousand dollars more than equivalent non-hybrid models. Toyota’s Prius, which is only available as a hybrid, still leads the pack as the world’s top selling and most fuel efficient hybrid. Its cost has dropped some, now starting at $22,400, and the “3rd generation” Prius 10 now claims an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined city/highway rating of 50 mpg. This most recent edition even features a whimsical solar panel on the roof to power a ventilation system that keeps the interior of the car cool even on scorching hot days. Hybrid versions of Honda’s Civic ($23,800), Nissan’s Altima ($26,780), Ford’s Fusion ($27,625) and Escape SUV ($31,500), Mercury’s Milan ($31,590) and Mariner SUV ($29,995), Toyota’s Camry ($26,150) and Highlander SUV ($34,700) are also in showrooms in dealerships across the U.S.
Many smaller cars with regular gasoline engines also get great mileage with low emissions for even less money. Some examples include the Corolla ($15,350), Matrix ($16,550) and Yaris ($12,355) from Toyota, Honda’s Fit ($14,900), the Mazda 3 ($16,045), Chevy’s Aveo ($11,965) and Cobalt ($14,990), the Hyundai’s Accent ($9,970) and Elantra ($14,145), Pontiac’s G3 ($14,335), the Kia Rio ($11,495), the MINI Cooper ($19,500), Ford’s Focus ($15,995), and the Smart Car ForTwo ($11,990).
Diesel fuel is now cleaner than ever, and a few automakers are going down that road. Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI ($22,660), Audi’s A3 TDI ($29,950) and BMW’s 335d ($43,900) are three examples of high performance vehicles with solid green credentials regarding fuel efficiency and emissions. An added bonus is that such cars can run on carbon-neutral biodiesel as well as petroleum-based diesel fuel.
Consumers just starting their search for a new ride should check out GreenCar.com, which provides detailed information on the many greener vehicles available today as well as those on the horizon. Also, the federal government’s website FuelEconomy.gov provides detailed mileage and emissions information on dozens of new cars every year, and provides users with an easy and free way to compare different vehicles along the lines of environmental impact.
CONTACTS: GreenCar.com, www.greencar.com; FuelEconomy.gov, www.fueleconomy.gov.
SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.
October 30th, 2009
Quick Green Reads For The Weekend Volume 141.
One more week till the move! I hope the weather can give me a few decent days to get out of NM and to my new place in CO. Just need 2 days, Mother Nature!
Planet Connect is handing out $1,000 grants to high school students with creative ideas and actions to fix an environmental problem in schools or communities across the U.S. If you’re interested, don’t deadline.
Sure, outsourcing labor to developing nations saves money, but think about the amount of fossil fuels used on shipping all that product half way around the world. This is just a small portion of what is called embodied energy. Embodied energy is the sum total of the energy necessary for an entire product lifecycle. This lifecycle includes raw material extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, disassembly, deconstruction and/or decomposition. In the past 50 years, the worlds population has used as much natural resources as was needed to sustain the entire course of human history before then. (Scary statistics on how much energy American’s Consume – Video)
Opportunity Green is launching The Tour de OG; a 5 day, 4 night supported cycle tour raising awareness and generating a social media buzz for green business. Riders will travel 450 miles down the California coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles, to attend the 3rd annual Opportunity Green conference at UCLA.
Boredom, it seems, has become a 4-letter word in many households with children. Apparently, boredom in children is a fate that many fear more than a bad FICA score or bathing suit season. To remedy this fact, many kids are plugged-in and given activities to do every second of the day. No stone is left unturned in the quest to keep kids entertained and to stop them from uttering the words that strike fear into the hearts of many: “I’m bored!”
Now that it’s fall and the cold has come, most of the flowers and plants that my roommate was growing started to die. I’m sure that some of yours have too. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a beautiful garden on display. How To Make Flowers (or a Pinwheel) Using A Soda Can.
Scientists have discovered high levels of toxic pollutants trapped in the Swiss Alps are being released from melting glaciers in the Swiss Alps region.
The arrival of autumn means cooler temperatures, darker evenings — and a last chance to get your home ready for winter. Twelve Practical Ways to Green-Up Your Autumn
Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
