On 1/29/08, frank theriault <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Jan 29, 2008 3:57 PM, Adam Maas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > There's two issues with hybrids from an ecological point of view. The > > first is that batteries other than Lead-Acid are very unfriendly to > > make, particularly in large quantities. Lots of pollution from the > > manufacture and disposal of the battery packs. > > That's a problem that I wasn't aware of, and certainly something that > those who tout hybrids aren't letting us in on. > > The other problem is > > that the coal burned to make much of the electricity that powers a > > plug-in hybrid (As will soon be an option on the Prius) is much worse > > for the environment than the relatively small emissions of the > > Hummer's engine. Coal power is an environmental atrocity (Don't stand > > downwind of a coal plant burning eastern-produced coal with a Geiger > > counter, the stuff is somewhat radioactive). > > That's a problem that has nothing to do with the current Prius, so is > quite irrelevent to our discussion right now. I agree, and I've > argued against "plug-in" electric cars for some time. All they do is > move the emissions from the tail pipe of the car to the smokestack of > the powerplant. It's a technology that says, "we hope to have > cleaner-burning powerplants in the future, and as soon as they clean > those up, electric cars will be the answer." That's no answer to me. > > Sounds like fuel cell technology. No emissions, but the process to > extract hydrogen for the cells is hugely expensive and > energy-consuming. Their answer: "We hope to improve that technology > in the future." And if they don't? > > It seems to me that more will be accomplished faster by getting people > to cut down on car use drastically, rather than investing billions on > specious technologies so fraught with "unsolved questions". > > cheers, > frank >
Actually, the answer is plug-in hybrids. The delaying factor in the US is Old King Coal, and just about everywhere it's the anti-Nuke Luddites (Nuclear is still the safest and most environmentally friendly source of electrical power. Yes, even with the waste issue it's still cleaner than solar(cells are not environmentally friendly to produce) and destroys less habitat than large-scale wind or hydro. While getting people onto mass transit or alternate forms of transit is a great idea in theory, it's simply not practicable in most parts of North America. In places where it is, it happened long ago. People like low-density housing. -Adam -- M. Adam Maas http://www.mawz.ca Explorations of the City Around Us. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
