Want to reduce your carbon footprint
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Friend Lenny Xavier forwards a link to an interesting Wired article about buying that new Hybrid to get better gas mileage. What is easy to forget is the cost of manufacturing a car.
In 2006, an Oregon market research firm released an incendiary 500-page report. Its claim: A Humvee (13 miles per gallon city, 16 highway) uses less energy than a Prius (48 city, 45 highway). Scientists quickly debunked the study, but the Hummer lovers got one thing right. Pound for pound, making a Prius contributes more carbon to the atmosphere than making a Hummer, largely due to the environmental cost of the 30 pounds of nickel in the hybrid's battery. Of course, the hybrid quickly erases that carbon deficit on the road, thanks to its vastly superior fuel economy.
The article advocates buying a used fuel-efficient car instead.
Food for thought.
And in case you don't know, Lenny rides his bike or takes the train to work. This is not always easy to do in the suburbs.