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Automotive News & Views Are automobiles a major cause of global warming?
6849 messages, Last post on Nov 27, 2009 at 1:15 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: avalon02wh (Jul 16, 2008 3:02 am) The per capita use in the U.S. may decline slightly, but with the population increasing energy demand will increase, though that growth may be accomodated by renewable energy increases. Also remember that the energy cost increases aren't felt as badl around the globe as they are here in the U.S. The U.S. has been hit harder because of the decline of the $ vs. other currencies. Also there are hundreds of years of coal and natural gas which will have their production increased. These of course are as carbon-based as oil. I was just talking to some people about winter-heating and whether they were using propane, oil, wood, or electric. The concensus was use more wood and electric. Wood emits carbon-products, and our electricity is mainly coal or gas-fired. If I get an electric-car in the next few years that will be powered by an electirc-plant burning more and more coal. Unless someone knows how we would practically get > 50% of our electricity from solar and wind in the next 10-20 years, you can picture that coal and natural gas use are going to climb greatly. Actually one of the 15 people or so I work with has just converted to a coal-furnace for his house. I can see that many more people will do so. I'm going to be cutting and burning as much wood as I can. Now if it were warmer we wouldn't burn so much fuel for heating.
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Replying to: avalon02wh (Jul 16, 2008 3:02 am) Most inventions over the last 150 years were profit motivated. Even the vast store of products that are a result of defense and space research were done by those looking for fame and fortune. I realize a lot of R&D money is spent without showing a profit. That is not the motivation. Giving money to universities for research is mostly a good thing. Handing it to corporations in this day and age is questionable. Too much fraud and waste in our grant system. I saw a lot of it in the Arctic. People sitting for weeks in camp on the government nickel waiting for the tundra grass to grow and make measurements. Or hoping to get a clear day to try and spot a whale from a helicopter. With all of them sipping coffee for days on end. Millions are wasted on research that will gain US nothing. Global warming is an issue, but, we really need to understand climate change not just any potential warming. I agree with your assessment of the GW/CC issue. Too much hysteria at either end to get a clear picture. If Peak oil is upon US the problem should resolve itself in the next 50 years. Of course how are you going to stop those countries that have no alternative except coal? China is building ONE coal fired generation system per week last I read.
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Replying to: vchiu (Jul 15, 2008 10:57 pm) On that we totally agree. If the tropics become desert and the Arctic becomes a fertile garden the changes in civilization are going to happen. Should we go crazy trying to stop the inevitable? While I can see merit in your ideas of high speed mass transit. I do not see the will to get it done in this country. Most of US like our lives the way they are. We only make changes when forced by circumstances. That should be obvious by the recent high gas prices. People are buying higher mileage vehicles. A few at the bottom that cannot afford gas to get to work are taking the bus. Have you heard any of our politicians on the National level pushing for HST? I have not. They are looking for alternative energy to maintain the status quo. More roads and money to repair old roads and bridges. The scope of HST for the masses is too big in this country to gain a foothold.
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 16, 2008 5:32 am) I think it was every month. whatever the figure, it is huge and the famous 3-gorge dam, despite its massive unit power of 26 GW, represents only 2% of the country total electricity need. Why is the electricity consumption growing so quickly ? not only because of growth but because it is too cheap. Coal is too cheap in China and government also subsidize electricity somehow. There are talks about raising tarrif for power-greedy industries, but the larger they are, the more power they yield in face of local governments, which in turn grant them with cheap electricity. Cheap electricity means a lot of waste Aircon units set to freezing temps in open rooms/with open windows, Poor SEER from climate control systems. Electrical apparatus with low efficiency (cause higher efficiency ones are more expensive), inexistant insulation, poor maintenance.... I not only support raising the price of gas but I also support raising the price of electricity. in China, we should no less than double it to create the shock that electricity is precious. This won't happen. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 16, 2008 6:50 am) I remember my short time in California being a nice time, except for transport which was a very frustrating experience. Speed limits were so low that it drove me crazy, and I got stuck many times in the same traffic jams caused by everyone driving the same way at the same time. We went once from LA to LV. This journey was boring to death, with the driver religiouly stuck at 75 in front of the open road. It looked like we were staying still on the highway. We took maybe 3 or 4 hours for a journey that would maybe take 2 hours with a HST. I just can't understand how so many ppl in the US can be satisfied with being dependent (I would say prisoner) from one unique transport system. I know you won't go to Europe anytime soon, the Euro being too expensive or the USD being too cheap. Should you have the opportunity to go to Japan, try their Shinkansen System. Impressively well designed and managed.
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Replying to: vchiu (Jul 16, 2008 7:17 am) That corridor to LV is a good place to use autobahn speeds. Yet it is a big money maker for CA with all the tickets they write. Would a HST to LV from LA be a good deal. It would be great for LV. LV should foot the bulk of the cost. They will reap the benefits. How can you expect the citizens of CA that have NO interest in going to gamble in LV, to foot any of the cost of that HST? The populations that benefit should pay the bill. I used to visit my sister when she lived in LV. I flew a couple times. I hated the LV airport. It was a stinking mess of a place before 9/11. It took me longer to go to the airport catch the flight on SouthWorst cattle flight, than to jump in my car and drive. I am sure it would be the same getting on a HST in downtown LA for a trip to LV. For those unfortunates that would live within 20 miles of the HST station it may be an OK way to get to LV. The HST portion being the only good part. I think most Americans would agree with me if they think it out. HST is NOT practical for most of the USA. Maybe a few VERY heavily traveled corridors. Replacing current trains with HSTs makes some sense. If the USA was interested in saving fossil fuel and cutting GHG they would have embraced the diesel automobile when the EU did. Same can be said for HST. We should be encouraging people to move away from the GHG causing cities to the country. Plant more fruit trees, eat a lot of peaches. I had fresh peaches from my trees on pancakes this morning. Life is good outside the city. Cleaner air and less noise & crime.
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 16, 2008 7:44 am) |
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 16, 2008 7:44 am) Find some big time financiers in LV and get started on that project Gary. It can be your last hobby. 
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 16, 2008 7:44 am) That is correct; and not the taxpayers of LV or the state. If the reason for the HST is to take tourists to spend money in the LV economy, then the LV casinos and other businesses should fund this. They throw several billion a year into new construction of casinos; let them build their railline if they wish. Why haven't they done it yet though? Maybe because it doesn't make economic sense to do so. It costs too much to acquire the land right-of-way, build the tracks, buy the train, and operate the train then it is worth to bring a thousand tourists into the city. A few planeloads from LA works instead. 90% of the tourists come from other areas than LA. If it made financial sense I'm sure it would get built.
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Replying to: kernick (Jul 16, 2008 8:38 am) NYC-Atlantic City casino train startup delayed A SoCal casino train (light rail) proposal back in '02 was voted down. Aqua Caliente Tribe defends support of failed Proposition 51 I suspect a HST from NYC to Miami would be popular. Amtrak runs three trains a day back and forth as it is. The DC - Orlando Auto Train would probably be a lot more popular if it didn't take a 16 hours or so.
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