pixiesis
Cathlete
Check out this article. We have got to get off of oil and start using clean and renewable energy!
http://www2.nysun.com/article/75363
http://www2.nysun.com/article/75363
$10 a gallon?!?!
- Thread starter pixiesis
- Start date
materialsgirl
Cathlete
I agree that we need to reduce or eliminate our dependency on oil... and it will be LONG before gas reaches $10 a gallon that I draw the line! In many foreign countries (especially in Europe), gas is already not too far from $10 a gallon, so we should be counting our blessings here in the good ol' US of A.
Liann
Cathlete
>I agree that we need to reduce or eliminate our dependency on
>oil... and it will be LONG before gas reaches $10 a gallon
>that I draw the line! In many foreign countries (especially
>in Europe), gas is already not too far from $10 a gallon, so
>we should be counting our blessings here in the good ol' US of
>A.
I've heard too about other countries and how expensive their gas is. My thought is do they have to drive as much as we do? I commute 45 minutes one way to work and I know those who do much more. I have no options closer to home so it's not that I purposely drive a lot, it's just a necessity. I'm just curious what the correlation is between the amount of driving they actually have to do in certain countries (that might be the size of my state) vs. the expense of their gas. If they are driving just as much as us, then the gas would be a major expense unless their salaries are better and cost of living is lower. There are a lot of factors that I would have to look into before I felt like we have it good here with our $4 a gallon gas.
Thank God I have an Echo...
>oil... and it will be LONG before gas reaches $10 a gallon
>that I draw the line! In many foreign countries (especially
>in Europe), gas is already not too far from $10 a gallon, so
>we should be counting our blessings here in the good ol' US of
>A.
I've heard too about other countries and how expensive their gas is. My thought is do they have to drive as much as we do? I commute 45 minutes one way to work and I know those who do much more. I have no options closer to home so it's not that I purposely drive a lot, it's just a necessity. I'm just curious what the correlation is between the amount of driving they actually have to do in certain countries (that might be the size of my state) vs. the expense of their gas. If they are driving just as much as us, then the gas would be a major expense unless their salaries are better and cost of living is lower. There are a lot of factors that I would have to look into before I felt like we have it good here with our $4 a gallon gas.
Thank God I have an Echo...
janiejoey
Cathlete
They are working on it. The reward is 10 million dollars.
Here's a couple of links.
http://zeropollutionmotors.us/
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4237853.html?series=19
I can't wait to get my hands on one of these vehicles. We are so ready for this.
They should be in production in a couple of years.
Janie
[/url]
The idea is to die young as late as possible.
Here's a couple of links.
http://zeropollutionmotors.us/
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4237853.html?series=19
I can't wait to get my hands on one of these vehicles. We are so ready for this.
They should be in production in a couple of years.
Janie
The idea is to die young as late as possible.
I don't know about how much they're driving, but I was in France last week (Paris/Normandy) and noticed that the vast majority of vehicles were a whole heck of a lot smaller than what we drive here - lots of Smart cars, Yaris-types, the Renault/Peugot versions of the Toyota Matrix...and many, many scooters.
I went on to some of these manufacturers web sites and it appears that these vehicles get a lot better gas mileage than vehicles in the U.S. do...not sure if I'm missing something...the mileage was listed in miles/gallon.
Euro-Catheites out there, is this accurate?
I love my 40mpg Corolla.
I went on to some of these manufacturers web sites and it appears that these vehicles get a lot better gas mileage than vehicles in the U.S. do...not sure if I'm missing something...the mileage was listed in miles/gallon.
Euro-Catheites out there, is this accurate?
I love my 40mpg Corolla.
Beavs
Cathlete
<We have got to get off of oil and start using clean and renewable energy!>
Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution? The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the economy (and life as we know it)???
Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution? The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the economy (and life as we know it)???
Liann
Cathlete
><We have got to get off of oil and start using clean and
>renewable energy!>
>Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing
>something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution?
>The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't
>change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the
>economy (and life as we know it)???
They are all in bed with the big oil companies unfortunately... (At least the current electeds...)
>renewable energy!>
>Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing
>something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution?
>The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't
>change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the
>economy (and life as we know it)???
They are all in bed with the big oil companies unfortunately... (At least the current electeds...)
materialsgirl
Cathlete
><We have got to get off of oil and start using clean and
>renewable energy!>
>Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing
>something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution?
>The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't
>change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the
>economy (and life as we know it)???
Our electeds may know this, but unfortunately, their pockets are all lined with money from oil companies, so they have very little incentive to do anything about it.
And Gayle, you are right, cars in Europe are MUCH smaller and more fuel-efficient than cars in the US. They do NOT have SUVs and pickup trucks, and heck, half the people in Italy are on Vespas! (And those people, I might add, are CRAZY!)
>renewable energy!>
>Yeah, good luck with that. We should have been doing
>something about that some thirty years ago. Our solution?
>The Hummer! Do our electeds understand that if things don't
>change quickly we are going see a complete collapse of the
>economy (and life as we know it)???
Our electeds may know this, but unfortunately, their pockets are all lined with money from oil companies, so they have very little incentive to do anything about it.
And Gayle, you are right, cars in Europe are MUCH smaller and more fuel-efficient than cars in the US. They do NOT have SUVs and pickup trucks, and heck, half the people in Italy are on Vespas! (And those people, I might add, are CRAZY!)
crazystepr
Cathlete
I was just in Europe last week and they all drive A LOT. The traffic is crazy. However, like Gayle said--their cars are teeny tiny. NO suv's, NO pickups, NO hummers. Even their Mack Trucks are more compact and smaller. Americans are crazy with our big cars. Europeans have no choice though. Their streets are so narrow--there's no way that a Suburban could fit down those streets!
Allison
http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
Allison
http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
I live in Germany and although we have our fair share of Smart cars, I would say the majority of Germans drive German cars (Mercedes, Audi, VWs, etc). NONE of those car makers offer hybrids. And Germans do drive a lot. And they also drive a LOT faster than we do on average, which uses much more gas. Oh, and all of my German neighbors own more than one vehicle (some families own 3!) and they do drive a fair amount of SUVs.
Carolyn
ETA: Americans do bring over their giant SUVs. In fact, I watched an American try to park his F160, or some other HUGE truck, in a German parking garage a few weeks ago. Also, I'm aware of more than a few Americans who have actually brought over their Hummers!! So yes, I see quite a few huge American trucks/SUVs here as well.
Carolyn
ETA: Americans do bring over their giant SUVs. In fact, I watched an American try to park his F160, or some other HUGE truck, in a German parking garage a few weeks ago. Also, I'm aware of more than a few Americans who have actually brought over their Hummers!! So yes, I see quite a few huge American trucks/SUVs here as well.
You also have to remember that in addition to smaller and much more efficient cars (in general), the rail infrastructure in Europe is 100 times better than anything we have here in the states.
Things like a 45 minute commute in Italy or Switzerland can be tackled with a high speed commuter train - and mind you, those trains are awesome! Clean, efficient, etc... Not like the mess that we have here, where the rails don't go anywhere useful, and the trains are in terrible shape (that is, if you're lucky enough to have one at all. We have Metra here in Chicago. It's only good if you need to get INTO the city, not OUT of it.)
They also have bullet trains to get between countries or farther distances when needed. For example, earlier last year, we took a bullet train from Brussels to Paris. The trip was 1.5 hours. Can you imagine doing that, rather than having to fly? It's exponentially cheaper to do that over there.
We've been to 9 different countries in the last 4 years, and have yet to come across one of them that does not have a better commuter rail system than what we have here - either inner city or farther out.
Things like a 45 minute commute in Italy or Switzerland can be tackled with a high speed commuter train - and mind you, those trains are awesome! Clean, efficient, etc... Not like the mess that we have here, where the rails don't go anywhere useful, and the trains are in terrible shape (that is, if you're lucky enough to have one at all. We have Metra here in Chicago. It's only good if you need to get INTO the city, not OUT of it.)
They also have bullet trains to get between countries or farther distances when needed. For example, earlier last year, we took a bullet train from Brussels to Paris. The trip was 1.5 hours. Can you imagine doing that, rather than having to fly? It's exponentially cheaper to do that over there.
We've been to 9 different countries in the last 4 years, and have yet to come across one of them that does not have a better commuter rail system than what we have here - either inner city or farther out.
tneah
Cathlete
Oh the autobaun, or however they spell it.... ! Scary stuff.I ahve driven on it on a trip to France years ago.
LOL at Lian and her Vespa! I would love to own a Vespa. I have a gas guzzler myself..an SUV (blushes) I love it cause I can "haul" stuff. But it does eat through the gas like crazy. Luckily, I work from home and drive very little other than going to the grocers, etc...around town.
This whole gas/economy thing is really starting to hit home, heck, even Starbucks stock dropped alot today, we are starting to cut out those little extras. Its scary that Bush thinks putting a "band-aid" on our economy problem will fix it...I dear, another thread I suppose.
! Scary stuff.I ahve driven on it on a trip to France years ago.LOL at Lian and her Vespa!
I would love to own a Vespa. I have a gas guzzler myself..an SUV (blushes) I love it cause I can "haul" stuff. But it does eat through the gas like crazy. Luckily, I work from home and drive very little other than going to the grocers, etc...around town.This whole gas/economy thing is really starting to hit home, heck, even Starbucks stock dropped alot today, we are starting to cut out those little extras. Its scary that Bush thinks putting a "band-aid" on our economy problem will fix it...I dear, another thread I suppose.
Stephanie0523
Cathlete
The electeds aren't only in bed with the oil companies, half of them don't even believe in global warming and the need to clean up our act before we totally wreck the world for future generations. They think it's a partisan issue. I'm amazed that the leaders of the free world can be so short-sighted. Maybe things will start to change after November. Here's hoping...
buffettgirl
Cathlete
I sure wish I knew the answer to the energy problems. Increasing manufacture of ethanol is causing soaring food prices. Windmills kill migrating songbirds. Those fancy fluorescent lightbulbs save energy, but they contain mercury, don't they, and no one knows how to dispose of them. The whole thing is so complicated. Who can you trust? Not the politcians. Not the oil companies. Forgive me for inserting my own religious beliefs here, but if I wasn't deeply certain that God is in charge and someday, sooner rather than later, I hope, He will create a new earth. Otherwise, I'd be so depressed, I couldn't get out of bed each morning.
crazystepr
Cathlete
Some of those European countries have $10 gallon because their country taxes it to that level. I lived overseas and was taxed to death with VAT and a host of other taxes.
For those wondering how to get rid of flourescent lightbulbs, any ACE hardware store will take them back for FREE, whether you bought them there or not.
>The following statement is a sarcastic statement and not to imply that ACE Hardware is doing anything wrong, just an observation about NIMBY recycling methods<
Of course from there they'll get shipped somewhere like China where they can be unsafely destroyed and come back in the toys we buy our kids next Christmas
For those wondering how to get rid of flourescent lightbulbs, any ACE hardware store will take them back for FREE, whether you bought them there or not.
>The following statement is a sarcastic statement and not to imply that ACE Hardware is doing anything wrong, just an observation about NIMBY recycling methods<
Of course from there they'll get shipped somewhere like China where they can be unsafely destroyed and come back in the toys we buy our kids next Christmas
Beavs
Cathlete
LOL Dave!
Also, I wonder if the majority of freight in Europe is transported via rail as it once was in this country. A tin can with four wheels might save gas but I find one a very scary proposition with the number of truckers, who often show little regard for the safety of those of us in much smaller vehicles. You know, that tandem Walmart truck that comes barreling down the interstate, less than car length from your bumper, trying to intimidate you to get out of the way so that goods made off the backs of third world nations can be delivered to scuzzy stores so that the driver can get to the bar in time to watch yet another thrilling NASCAR race.
Also, I wonder if the majority of freight in Europe is transported via rail as it once was in this country. A tin can with four wheels might save gas but I find one a very scary proposition with the number of truckers, who often show little regard for the safety of those of us in much smaller vehicles. You know, that tandem Walmart truck that comes barreling down the interstate, less than car length from your bumper, trying to intimidate you to get out of the way so that goods made off the backs of third world nations can be delivered to scuzzy stores so that the driver can get to the bar in time to watch yet another thrilling NASCAR race.
crazystepr
Cathlete
A lot of goods in Europe are transported via barge and rail. Their freight trucks are also MUCH smaller than ours--and much more fuel efficient.
Allison
http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
Allison
http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90