Steve_Barker

From forbes.com: "Chevrolet's introduction of E85 FlexFuel-capable engines has been met with some doubt, since ethanol takes more energy to use, but with it GM has produced a 2009 fuel-efficiency winner, a midsize SUV. The 2009 HHR, when using regular gas, gets a combined mileage of 26 mpg, and has a base MSRP of $18,720." This makes me think how much the USA appears to be behind the UK. On Wednesday I was in a meeting of about 15 people from different areas at work. Over a coffee break on young woman started of telling us about how wonderful her new Land Rover Discovery is. No one was impressed, and people who I see as having no green leanings pointed out that it was far too thirty. No one was impressed when she pointed out that it could do 38 mpg, the response was that it is not very often that she would be traveling at a constant speed on an open road. When someone else pointed out what mpg her Smart Car did, there was general admiration from the group. Many years ago I used to build kit cars as a hobby, and remember an magazine article from one of the top kit car designers which stated that the weight of a vehicle was more important than its shape when working to reduce fuel consumption. US cars seem to have missed this point. I recall as a teenager that there was a new American compact car, the AMC Pacer, and that this was hailed by the press as a radical departure by the US industry into "small" cars - over 30 years later American cars do not seem to have downsized much from there.

Realistically, it goes from A to B without breaking down, economically, reasonably comfortably, and will park in the gap left between big cars.

Are you sure? http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/277448.html

Basically I just put my foot down, shoot along with a speed and acceleration which I find shocking when compared to the risks we are prevented from taking at work. Then sit at the speed limit minus 2 mph. Do not think my car does 80 mph, although I have touched 70 a couple of times. I only brake if I have to, and use the gearbox to control deceleration. My car does not have air conditioning, another extra to go wrong which I avoid, but 55 mpg does include having to open the window regularly to cool down. Mine is blue. One of my old cars used to do 100 mpg running on diesel: Loved driving the car, but it was just so unreliable :o

I find all this very strange. I fill my car up Zero the trip meter See ho much fuel it needs to refill, and take a trip meter reading. I consistently get 55 mpg, which when converted to US is 45.8 mpg. Mine is just a cheap old banger (which http://www.cleangreencars.co.uk says avoid), yet it compares with the best of the best on real life use.

It can be argued that any human activity is not green, even things like recycling (third option on the hierarchy of waste management). However, is useful relatively, although sometimes its important to appreciate the parameters of the comparison.

Whilst not being a fan of Flash, I can now state that its not green as on of my objections: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/gr...browsing_study/ Apparently, flash adverts use more energy to load than the page you want to see, and continue using energy after the download is complete. 1. Might have to close some of the 40 to 50 tabs I typically have open. 2. Flash blocker add on to Firefox, allows optional opening of flash you want to see when you want to see it.

Can see where you are coming from, but people should be able to be happy, and respected, no matter what race, creed, colour, sexual orientation, health, or size. I have linked in a Wiki article on this subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizeism Store crushes are not just an American thing: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4252421.stm

This brings up issues of green death in general. In the UK we have a green undertaker: http://greenendings.co.uk/index.htm (love the motorcycle hurst on the description page) Related link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/3886631.stm Is this the way forward? Personally, I would like a sky burial. Chop me up in bits and leave me for the local red kites to eat, seems much better than making a fuss, and investing time, enegry, and land in someone who is no more. http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVLPages/TibPages/tib-burial.html

Would be ironic, never managed to get a solar panel whilst alive, but when dead............

I believe its important to see insights in the world around us, both natural and man-made, and its vital that we have respect for all life. However, we have to look after our lives and spaces that support it. I recall the story of a Tibetan nunnery that had a rat problem, but no one would do anything that harmed them, because Tibetan Nuns are supposed to have compassion for all. Eventually, the nunnery had to be abandoned, when some nuns died of starvation. When the nunnery's principle teacher was informed about this he was annoyed at the stupidity of the nuns in not following the "middle way". "What about you, do cockroaches and rats equate with working for the government?" - Possibly, at times its difficult to remain principled B)

Both, alas :(

We have dozens of them at work (and cockroaches) - is that also symbolic. {I'm a government empolyee}

..... now I've got the washing up to do :o

Too late, just got in from work (22.00 Hrs late night), and my other half has cooked meals for the next week B)

At least its not Silverlight ;)

A few days ago I found this UK environmental news link site, its updated daily, and seems to be very good: http://www.habitat.org.uk

Done PS do not like all the you need flash 9 errors that come up on 350.org (I use flash 7, 9 slows this old machine down too much). This is especially irksome because when pushed all the flash bits will run under flash 7!!!

I we threw away all the odd shaped veg that we grow in our garden, we'd have almost no crop. Hopefully, now flavour will become more an issue, and a wider range of veg varieties will be sold in shops.

I think Microorganism is not a good way to great a new member. It makes me think of the name "pondlife" a technical term one is not supposed to use now that we are PC.

I'm still trying to get to grips with crab volleyball : http://www.flash-best.com/2008/11/04/krabboll.html

I Open Office at home and have to Word at work . Never have a problem going between the two (including pics and charts) provided I remember to save as a .doc to e-mail documents to work. Word does not support .odt , but M/Soft promise to do so shortly, as a result of EU anti competition action.

Open office is available for Windows, Mac, and most Nix http://www.openoffice.org/ FOR FREE :rolleyes:

"In the mid-1990s, the ARB, however, changed its mind following a huge lobbying effort by the auto companies. ARB decided not to mandate the introduction of EVs, but to instead let automobile manufacurers voluntarily sell Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) from 1998 to 2002. Then, starting in 2003, ten percent, or one out of every ten cars sold, would have to be a zero-emission vehicle. As the deadline approached, the agency changed the regulation even further. The compromise allowed extremely low-emission vehicles to get partial ZEV credits, but required that auto companies only sell two percent pure-ZEVS." From: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/electric.html Hence, electric Minis. Hopefully my next car: http://www.axonautomotive.com/

I must say I have a soft spot for clean coal technology, I used to work at the Coal Research Establishment: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg1381...echnology-.html Just after the article above Mrs Thatcher axed UK coal research, and put the technology back many years.