Hate to rain on the hybrid hate parade but there are a bunch of myths about the Prius being "bad for the environment," which have been debunked here: [www.pacinst.org]
For example, hybrid haters often slag the Prius because some of the nickel used in its batteries comes from a Canadian nickel mine. The same nickel mine that opened in the early 1900s and supplies nickel for the steel industry to create chrome.
Other than its batteries, for which Toyota pays $200 per battery to recycle them, the Prius is a regular car. So if its manufacturing creates CO2, then so do other regular car factories.
It's interesting to me, too, that you don't see and read the same nastiness about other hybrid cars like the Ford Fusion and Escape hybrids. Why is that?
"The sage derivative's leaves have unique characteristics that absorb harmful gases..."
Yeah it's called photosynthesis. I learned about it in the 3rd grade. If you really want to help reduce carbon levels... kill a Vegan. They're the ones that are eating all of the plants that change CO2 into Oxygen (hee hee hee...plant shit). Carnivores like me are doing our best to reduce the CO2 producers, thereby lowering the overall "harmful gases" that get released into the air. #prius
Marking the 10 year anniversary of the extinction of the hummingbird, sources now indicate that the sting from bees, as well as the honey they produce, are now 150% more lethal to the human body, as the Toyorchid, Toyota's genetically-engineered pollution-absorbing flower species, invades the habitats of now endangered species of natural wildflower.#prius
If they run out, they can harvest a crop of the rodents from my yard. I can't kill the things fast enough (mostly because effective means of doing so are illegal within city limits). #greentech
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Edited by Allwheeldriveturbosportwagon at 10/15/09 3:40 PM
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@Allwheeldriveturbosportwagon: I assure you, I'm up to speed on my latin derived words. And as a firefighter, I am aware of what inflammable means. #greentech
@EuniceBaba-Booey: The ones I have seen are real, but the actual yield from those home brew arrays is significantly less than the large pre-manufactured ones, and you shouldn't expect the homebrew arrays to last anywhere near as long without significant maintenance... (something on the order of a full tear-down/rebuild every 1-2 years)
"vacuum sealed" windows with "nothing between them at all"?
BZZZTT!! Wrong. They are always filled with either air or some sort of gas. To survive a vacuum, the windows would have to be thick and domed. A vacuum is the BEST insulator, so argon would not be an improvement.
@ChapinJiblical: BZZZTT!! Wrong. When talking about the insulating value of a window, both its actual R value (ability to insulate against radiant heat) AND its ability to block transmitted heat in the form of light (visible/UVA/UVB) should be considered, and the UV blocking inherent to most noble gasses allows them to actually achieve a higher overall insulation value than window using only a weak vacuum.
And last I heard few (or no) windows actually achieve a true vacuum between the panes, they simply lower the pressure somewhat.
Isn't Capitalism wonderful ? As soon as any new technology hits the marketplace, up goes the price astronomically, and especially if the government is subsidising. As a previous writer remarked, I too was Gung-ho over a lot of the 'green' technology and have been for years, but the costs have been climbing and are now too exorbitant. I did hear that after the 1976 fuel crisis, the major oil companies all invested in the solar panel industry, which probably explains why the rule of supply and demand doesn't apply in this case. Whenever they want to push the price of gasoline up, they close refineries for 'maintenance'. So I guess to keep the prices of solar panels high they regulate the supply. I seldom see any on private residences.
Having just finished taking a tax law final exam, the credits offered at the local and federal level for photovoltaic systems are really interesting. Not only do they make the upgrade more feasible for everyday consumers, but they're an example of the government using the tax code to encourage environmentally friendly behavior. The benefits get even better if you plan to stay in your house for a long period of time, when you take into account the large tax breaks used to encourage home ownership. Looks like Congress may actually have done something right for once.
10/29/09
For example, hybrid haters often slag the Prius because some of the nickel used in its batteries comes from a Canadian nickel mine. The same nickel mine that opened in the early 1900s and supplies nickel for the steel industry to create chrome.
Other than its batteries, for which Toyota pays $200 per battery to recycle them, the Prius is a regular car. So if its manufacturing creates CO2, then so do other regular car factories.
It's interesting to me, too, that you don't see and read the same nastiness about other hybrid cars like the Ford Fusion and Escape hybrids. Why is that?
CJV
10/29/09
10/29/09
@REO Speedwagon: Soylent green is...PEOPLE!!! #prius
10/29/09
10/29/09
Quick, plant them around Hollywood and any place that George Clooney is giving an acceptance speech! #prius
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Yeah it's called photosynthesis. I learned about it in the 3rd grade. If you really want to help reduce carbon levels... kill a Vegan. They're the ones that are eating all of the plants that change CO2 into Oxygen (hee hee hee...plant shit). Carnivores like me are doing our best to reduce the CO2 producers, thereby lowering the overall "harmful gases" that get released into the air. #prius
10/29/09
"Eat a steak, save the planet" #prius
10/29/09
Yup, especially since a significant amount of methane gas is produced by those sinful, godless cows. #prius
10/29/09
10/29/09
Marking the 10 year anniversary of the extinction of the hummingbird, sources now indicate that the sting from bees, as well as the honey they produce, are now 150% more lethal to the human body, as the Toyorchid, Toyota's genetically-engineered pollution-absorbing flower species, invades the habitats of now endangered species of natural wildflower. #prius
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10/15/09
inflammable == flammable && insane != sane
/broken sarcasm detector #greentech
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Oooohhohohoho. I see what you did there. #greentech
05/01/09
Anyone know if the books that you can find on the internet to help you build solar pannels with instructions is a real thing? Thanks.
09/08/09
05/01/09
BZZZTT!! Wrong. They are always filled with either air or some sort of gas. To survive a vacuum, the windows would have to be thick and domed. A vacuum is the BEST insulator, so argon would not be an improvement.
09/08/09
And last I heard few (or no) windows actually achieve a true vacuum between the panes, they simply lower the pressure somewhat.
05/01/09
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