[clue-talk] the recent "green" fads - or "Stupid Green"

[Nate Duehr]

Jed S. Baer wrote:
> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:08:33 -0600
> Nate Duehr wrote:
> 
>> Tons of people driving Priuses (Prii? - GRIN)... don't get me started
>> on that.
> 
> Because you don't want to rain on anyone's parade by mentioning Sudbury?
> 
> Or because of the BMW that got better mileage than a Prius in a recent
> MPG test?

Oh, I was being more engineering-minded...

How much energy to make all those batteries?

Are they all really going to get recycled?

Where are the heavy metals in them really going to end up when Prius and 
other hybrids trickle down to the lower income levels where cars get put 
in blocks in the driveway in Arkansas awaiting "someday" when they can 
fix them?

Doesn't anyone realize the batteries are just a storage tank that evens 
out the energy consumption and the electric motor/generators help give 
that prissy little engine a "push start" at every stop light?

Or more... that a fully electric car would probably be more "green" but 
again, back to -- where does the energy come from to make the 
high-efficiency batteries, etc.

Etc, etc, etc... I get so tired of people operating on marketing fads of 
"hope" for being green instead of actually MEASURING it.

And then there's the micro-economic (my house) issue:  A paid off 18 MPG 
car is a seven year or more payback for me to burn half the fuel TODAY 
in a more efficient car.  That's not fiscally sound capital expenditure 
  in my household, sorry greenies.

Give me less than a 5 year payback on ANY of these technologies, and I'm 
there.  Because most of them have about 5 years before minor maintenance 
costs start, and 10 years before they don't work properly at all. 
(Solar panels and wind/weather damage.  Replacing batteries in hybrid 
cars.  Etc.)

Nate