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Post by radaeron on Mar 28, 2006 15:36:21 GMT -5
Been thinking about this recently.. As a race we never really thought about the condition of the planet, until recently, when we're so deep seeded in our habits we probably won't change..
I think... the obvious/worst problems are these: - Air transport - Private transport..
I'm sure there's others, but these seem the worst in my view.. Because people are getting loads more private transport, and air transport is being encouraged and favoured..
I mean, I think there's plenty of alternatives, the problem is no one would like the alternatives. Or at least, not the majority. [The other problem following on is how does it get enforced? I mean.. any government that does it, will get voted out as quick as a bullet leaves a barrel. And if you forced people, ie a dictatorship, well that'd just lead to many problems..
Alternatives, -Instead of private fossil burning transport, private milk float designs! They run entirely on electricity, sure they're slow! But they're bloody clean! -Instead of high fossil burning planes, use low fossil burning blimps and airships! They go pretty fast, and they're so much cleaner.. -Instead of air transport entirely, use boats!
Biggest problem is everyone wants to get places as fast as possible, and we can't have that and have a healthy planet...
Hum..if only I could do something about it. Only thing I can think would just to be in mass favour with everyone, and convince them...
People don't want the problem, but they don't want to be a part of the solution.. Mmm.
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Post by pearldancer on Mar 28, 2006 17:06:01 GMT -5
We need transporters! ;D Beam me up Scotty! he he he
I think there is positive movement on this front actually. . thanks to Katrina. Americans pay attention when their pocket hurts. Sorry to say it but it's true and things will change so that much is good. We've been holding things back the hardest I think. It's our nature and our geography but the market for hybrid cars and alternative fuel sources is about to take a huge swing upwards. Wish I had any money. . I'd invest like CRAZY!
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Post by muirrin on Mar 28, 2006 22:03:33 GMT -5
My lack of money is good in a way, because I can't even afford to own a car, let alone run it. Of course, I'm too nervous to even drive in the main street of my home town so driving here in Brisbane is completely out of the question and I'm too environmentally conscious to want to own a car before I have to anyway, but still....
I'm glad Americans are beginning to open their eyes however, there's not a lot here. If you express any kind of sthoughts about treating the environment more positively, you're a f***in' Greenie/treehugger, and we all know they're crazy people *rolls eyes* Besides, the fuel companies are making money and everyone in power seems to want to keep it that way.
I hate to sound cynical but I really think that we'll be close to extinction before they'll do anything here... just look at our health system in Queensland, for example... although they're still in denial about that, of course.
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Post by radaeron on Mar 29, 2006 10:21:31 GMT -5
We need transporters! ;D Beam me up Scotty! he he he I think there is positive movement on this front actually. . thanks to Katrina. Americans pay attention when their pocket hurts. Sorry to say it but it's true and things will change so that much is good. We've been holding things back the hardest I think. It's our nature and our geography but the market for hybrid cars and alternative fuel sources is about to take a huge swing upwards. Wish I had any money. . I'd invest like CRAZY! I wish I could share that enthusiasm, but people will get whatever is cheapest and most available. The only hybrid car I know of currently, is the hydrogen powered one. But most people won't buy them for a long long while because: A) It's cheaper to buy a petrol burning car B) Petrol/Diesel is more available at petrol stations, than hydrogen is.. Apart from that, we still do a hell of a lot to damage the atmosphere. They're doing more talks on it at the moment.. Because of how we continued to burn, the Kyoto agreement isn't near strong enough now. [And to note that the US didn't agree to this, is another factor to why I can't share the enthusiasm that Americans will be greener sooner]
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Post by Pearl Dancer on Apr 6, 2006 8:05:29 GMT -5
you underestimate consumers Rad. . . when it costs me $50 to fill up my tank I WILL think twice
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Post by Pearl Dancer on Apr 6, 2006 8:08:48 GMT -5
sorry for the double post but also. . .there are a wide range of hybrid (gas/electric. .. get 30+ miles to the gallon) currently available in the US and they are selling like hotcakes. We don't have completely non petrol options widely available (there are some biodiesel cars available but the fuel is still not widely accessible across the states) but there is movement.
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Post by radaeron on Apr 6, 2006 8:31:06 GMT -5
sorry for the double post but also. . .there are a wide range of hybrid (gas/electric. .. get 30+ miles to the gallon) currently available in the US and they are selling like hotcakes. We don't have completely non petrol options widely available (there are some biodiesel cars available but the fuel is still not widely accessible across the states) but there is movement. I'm standing by the electric milkfloat option ^_^
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Post by muirrin on Apr 6, 2006 8:45:44 GMT -5
@ pearldancer: It's really expensive over there too?
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Post by pearldancer on Apr 6, 2006 8:51:36 GMT -5
@ Rad .. . LOL
@ Murrin YUP. . . better now but I was paying around $50 each time durring all the hurricane stuff and for quite a while after. A lot of people who drive the biggest cars do not have the biggest pockets either so. .. like I said. . .the power of consumer choice is not to be underestimated.
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Post by muirrin on Apr 6, 2006 10:37:24 GMT -5
We were paying about $60/$70 a week with the station wagon... it's better now that we have the small are and are driving it more often, but it's still horrible here. Or maybe we're just used to cheap petrol, I dunno. Whatever it is, the fuel companies are making bucketloads and so I don't think anything will change around here for a while... more's the pity.
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Post by Uriah on Apr 6, 2006 20:38:16 GMT -5
When I first got my car it cost me about $15 US to fill my tank and now it takes $30 US. All of you should check out this site: www.wanttoknow.info/050711carmileageaveragempgDid you know that the Model T made by Ford in 1908 got 25 miles per gallon!? Did you know Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine first used peanut oil to run it!?, and that he invisioned the world driving vehicles powered by renewable vegetable oils!? Then someone came along and wanted to make a buck with their oil they couldn't use and invented a fuel and named it Diesel fuel. Sure fooled alot of people.
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Post by muirrin on Apr 7, 2006 1:33:53 GMT -5
Certainly fooled me!
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Post by radaeron on Apr 7, 2006 3:53:07 GMT -5
well i think brazil sorta does.. they run off of alcohol from sugar cane plants dont they?
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Post by pearldancer on Apr 7, 2006 5:13:14 GMT -5
yeah. . .ethenol is widely available there. There are things in the works now to do the same with corn here in the states.
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Post by radaeron on Apr 7, 2006 5:54:57 GMT -5
Ethanol, thats the one!
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Post by Uriah on Apr 7, 2006 12:55:08 GMT -5
I live in Iowa and it is pretty much the corn capital of the world. We already have a few ethanol plants set up and several in production. It is my state governments goal to make Iowa an energy capital based on ethanol and wind power.
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