[Vwdiesel] Those anti-SUV ads

[dennis pantazis]

> > alternative fuel front:
> > ethanol has stalled: hasn;t caught on, alcohols are environmentaly
> > dangerous.
>

i may have misunderstood, but he seemed to emphasise the environmental
hazards of alcohols getting into the water supplies as one of the main
issues. i honestly do not know what effects there are. you seem to have a
better understanding on this than i do.

>
> > few states still have 10% ethanol blends <mostly midwestern agg
> > states?>
> >
>
>    What are other states blending it at? Since MTBE is being
> outlawed, what else
> have they got besides ethanol?
>
i think that ehtanol is it. i undestood him to mean that not all states
currently have ethanol in their fuels.
i know from driving around the midwest (il, in, ia, wi) that its normal to
get 10%. out east (ny, ct, nj) i did not notice the ethanol labels on the
gas pumps, which i thought was odd.

as far as fuel cells go, i agree that the whole industry is bass ackwards on
it. i think that limit is hydrogen which depends on electrolysis. improving
electical transmission is an important key to it. time will tell.

i think that eisenstein's overall point however is that there ARE current
technologies that are infinitley better than the status quo and do offer
better fuel economy and reduced emissions. all the auto industry has to do
is provide the product and market it effectively and we the consumers will
buy it. honda and toyota proved that it is possible and there is a market
for it. i think towards the end the point was made that we the consumers
will ask for green vehicles, all they have to do is make it affordable. the
majority will not buy something that is better for the environment if it
costs more and the cost of ownership is higher than the status quo.

it also reminded me of one of bucky fuller's ideas that to ensure recycling,
the automakers should long term lease the vehicles, like for 15-20 years,
and then dismantle/recycle them. interesting idea from 20 years ago. we are
seeing a similar idea with the fuel cell chasis < gm?> that offered modular
bodies to be grafted onto the chasis as user's needs changes.

dennis