Global Warming artical in Wheels April 07

[LTH-00L]

Not sure how many of you read wheels but I've got a subscribtion and came across a really interesting article about global warming. It suggests that four-wheelers are not the great polluters you might think.

A few key points:-
-Passenger cars emit just 7% of Australia's total greenhouse emmissions.
-In Aus cows & sheep fart almost 60% more greenhouse gasses than passenger cars. This despite the the drought and the massive decline in livestock numbers over the past 15 years.
-Nationally, de-forrestation releases more carbon dioxide into the air than cars. Almost 30% more.
-Electricity generation accounts for more than one third of Australia's total greenhouse gas emmissions. 195.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Here are Australia's CO2 emissions for 2004:-
-Metal Production 14.7 Million tonnes
-Coal Mining 21.3 Million Tonnes
-Passenger cars 41.7 Million Tonnes
-De-forrestation 53.3 Million Tonnes
-Livestock 65 Million Tonnes
-Electricity generation 195.2 Million Tonnes

I found this really interesting... They also had some really good scenarios as to how you could help reduce emmissions. (one which included a VZ SS and compared it to a Toyota Prius) I can't be bothered typing up that whole scenario. :serenade: I've got a scanner but don't know how to post images. If anyone's interested and knows how to post images, let me know and i'll send it to you.

[vess]

would like to see the comparison on the echo V SS.... I can only guess the SS got a sledging?

[TigerMon]

Yes well they included the cost of producing the prius, which is about 6 tonnes of CO2, but did not include the cost of producing the SS or anything else for that matter! :rolleyes: Then compare this to converting to a renewable energy supplier. So with the cost of producing the prius and the average CO2 output of 2 tonnes for 20,000 kms (1/3 that of the SS), they say to convert to a renewable energy supplier. (exactly what you want to hear)

If the energy supplier is carbon-neutral you'll save about 7 tonnes of CO2. But if you did that and drove a prius as well, you'd save another 4 tonnes over the SS. A total CO2 reduction of 11 tonnes. If you drove the SS and did nothing about your power you'd produce about 13 tonnes of CO2 a year, average (20,000 kms).

Nice to have a V8 definitely, but not the best choice for the environment.

More crap science :teach:

[Marco]

Or you could do what I'm about to do, which is to sign your SS up with Greenfleet. I've calculated that for $62 a year, they'll go and plant enough trees on my behalf to soak up my CO2 emissions. Think of it as a basic form of carbon trading.

I'll get around to changing all the lightbulbs soon too, and look into green power while I'm at it.

[vess]

Greenfleet is the way to go, I'm in it and I do believe that it should really be made compulsory, say along with your rego - really this is where the government should subsidise some of the cost to the end user with it. End Rant!

It's good to know that you can flog around the biggest motor in a holden and stay somewhat environmental conscious.

[LTH-00L]

Yes well they included the cost of producing the prius, which is about 6 tonnes of CO2, but did not include the cost of producing the SS or anything else for that matter! :rolleyes: Then compare this to converting to a renewable energy supplier. So with the cost of producing the prius and the average CO2 output of 2 tonnes for 20,000 kms (1/3 that of the SS), they say to convert to a renewable energy supplier. (exactly what you want to hear)

If the energy supplier is carbon-neutral you'll save about 7 tonnes of CO2. But if you did that and drove a prius as well, you'd save another 4 tonnes over the SS. A total CO2 reduction of 11 tonnes. If you drove the SS and did nothing about your power you'd produce about 13 tonnes of CO2 a year, average (20,000 kms).

Nice to have a V8 definitely, but not the best choice for the environment.

More crap science :teach:

Yes you're right but there are a couple of factors in the SS's favour here.

-More SS's are made than Prius's on the production line which means it's more efficient to make SS's. (You could make more SS's for the same CO2 emissions than fewer Prius's).
-More CO2 emissions are pumped into the atmosphere making a Hybrid car than a normal petrol engine car due to the necessarry production of the Battery cells...
-Further to this, what happeneds to the battery cells once they go cupoot??? Landfill??

I'm not running to buy a Hybrid car. I don't think they're the way of the future... The future will see us using alternative fuels rather than electric cars.. Fuels like Methanol which emmits only water vapour. We just need to wait for the Oil to run out first cos the oil companies won't let it happen till then.

[TigerMon]

I'm not running to buy a Hybrid car. I don't think they're the way of the future... The future will see us using alternative fuels rather than electric cars.. Fuels like Methanol which emmits only water vapour. We just need to wait for the Oil to run out first cos the oil companies won't let it happen till then.

So what we need to do is consume the oil as quick as possible to force the change to clean fuels = at least 6 ltr V8 :yahoo:

[LTH-00L]

So what we need to do is consume the oil as quick as possible to force the change to clean fuels = at least 6 ltr V8 :yahoo:

I like your thinking!!! :thumbsup: