Practical Environmentalist

CHEVROLET

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Here is GM’s answer to the Toyota Prius, which leads the way in mid-size hybrid sedans. Power in the Chevy Malibu hybrid is generated by the GM Hybrid Propulsion Electric System, combined with the ECOTEC 2.4L 4-cylinder hybrid engine. Critics say the mileage it gets is not much more than the gasoline version but auto buyers really like its styling and the fact that low emission reduce the carbon footprint. It’s affordable and at least now there is a hybrid Chevy sedan out there….even if Bluetooth doesn’t come as standard! GM has done a lot to make an attractive family/commuter car, and this translated into brisk sales in 2007/8, with further refinements in the 2009 edition. The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is an automatic, 4-speed FWD family car with with overdrive.

Gas mileage: 26 mpg City / 34 mpg Hwy

Emissions: PZEV

GM webpage

2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

This is a no-frills hybrid SUV (the frills come as optional extras and for those you will have to pay dearly). It’s a nicely styled 4-door vehicle with a comfortable interior seating eight. The Chevy Tahoe hybrid powered by a 6.0L 8 cylinder gas/electric drivetrain, offering solid capability and efficiency. It’s a basic automatic 4 Speed with overdrive. You can get it in 4WD or 2WD. Chevy’s hybrid SUV has not exactly taken the market by storm, but at least Chev now has a hybrid SUV option.

Gas mileage: 21 mpg / 22 mpg
Emissions: No data

GM webpage

CHRYSLER

2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid SUV

Fans are saying this Hemi-powered vehicle 5.7 liter SUV is an incredible vehicle with bundles of built-in features. Definitely a huge improvement on the 2008 model, they say. The new hybrid offers Hemi V8 power with V6-like fuel efficency. Unfortunately, all that hybrid hardware pushes the Aspen’s price up by $3,000 over the similarly equipped non-hybrid model. But the naysayers are saying that this is a rough diamond, that there are better, quicker HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) SUV’s out there with more for less……unless you need to tow a boat, in which case this is the perfect workhorse.

Mileage: 19 mpg / 20 mpg

Emissions: No data

Chrysler webpage

DODGE

2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid SUV

The 2009 Durango Hybrid is anything an SUV-lover wants it to be. It’s big on comfort and features,and delivered on the HEV promise. The two-mode system integrates a hybrid-electric drive system – which reduces fuel consumption dramatically when town driving – with the brute power of a 5.7L Hemi V8 for towing and highway driving. It’s a pretty-to-look-at, comfortable 4 door, and fun to drive, with the vehicle switching between electric motor and Hemi mode seamlessly. When you need the power (pulling a trailer, driving steep gradients, passing other cars) it’s there, and when you need to cruise and save fuel it switches over to the electric motor undetected. It gives a whole new meaning to “automatic”.

Mileage: 19 mpg / 20 mpg

Emissions: No data

Dodge webpage

Ford webpage

Kelley Blue Book

FORD

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV

Ford was the first to combine SUV flexibility with outstanding fuel economy and limited carbon footprint of a full hybrid. The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV meets the strick Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV II) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards. The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV is a 4 cylinder, 2.5 Liter automatic, CVT, available in 2WD and 4WD. It has a highly competitively-priced Base option (no frills) or a Limited option (with frills). There is terrific range of optional features available, ranging from Sirius Satellite radio to a voice-activated navigation system. Ford has really put itself out to set the benchmark against which toerh hybrid SUV makers should aspire.

Mileage: 34 mpg city / 31 mpg highway

Emissions: No data

GMC

2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV

An earthy-looki V8, 6.0 Liter Hybrid from GMC, available in RWD and 4WD. The GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV is not going to win any beauty competitions and it comes with quite a hefty price sticker too. But this is a powerful, no-nonsense machine without pretentions. It seats eight passengers and combines considerable fuel economy with the towing capacity of a traditional SUV. Please note thought that critics are saying folks would be better served by any of GM’s full-size crossovers that are nearly as efficient and much less pricey.

Mileage: 21 mpg City / 22 mpg Hwy

Emissions: No data

GMC webpage

HONDA

2009 Honda Civic Hybrid Sedan

Here is Honda’s answer to the Toyota Prius, the leading commuter sedan on the US market today. It does not offer the lowest price in the range (far from it) but the features are good and it really is an effective 1.3 Liter, 4 cylinder, FWD hybrid. The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid employs a small gasoline engine assisted by an electric motor that can, under certain low-speed situations, become the car’s sole powerplant. It certainly delivers extremely frugal city and highway fuel economy compared to its gasoline counterpart, while producing minimal greenhouse emissions. Unlike the Toyota Prius, which assumes a functional but futuristic appearance, the Civic Hybrid closely mirrors the popular Civic Sedan, with only a couple of minor exterior and interior variations that differentiate the two cars.

Mileage: 40 mpg city / 45 mpg highway

Emissions: No data

Honda webpage

LEXUS

2009 Lexus GS 450h
Lexus has done everything its power to bring luxury to the midsize hybrid sedan market. Motorists rave about the 2009 Lexus GS 450h, because they can forget they are in a hybrid. This model offers power, comfort and the knowledge that it is helping the environment to drive it. One minor anomaly is that it takes premium gas, but the positives evidently outweigh the negatives here. It’s a 4 door, RWD vehicle powered by a V6 motor (3.5 L). The hybrid delivers 292 HP. It is manufactured and assembled in Japan.

Mileage: 22 mpg city, 25 mpg hwy

Emissions: No data

Lexus webpage

2009 Lexus LS 600h

Japan has done it with the 2009 Lexus LS 600h - produced a luxury hybrid that rides as well as the best comparable Beemers and Mercs. This is a step up on the other 2009 Lexus hybrid, namely the GS 450h, because it offers masses more power and an 8 speed gearbox with overdrive. Power is the watchword here, with V8, 5.0 L engine coming and standard. It costs a pretty penny, but then the value is extraordinary. This is my choice for a large car test drive in the hybrid market.

Mileage: 20 mpg city / 22 mpg highway

Emissions: No data

Lexus webpage

MAZDA

2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid SUV

Mazda has put all its hybrid eggs into this neat SUV with four variations: Touring AWD and FWD, and Grand Touring AWD and FWD. In true Mazda style this appears to be reliable, decent vehicle with all the important specs. very practical and bound to make many folk happy. It has a competitive price tag and neutral good looks. It boasts a 2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid drivetrain and great color options in organic green, blue, gray and silver. Technically speaking, hybrid-wise, it is simple and innovative: The Tribute HEV, with the modified MZR gasoline engine, has been optimized to run on the Atkinson combustion cycle. The Atkinson cycle modifies the timing of the closing of the valves, letting the engine realize more efficiency. At the time of writing the 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid SUV had just had a limited launch in California — just 300 off the production line. Kelley Blue Book had not even listed it yet. The jury is still out on performance and impact, but this hybrid vehicle is undoubtedly long on great looks, specs and pedigree.

Mileage: 31 mpg city, 34 mpg hwy

Emissions: No Data

Mazda webpage

MERCURY

2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV
Mercury has made its mark with this vehicle in the crowded hybrid SUV market and has introduced a number of new features in 2009. With an additional 24 hp, the 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid does an excellent impression of a lively conventionally powered compact SUV with superb gas mileage. The new braking system gets mixed reviews, as does the relatively ponderous handling capabilities. And it’s also a pricey hybrid SUV option. But no one can argue with Mercury fans who would not dream of getting any other hybrid SUV. The 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV is available in 4WD and 2WD.

Mileage: 34 mpg city, 31 mpg hwy

Emissions: No data

Mercury webpage

NISSAN

2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid Sedan

Nissan has leapt into the market for midsize hybrid cars with this neat, well-priced vehicle that is short on frills but high on performance. The huge drawback of this car is that it is available in only eight states — those that have adopted California’s stringent emission standards. The Nissan Altima hybrid is bound to sell well where it can be bought. It’s not the most exquisite car around, but this 4WD car is perfect if you are a commuter who is serious about saving the planet, not spending a fortune on a runabout and yet you want spaciousness and power. The 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid Sedan features the 2.5L 4cyl gas/electric
hybrid CVT common to several vehicles in this hybrid class. Nissan opted to use Toyota’s hybrid technology for the Altima.

Mileage: 35 mpg city, 33 mpg hway

Emissions: No data

Nissan webpage

SATURN

2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid Sedan

This is Saturn’s great-looking midsize hybrid car model, yielding good mileage from a optimal 4 cylinder, 2.4 Liter drivetrain. Saturn was late to enter the hybrid sedan market. At the time of writing Edmunds did not yet have specs available on the Aura, let alone a review, and availability was limited. The power plant is a pretty standard GM type, with a 4 cylinder, 2.4 Liter power plant delivering 164 HP. But the attention to detail and Saturn’s distinctive emphasis on driver comfort and convenience makes this a real contender.The 2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid Sedan, with its reasonable price tag, is set to give popular midsize hybrids from Toyota, Chev, Honda and Lexus a run for their money.

Mileage: 26 mpg City / 34 mpg Hwy

Emissions: No data

Saturn webpage

2009 Saturn VUE Hybrid SUV
As is usual for the Saturn marque, GM includes nearly all options on the hybrid model including sunroof and leather seats. This is a super-looking car and a comfortable ride. It plugs right into the American SUV psyche and delivers on its promises. Power from the 2.4L 4 cylinder engine is fine for everyday driving and results in excellent gas mileage you would expect of a successful hybrid SUV. The agressive styling including 17″ chrome alloy rims and great lines. The styling inside is sharp too. It’s too soon to say (it was first launched in 2008) whether this model is going to capture a significant share of the hybrid SUV market.

Mileage: 25 mpg / 32 mpg

Emissions: No data

Saturn webpage

TOYOTA

2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid Sedan

The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid’s compelling duo of superior fuel economy and comfortable sedan attributes makes it a top choice for a midsize hybrid car. This is arguably the most fuel-efficient family sedan available, with a roomy interior and stronger acceleration than most regular four-cylinder sedans. This is a successful hybrid configuration: FWD, 4 cylinder, 2.4 Liter, Automatic, CVT. The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid sees no major changes from 2008 model. Beyond its powertrain and the eerie quiet that goes with its electric operation, the hybrid is virtually indistinguishable from a regular Camry. Actually the eerie quiet referred to here some drivers actually find disturbing. One does not expect a car to be dead silent at the traffic lights! But never fear, when quick acceleration is needed the Camry Hybrid delivers.

Mileage: 33 mpg city, 34 mpg hwy

Emissions: No data

Toyota webpage

2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid

This is the hybrid that really put midsize hybrid sedans on the map. It’s new age, simple and fun to drive. Drivers just love the button start, called the Smart Key System. No fumbling for keys. Just walk up, get in, and drive off! It’s powered by a 110 HP motor, 4 cylinders, 1.5 Liters. The gas savings are incredible and the emission levels are low, low, low. There are Standard, Base (hatchbacks) and Touring versions for every pocket and persuasion. Toyota is planning to launch the “third generation” of Prius Hybrids soon. This is definitely my choice of midsize hybrids for a test drive.

Mileage: 48 mpg city, 45 mpg hwy

Emissions: No data

Toyota Prius webpage

2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV

Just as Toyota defined the midsize hybrid sedan with the Prius, Toyota has pretty much sewn up the SUV hybrid market with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. There are two version: Hybrid and Limited Hybrid versions depending on your power preferences. The 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV offers comfort (some are calling it a Camry in an SUV) and terrific mileage for a vehicle this size. Fans are also saying GM and Ford are light years behind Toyota Hybrid SUV technology. Powered by a V6 engine, 3.3 Liter with automatic transmission and CVT, this is a 4W SUV that makes your mouth water. Like the Toyota Prius and Toyota Camry hybrids, this ride is quiet on the highway, handles flawlessly and has all the gadgets you could want. This is my top choice for a hybrid SUV test drive. I’ll have to hurry. These beauties are in demand….

Mileage: 27 mpg city / 25 mpg hwy

Emissions: No data

Toyota webpage

Some of our readers are critical of hybrids and prefer high mileage diesel cars instead. If that’s you, then don’t miss our 2009 Diesel Car Roundup.

Can lighting a match help the environment?

george — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:43:44 +0000

Photo courtesy of green lit at Flickr.com.

Even if you have a high-tech, earth friendly toilet, how many times have you heard someone say “Light a candle” after you use the bathroom? Not only does lighting a candle reduce the unpleasant smell, but it also burns up a lot of stinky hydrogen sulfide as well as odorless methane gas.

Methane is the second worst gas causing climate change, responsible for climate change, and it has a much stronger heat trapping effect than CO2:

Molecule for molecule, methane gas is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a warming agent. However, since methane doesn’t stay in the atmosphere as long - around 12 years, on average, compared to a hundred years for CO2 - and human activities do not produce all that much of it, concerns about climate change have mostly been focused on carbon dioxide. The one big worry was that warmer temperatures might cause massive releases of methane from natural sources.

Burning up the stink not only reduces the greenhouse effect but it can also reduce some friction in your household. That said, be careful with matches. Don’t burn a candle if your bathroom always smells funky - that could be a sign that explosive sewer gas is leaking into your house from the pipes. Also, don’t spray any deodorant before lighting that match. No one wants to find out the hard way that fire and aerosol cans are an explosive mix.

Photo courtesy of Poet for Life at Flickr.com.

News that has nothing to do with Election 2008

george — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:42:17 +0000

Photo courtesy of ecupaintingguild at Flickr.com.

With all the news coverage focused on the election, there are a lot of important and/or awesome things that have escaped attention. Here’s a quick overview of environmental news that’s worth following:

First off, it’s common to get a craving for pumpkin pie around this time every year. But it would take hundreds of people to eat a pie made from this enormous 1,900 lb pumpkin. This behemoth is expected to set a new record for giant pumpkins (a record that has grown bigger every year in recent memory). Maybe this is the monster that Charlie Brown’s been waiting for.

I’m sure that pumpkin wasn’t grown naturally, but no one tried to stick an organic label on it at the store. On the other hand, some businesses have been caught making false environmental claims to sell their products. It can be challenging to tell greenwashed products apart from their legitimate green competitors, but one way to make informed choices is to research the companies involved. Many large companies now publish yearly ‘Corporate Sustainability Reports’ that describe their environmental track record. Corporations are also assigning a dedicated board member to oversee environmental performance. Many of the pro-environment changes that companies are adopting also contribute to the bottom line, and make great economic sense while money is in short supply.

On a related note, the credit crunch is slowing down plans to build new wind farms. Even though wind power accounted for about a third of all new power capacity built last year, the credit climate is making it really hard to line up investors. Wind energy is also running into some problems of scale. Windy days in Washington state are causing salmon deaths in a weird series of unintended consequences. As the wind picks up, wind turbines generate more and more electricity. The excess electricity floods the transmission lines, and automatic controls kick in to shutdown other sources of power. In some cases, this causes hydroelectric dams to idle their turbines and dump water over spillways. If only there was an efficient interstate transmission system, or a better way to store electricity, this whole chain of events could be avoided.

But what if we lived in a world without any need for a power grid? Bloom Technologies is trying to create a lower pollution future based on efficiencies of micro-scale. With small fuel cells, the company hopes to eliminate power loss from transmission lines and bring electricity to the third world. As a bonus, they are designing fuel cells that produce hydrogen as a byproduct - that waste gas could be used to warm homes and fuel vehicles.

Whether cars burn hydrogen or gasoline, tailpipe emissions are pretty much inevitable. This waste product has something that is surprisingly useful though - untapped energy in the form of heat. Researchers are developing new thermoelectric systems that can harvest electricity from tailpipe emissions. If they can keep cost and weight to a minimum, these devices will likely be incorporated into a wide range of hybrid vehicles to boost mileage. The energy recovery isn’t 100 percent, but it can really add up to a serious boost in efficiency:

GM researcher Jihui Yang said a metal-plated device that surrounds an exhaust pipe could increase fuel economy in a Chevrolet Suburban by about 5 percent, a 1-mile-per-gallon improvement that would be even greater in a smaller vehicle.

Photo courtesy of fensterbme at Flickr.com.

Bottle caps and recycling - are they recyclable?

george — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:12:59 +0000

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Brooks at Flickr.com.

Bottle caps are surprisingly difficult to recycle. Many curbside recycling programs ask that you remove any lids or caps from bottles. For one thing, this allows the bottles to dry out (reducing transportation costs by reducing weight). Also, open bottles are easier to crush and bale. And some recycling machines are easily jammed by plastic shards and tiny lids.

Most importantly, plastic bottle caps are often made from a different type of plastic from the bottles they’re attached to. Soda bottles are generally made from Type 1 Plastic (Polyethylene Terephthalate) while bottle caps are made from Type 5 Plastic (Polypropylene). These different types of plastic have to be recycled separately. If the bottle and the cap were recycled in the same batch of plastic, the two different plastics would melt unevenly and the whole batch would be ruined.

For this reason, bottle caps are often removed at the recycling facility. People are paid to hand sort the recyclables and remove unwanted trash. Contamination of recycling bins with garbage is a huge problem. Mixing the wrong kinds of plastic with recycling significantly increases the cost of recycling because when workers hand sort the entire bin it slows down the process and increases the cost to such a degree that it’s cheaper for most recycling organizations to simply toss the entire bin as waste material.

But what about metal bottle caps? These are often made of steel, with an attached plastic seal. This mix of plastic and metal isn’t universally recycled, so the first thing you should consider is re-using the bottle caps for homebrewing. This will keep the bottlecaps out of the waste stream for a few more uses (without any energy used to melt and reform the metal) and it can also save you a few bucks (each re-used bottle cap will save 2-3 cents). Just make sure to boil the caps between uses, and don’t re-use lids that are wearing out.

Photo courtesy of jnhkrawczyk at Flickr.com.

Steel bottle caps can also be made into other things. They make interesting artistic crafts, such as bottle cap jewelry, checkers, or paint mixers. There’s even a company that sells fishing lures made from bottle caps.

If your recycling center can process metal bottle caps, all you have to do is put loose caps in the recycling bin. Before you recycle your bottle caps, check with your local recycling program to see if they accept bottle caps. Many programs sort steel bottle caps using magnets. If the recycling center in your town is unable to process the bottle caps, you can also check and see if neighboring towns are equipped rather than throwing them away.

Whether you’re using steel or plastic bottle caps,

…the best way to reduce all kinds of container and cap recycling is to buy in large rather than single-serving containers. Does the event you’re holding really require dozens and dozens of 8- to 16-ounce soda and water bottles, many of which will get left behind only partly consumed anyway? Why not buy large soda bottles, provide pitchers of (tap) water and let people pour into re-usable cups?

Photo courtesy of alexdresko at Flickr.com.

Are you a cheapskate? Living green can be thrifty too!

george — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:12:13 +0000

Photo courtesy of **CRT** at Flickr.com.

Around the country, times are tough. The US economy is losing more jobs than it’s creating, and retail sales are down sharply from last year. There’s been a run on piggy banks and belts are getting tight. If you’re looking for ways to be frugal without sacrificing hard earned comfort, here are a couple of ways to help the earth while trimming your budget at the same time:

Photo courtesy of debaird at Flickr.com.

1) Shop local!

Have you ever looked at the labels in your pantry and tried to figure out where your groceries came from? With high gas prices, we’re starting to see transport costs reflected in the cost of food. Vegetables that travel across the country (or across the planet) often cost far more than local produce, and that cost reflects the carbon footprint of transporting the goods. If you drink less Fiji water and eat fewer bars of Belgian chocolate, you can save some serious green. Local foods are often fresher, free of dangerous pesticides, and more connected to our roots. As a bonus, local foods are often grown by our friends and neighbors, so buying local helps build community and food independence.

Photo courtesy of ResQdog51 at Flickr.com.

2) Shop at salvage stores

Did you know that stores throw out millions of pounds of food, cleaning supplies, and seasonal items every year? When a can gets bent or a product is discontinued, grocery stores often take these ‘less desirable’ items off of their shelf to make room. While some of these supplies really are junk, there are times where the blemishes are purely cosmetic.

Surplus items often end up at charity or salvage stores where you can get amazing deals. When was the last time you went to a Goodwill, Salvation Army, Dollar Store, or other business with a grocery list in hand? You my be surprised by the savings - imagine paying 5 cents for a family sized can of soup where the only problem is a torn label, or $5 for a new and unused cooking pan that someone got for their birthday. Just keep an eye out for your own safety - there’s no law against selling expired foods, and if cans are crushed enough that the metal comes in contact with other metal, that can pose a health risk.

Photo courtesy of donkeycart at Flickr.com.

3) Re-use items to get the most life out of them

Before you throw something into the recycle bin, have you tried thinking outside of the box? For example, plastic bottles can easily be turned into bird feeders, and you can cut down on ziplock bags by reusing airtight food containers. Just because a manufacturer claims that an item is single use, that doesn’t mean it should be thrown away. Some common items that can be used more than once include dryer sheets, rubber bands, shoe laces (when you throw out one pair of shoes, save the laces!), and even car oil!

Try finding new uses for packaging and other trash. Popsicle sticks are great for craft projects, and twist-ties from bread bags are a great way to organize your computer cables. Those junk mail envelopes can be saved from the trash too - just put a label over the barcodes and you’ll never have to buy letter envelopes again!

Photo courtesy of susiepie at Flickr.com.

Can water hogs be shamed into changing their ways?

george — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:10:55 +0000

Photo courtesy of Pixel&Fork27 at Flickr.com.

A man in Georgia was recently called out on news shows around the country for being the biggest water hog in his county. News vans parked in his driveway, his behavior caused the city to introduce new rates for excessive use, and Chris G. Carlos was too embarrassed to even step outside. Many of his neighbors were interviewed for their opinion about watering a palatial lawn and running fountains during the worst drought Atlanta has seen in recent memory:

“I think it’s absurd, I really do,” said Ken Scott. Scott lives across the street from 4151 Thunderbird Drive. It’s a single home that uses as much water as a 60 home subdivision. “With all the pressure on everybody not to use water and to conserve…I think it’s ridiculous,” said Scott.

The good news? Public shaming apparently works! The water hog hired a PR company to tell the world that he’s changing his ways. That’s what you do when you’re rich and really make a mess - you hire a professional to apologize for you.

This begs the question - can public shaming be used to change other people’s wasteful habits? Many cities cite businesses and homeowners for wasting water (Las Vegas even has a dedicated water police force). What if the database of offenders was published online, for everyone to see?

Many celebrities are also guilty. Would fans still buy merchandise if they knew the extent of water wasted by Celine Dion and Tiger Woods?

The Palm Beach Post did a study of local water usage and found Celine Dion’s 5.7 acres in Jupiter, Florida, used about 6.5 million gallons of water in a year. That’s more than 250 times the amount of water the average resident uses, or equivalent to filling a 50-gallon bathtub every four minutes.

The reputation of public figures is essential for selling their “product”. Even a hint of scandal can undermine sponsorship deals or delay financing for tours. So, it doesn’t require a country club membership or private audience to gain leverage over most celebrities. We ask performers to be our role models, and many of them may not even know that they’re wasting water on a flood-like scale.

When Kathie Lee Gifford was interviewed about sweatshop conditions among the workers who made her branded clothes, she probably had no idea about the true situation. But, the scandalous news coverage quickly changed her business habits and also made Americans more aware of worldwide labor conditions. Perhaps a frank discussion about the bad habits of water hogs can encourage all of our neighbors to adopt water saving devices and get runoff out of the streets.

And don’t forget Lance Armstrong, who used the most water of any individual home in Austin, Texas! Five gallons a minute, anyone?

“I need to fix this,” Armstrong said. “To use that much more water (than most residents) is unacceptable. I have no interest in being the top water user in Austin, Texas.”

Photo courtesy of 89AKurt at Flickr.com.

Links, links, green links. Get them while they’re hot!

george — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:49:38 +0000

Photo courtesy of A. Kotula at Flickr.com.

Here at the Practical Environmentalist, we’re green news junkies. We keep an eagle eye out for the latest science, social, and environmental developments and try to sum up the big picture here. This week, a lot of exciting things are going on.

Discarded fishing gear is a major problem in the ocean. Lost nets and traps can get tangled with animals, catch boat propellers, and damage fragile coral reefs. Covanta Energy is doing something interesting - they’re offering a free waste disposal service that converts marine waste into electricity by incinerating it and filtering the emissions. The Fishing for Energy program is about to get a windfall too - thousands of yards of fishing line are about to become obsolete due to new laws about floating rigs. Instead of paying disposal fees, many fisherman were expected to dump the line overboard. Now, that rope can be used to reduce the amount of coal and natural gas burned in 2009:

Derelict fishing equipment can threaten marine life, impair navigational safety, and have serious economic repercussions on shipping and coastal communities. Since the program was launched in February, more than 80,000 pounds of fishing nets, trawl gear, crab pots, and fishing line have been collected and converted into energy.

Speaking of the ocean, new studies have shown that methane gas trapped under the ice caps is escaping. As glaciers recede, this greenhouse gas is accelerating the melting process. Since methane has more than 20 times the heat trapping powers of carbon dioxide and the amount of methane involved is enormous, this could have serious climate effects.

Since the news lately has been a bit dark and scary, it’s important to focus on some of the amazing things that are also going on. For instance, have you seen what kids these days are up to? What were you doing when you were 12? This kid won a prize for designing next generation solar cells. That certainly trumps the tree house I built back in the 90’s.

There are also some exciting things happening in our neighbors yards. Believe it or not - it’s possible to grow more than 10,000 tomatoes in a typical yard. Wouldn’t you get tired of eating tomatoes after about the 5,000th one? And, the next time you’re mowing grass or digging holes for new landscaping - keep an eye out for Paleo-Indian artifacts. That, and buried pirate treasure.

Ever hear the adage “Everything that’s old is new again”? Companies catering to green tourists are using this truth to their advantage, with a rise in carbon neutral activities such as geothermal steam cog railroad trips, sky trams powered by water pressure, bookings on river steamboats, and even horse riding tours! Although, if you’ve ever been on the south bound end of a north bound horse, you know that carbon emissions aren’t the only thing there is to worry about.

Photo courtesy of yourpicturesarejon at Flickr.com.

Queen of England plans array of offshore wind turbines, including biggest turbine ever built

george — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:08:57 +0000

Photo courtesy of ceebee23 at Flickr.com.

The Queen of England once enjoyed direct rule over 2/3 of the earth’s surface. Her personal authority is a bit less these days, but she still has control over the territorial waters of Great Britain. And, with the backing of the Crown Estate, Queen Elizabeth II can afford to do some really impressive things in her domain. Like building an array of offshore windmills, including the biggest individual windmill in the world.

Her Majesty’s windmill will produce 7.5 megawatts, which is more than twice as much as the previous record holder (GE’s 3.6 MW Offshore Turbine). The company that’s producing the turbine is Clipper Windpower, based in California. They have a proven history building monster wind turbines - including the largest turbine built in the US: the 2.5 MW Liberty Turbine. Details are still being worked out about where the giant wind turbine will be produced, and how it will be shipped to England.

The average British person uses 10-15 kilowatts per day (half of the average American energy consumption), which means that on a windy day this monster turbine will meet the needs of roughly 500-750 people. And the British Crown plans to build multiple turbines, all far out to sea. Many will be invisible to people on land, but the biggest windmill in the world will be nearly 600 feet tall and should be visible for about 18-19 miles.

Photo courtesy of yakkerDK at Flickr.com.

Is there a green lining to the economic bailout package?

george — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:43:36 +0000

Photo courtesy of Gemma Kate Thorpe at Flickr.com.

The $700 Billion bailout bill has stirred up mixed emotions. On one hand, relieved sighs have been heard from Wall Street, but many people are spitting mad. In the aftermath of the bill’s passage, some key sections of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 have been overshadowed by chaos in the stock market.

From an environmental standpoint, the biggest news is that the bail out bill renews the tax credits for alternative energy. After the bailout bill was defeated, language from the recently defeated Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 was added to the second version. It provides tax credits for wind, solar, fuel cell, micro turbines, co-generation, and geothermal systems and the benefits have been extended as far as January 1, 2017. Also, tax incentives were added for “marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy” (new technologies that capture energy from waves and tidal forces).

The bill contains a few other surprises. The ceilings were raised on just about every type of tax credit. For instance, the maximum incentive for fuel cells was raised from $500 to $1,500. Wind turbines that produce less than 100 kW are now eligible for up to $4,000 of credit (that means projects up to $13,333 are eligible for a full 30% tax credit). Heat pumps qualify for up to $2,000 of credit. And solar panels now have an unlimited credit. Here’s a concise summary of the new tax benefits and other impacts.

Also of interest - the Emergency Economic Stabilization Bill allows for up to $800,000,000 of Renewable Energy Bonds, with those bonds split between public energy providers, government bodies, and private energy providers. There are also tax breaks offered for “clean” coal, coal liquefication (for use as a gasoline substitute) and coal gasification (a process that improves burn efficiency within coal turbines). One of the biggest surprises is that the bill now rewards power companies and steel producers for capturing carbon emissions. There’s a requirement that 65-70% of carbon dioxide produced from coal must be captured and sequestered to receive credit, and the projects that sequester carbon better than their competitors are given the highest funding priority.

That’s right - the benefits offered to coal producers and consumers come with strings attached. The bill even gives a tax credit for carbon sequestering! From page 175 of the 451 page bill:

‘‘SEC. 45Q. CREDIT FOR CARBON DIOXIDE SEQUESTRATION.
(a) GENERAL RULE.—For purposes of section 38, the carbon dioxide sequestration credit for any taxable
year is an amount equal to the sum of—
(1) $20 per metric ton of qualified carbon dioxide which is—
(A) captured by the taxpayer at a qualified facility, and
(B) disposed of by the taxpayer in secure geological storage, and
(2) $10 per metric ton of qualified carbon doxide which is-
(A) captured by the taxpayer at a qualified facility, and
(B) used by the taxpayer as a tertiary injectant in a qualified enhanced oil or natural gas recovery project.

Since many oil companies are injecting CO2 into the ground already to boost production, it’s questionable whether the second half of this carbon credit will create any new benefits to the environment. There is also some concern that carbon dioxide injected into the ground can increase the acidity of groundwater and escape over time. But, if you have any great ideas about how to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, now is the time to put them into practice. It may be a bit tricky to get financing though - despite the passage of the alternative energy friendly bill, many green companies are having trouble securing financing and now might not be the best time for an IPO.

Photo courtesy of Gemma Kate Thorpe’s at Flickr.com.

Overview of 2009 diesel cars

Lars — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:07:26 +0000

While the rest of the world is crazy about diesel technology for its fuel efficiency, the US’s stringent emission regulations introduced in 2008 are preventing several otherwise great diesel cars from being marketed in this country.

Diesel cars typically have higher exhaust levels of nitrogen oxide than gasoline cars. Automakers cite the high cost of developing an engine clean enough to meet the US standards. Understandably, this has made a lot of them lukewarm about diesel engines as a solution for boosting fuel economy. That, along with the fact that diesel cars have never really been a mainstream choice here in the United States.

The fact is that you have to be a brave automaker even to consider manufacturing a diesel passenger car for marketing in the US. Until technology rises to meet the challenge, or until the regulations are relaxed (an unlikely scenario) in the US diesel engines are destined to power mainly pickups, buses and trucks.

Automakers also perceive the US market as being unfriendly to diesel for passenger cars – but that is largely based on diesels from the 1970s. The brave few automakers who have been selling diesel SUVs in the US have good reason to argue to the contrary. But 2009 sees some genuine diesel pioneering. Read on.

The following is a line-up of the few diesel-powered passenger cars that will be available in the US in the 2009 model year, and a few that aren’t available.

VOLKSWAGEN

Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Hands-down winner for courage and innovation is Volkswagen, set to be the only major automaker, and the first, to launch a genuine clean diesel passenger car in all 50 states in the US in 2009. This is the first diesel-powered passenger vehicle to meet the world’s most stringent emission control standards, California’s Tier II, Bin 5.

Clean diesel Jetta TDIs are powered by 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines that produce 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.

If you are in any doubt that this is a regular passenger car, rest assured it is as far removed from the old-style diesel cars (stinky, slow and loud) as it is possible for a car to be. The Jetta TDI’s clean diesel engine is the strong, silent type . Clean diesel engines get better mileage than their gasoline equivalents.

The Jetta TDI comes as a sedan or a wagon, both with 4-cylinder, 2.0 L engines. Estimated miles per gallon for both are 29 to 30 in the city and 40 to 41 on the highway, although buyers are reporting much higher real world mileage with better highway mileage than a Prius in some cases. More details here at Edmunds., or at the Volkswagen site.

Watch a Wall Street Journal video review of the Jetta TDI, or read the article. Popular Mechanics also has a great review.

And guess what! You can also get a $1,300 Federal Alternative Motor Vehicle tax credit for this car.

MERCEDES-BENZ

2009 - ML320 (5 passenger), GL320 (7 passenger), R320 (7 passenger)

Small diesel cars are outside the Mercedes-Benz realm it seems, with diesels of this marque still aimed at the SUV market. After a late release in 2008 of three diesel-powered SUVs, Mercedes-Benz has not gone much further with its diesel offering for 2009. However, they have made sure all these models are now emission-compliant in all 50 states – unlike 2008 when some key states, including California, were excluded. A urea injection known as AdBlue has made the difference.

The 2009 model SUVs, powered by BlueTEC (developed in conjunction with VW and Audi) clean diesel V6 engines (among the world’s most environmentally friendly) look elegant and fulfill the promise of Mercedes-Benz class and reliability.

With 23 MPG and a 600 mile range on a single tank of diesel, and advanced Mercedes-Benz diesel technology (remember, Mercedes- Benz has been involved in diesels since time immemorial) the BlueTec range could gain some traction high fuel price times. Here is the Edmunds take on the range. Watch a video about Mercedes diesel technology at the Wall Street Journal site.

Prefer to drive a Mercedes diesel car? Consider the highly refined and quite expensive 2009 Diesel E Class sedan. The BlueTec clean diesel design gets a respectable 23 MPG in the city, and 32 MPG on the highway and has a quick 0 to 60 time of just 6.6 seconds. Pretty impressive for a large, luxury sedan.

Read more at Edmunds, or on the Mercedes USA site.

AUDI

2009 Audi 3.0 liter V6 Q7 (7 passenger)

Without much fanfare, Audi has announced it will place a less powerful version of the powerful V12 Q7 SUV on the US market in the first quarter of the 2009. The Q7 3.0 liter V6 Q7 is the only Audi TDI that meets the stringent US emission guidelines set in 2008.

Although this particular model is about half the V12 version it still packs quite a punch. The 3.0-litre V6 TDI turbodiesel engine pumps out an estimable 224 horsepower and a stout 406 pound-feet of torque, starting at 1,750 rpm.

Audi is claiming 30 percent fuel savings against comparable gasoline-powered models, and also 25 mpg, and over 600 miles per tank. The Audi V6 Q7 has a cozy, well-appointed cabin where the engine’s drone is barely audible. It’s a big car, but the V6 is adequate to make quite nimble. Go to Edmunds for further details, though when I looked only the gasoline version was featured there.

BMW

BMW 118d (winner 2008 World Green Car award – not available in US)

BMW is taking the all-or-nothing approach to marketing diesel-powered passenger cars in the US. Apparently if it can’t make all models optional for gasoline or diesel, and if it can’t make its diesel models emission-compliant in all 50 states then, well, it won’t market any diesel passenger cars here at all.

BMW made noises about launching 3 and 5 series diesel models here in 2008, but nothing came of it and nothing is officially on the cards for 2009 either. That’s a real pity, because the BMW 118d shows that the US motorist is missing out on some great value. In the 118d, the engine makes 141 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, sending the car to 60 mph in about 8.8 seconds, returning 59 mpg on the highway and spewing only 118 grams of CO2 per kilometer into the atmosphere. (All stats from Europe.) Not bad at all. And it goes 700 miles on a single tank of diesel!

CADILLAC

2008 Cadillac CTS - GM’s Diesel V6 (marketed in Europe only - not available in the US)

The 2008 CTS turbodiesel was Cadillac’s 406-lb-ft guinea pig, marketed in Europe only. Despite announcements about making a diesel-powered CTS available in the US in 2009, no further announcements have been forthcoming from GM.

CHEVROLET, PONTIAC, BUICK

GM has never gotten over its belief that diesel engines are for trucks. A new technology mindset is needed to take their brands forward in the diesel market. Their experience with Cadillac (see above – they teamed up with Italy’s VM Motori for that) seems not to have inspired their confidence in passenger diesel car technology. So nothing new in the US diesel passenger car pipeline for these brands either.

CHRYSLER

While they offer diesel options in several of their trucks and SUV’s (notably the Grand Cherokee) they have no diesel cars in the 2009 lineup. It appears that Chrysler jumped onto the electric bandwagon instead. Let’s see if they really deliver by 2010!

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee

This Jeep diesel-powered SUV was first launched in 2008 in the US with a Mercedes 3-liter V6, which provides the best gas mileage of any current Grand Cherokee engine, complete with lots of torque. Expected in 2009 is a Cummins V6 turbodiesel, whose factory is still being built; this powerplant should be less expensive but just as durable as the Bosch/Mercedes version to be used until Cummins is ready. However, Jeep is saying very little about the 2009 model year diesel Grand Cherokee so don’t expect many advances from the 2008 version.

FORD

2009 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic

(sold in Europe only - not available in the US)

Yet another unattainable beauty!

As in 2008, not offering any diesel powered vehicles, other than trucks, in the US in 2009. Ironically, US auto giant Ford is marketing the super-efficient diesel Ford Fiesta ECOnetic — in Europe only.

It’s the 65 MPG Ford that Americans can’t buy.

HONDA / ACURA

There she goes — the new clean diesel Honda Accord that was never manufactured and never launched on the US market.

Honda is yet another automaker having trouble building a diesel engine that meets the high US emission regulations introduced in 2008. In 2006, at a press event held at its Tochigi technical center north of Tokyo, Honda announced plans to launch a diesel car in the US market by 2009. “The car, probably a Honda Accord, will be Tier 2 Bin 5 emission compliant, thus qualifying for sale in all 50 states,” said Honda. But it was not to be.

There were reports in 2007 of a diesel powered Honda being tested on US soil, and then nothing. Now there are rumors that Honda is planning to launch a diesel-powered Acura in the US in 2010.

Honda did show off its i-DTEC clean diesel engine technology at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, if you want to see what’s coming eventually.

Will they launch in 2010? And if so, will it be a Honda or an Acura model? Only Honda knows for sure.

TOYOTA

Toyota Avensis (not for sale in the US)

There has been speculation for at least three years that Toyota would launch a diesel passenger car in the US market — perhaps a version of the diesel powered Toyota Avensis that has delighted Europe.

No such luck.

There’s a rumor of a Toyota hybrid diesel subcompact car coming as soon as 2010, but it is doubtful that would make it to the US market the first year. The first Toyota diesel in the US will probably be a Tacoma or Tundra pickup.

NISSAN

Nissan Maxima Diesel V6 3.0 - not in 2009 but maybe in 2010?

Nissan is an automaker that is plainly uneasy about launching a diesel car on the US market. As early as 2007 it was making plans to launch the diesel Nissan Maxima in all 50 states in the US. Then it was going to be 2009, and now it’s planned for 2010. It has been touted around auto shows in the US to much oohing and aahing — but still no launch. Word has it that compliance issues have caused the delays. A familiar clean diesel refrain we hear from many automakers.

VOLVO

Volvo DRIVe diesels

Volvo has no plans to sell a diesel-powered passenger vehicle in the US anytime soon.

It’s the same old story: while Volvo expects to sell 20,000 units of the 2009 Volve DRIVe diesels in Europe in 2009, they are not compliant with our strict US emission regulations and so will not reach the United States.

CONCLUSION

So there you have it: a few pioneers, a few automakers stuck to diesel SUVs, a lot of promises and a lot of fence-sitting.

Maybe the 2009 VW Jetta TDI will finally persuade the US public and automakers that diesel-powered passenger vehicles can be an efficient, eco-friendly option that Americans will buy and drive.

Don’t forget that you can also find good background information with some of our previous posts like an Introduction to Biodiesel and our overview of 2008 diesel cars.

There’s also a great Diesel Center over at Edmunds.com.

Did we miss anything? What’s your favorite diesel?