Steve

NO

Humans are responsible for 3% of the C02 in the atmosphere and globally cars are responsible for 1% of the human output.

So we are contributing to 1% of 3% which in my book is bugger all, nada, nothing.

At the momemt i have a Ml420cdi (V8) i just got my C55 on friday (V8) and i stll have a C32 (V6 supercharger)

Does it matter what we drive?? really does it when china is producing 1 new coal fired powerstation every week?? also how do we stop 1billion chinese wanting a fridge??? same goes for India??

So i definatly dont feel guilty at all its just a BIG scam to tax us more.

modena_360stradale

Hah! As they say "pwned".

Guilty? A bit at times. I don't like taking unnecessary trips, flooring it needlessly or tooling around town because I have nothing better to do.

Why? Because the simple fact of the matter is every gallon of gas you use is a gallon of gas less left on this earth.

If environmentalists want to persuade anyone of their position, they should adopt that line and stop arguing the most contentious points they can find (cars, lightbulbs, grocery bags, etc.)

modena_360stradale

And: the world (according to PBS ) absorbs half of the CO2 that's produced.

So our output as humans is effectively 1.5% of the CO2 produced in the world.

coolraoul

1% at the scale of the worls is huge...and can make the difference between all-right and cataclysm...

I think it's not true to consider we don't pollute and should go on like this, and furthermore I've seen much different numbers (cars producing 20% of the human CO2 from what I remember). And I don't think human only participate to 3% of the global C02 production. Numbers can be very different, depending on the way to obtain and interprete them.

As far as "China does pollute too" is concerned...if the rich, mature economies don't show the example there will never be any change. It's not because your neighbour does not try to make an effort for the env. that you shouldn't either. It's just an excuse to go on like this. It is certainly not China that should be at the front of the env. move, they have other problems. But rich countries should.

Furthermore, China is very serious about developping electrical cars and encourages green-tech much more than we think.

I think the gov. don't want to realize how serious this problem is, and it is to us citizens to do what we can to limit the human impact on the global warming. I don't say we all should sell our cars for a bike, but that we should be conscious that the environment is now a main concern and that we should make what we can to take it into consideration.

So I do limit my use of my car. When I don't really need to take it I do otherwise.

modena_360stradale

Very true. Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should be polluting, but the 'doom and gloom' armageddon environmentalist ad campaigns don't do anything to persuade anyone of their position.

Going after the most contentious issue won't bring anyone around to their cause. Right or wrong it's a simple fact. -- You have to find some persuasive middle ground. And most people would be receptive of the fact that (as was said before) every gallon of gas you use is a gallon of gas less left on this earth.

So efficiency is key.

But in terms of pollution: we do have to clean up after ourselves.

Exactly What others do or have done has no bearing on what should be done. Remember Rousseau? 'Historical facts cannot prove normative claims.'

China doing something wrong, immoral, etc. doesn't vindicate our own behavior in any intelligible way.



That's what everyone should do

The most infuriating thing to see is someone who idles their car in a car park or on the street in order to run the air conditioning. Or the environmentalists who drive SUVs (there are a lot of them here..)

The other day I saw a soccer mom driving her Ford Explorer full bore down the road and off of every stop light. Her bumper sticker read "More Trees, Less Bush" and "Solar Energy."



It's always nice to read your posts, coolraoul

coolraoul

^^ YW, modena!
I really appreciate your posts too!

And I fully agree with you, I hate these people parked, with a running motor, listening to radio with A/C... Or the people taking the car to go to the 300m-far store to buy some bred...

Here in Paris we have something brilliant, called the Vélib (contraction of Vélo and Liberté, so bike and freedom).
You have so-called Vélib stations every 300m in the whole town with maybe 20 bikes in each, and you can take them. The first 1/2 hour is free, it's 1€ after it for every half an hour, limited to 4€ I think for a few hours. It's just fabulous. Everybody is taking it all the time. Easy, unexpensive, healthy, and not polluting.

Now that is something that can easily be done to reduce the need for a car or a cab. And it doesn't cost any cent to the city because it's JC Decaux who installed and runs it against a free advertising-items contract in Paris.

DaSilva

My car ??
My engine is like the size of a regular sized wine bottle.. so big NO!
Sometimes people call me mr.environment problem IS that I can't care..
:
I really want a Lambo soon and that is more like 1000 wine bottles.
but it's not about that I would have no problem driving a electric car if it just was like a Lambo today (sound and feel) cause either way no matter what we do TODAY will not change tomorrow soon cars will only be electric and I think that is absolutley the right way.. but first....

Co2 LAMBO!!!

PS:
Take a look at this... Jeremy Clarkson says Porsche 911 Turbo cleans LA's air

ZicZachZo

I don't ever feel guilty driving my car. It gets 35 mpg on the highway which is high by American standards. It costs about 40 dollars a week to fill up. Of course with all of the savings comes a hefty price in driving enjoyment. It handles like a bathtub, the ride is rough and it gets tossed around by anything bigger than a Honda CRV. It's a Saturn btw, GM can kiss my a**.

modena_360stradale

I know what you mean. Last night a guy remote started his car from a hundred feet away, and then took two minutes to load his groceries in the back.

After that, a woman pulled up next to me and left her engine on while she ran into the store.



That's a pretty good idea. Sadly most places aren't within walking distance anymore. :/

Steve

Guys i wasnt saying just because China pollutes its ok for me too. i was merely using it as an example of no matter what WE do bigger players are polluting A LOT more.

Coolraoul these are figures ive pulled of the UK goverments and interested party websites to back up my argument

With regards to pollution - we need to put that into perspective:
Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere = 0.039% by volume FACT
Carbon cycle proportion of carbon dixoide contributed by mankind 3.4% (IPCC)
UK contribution to global emissions 2% (DEFRA)
Proportion of this due to cars = 16% (DEFRA again)
So cars in the UK are responsible for 16% of 2% of 3.4% of 0.039% which is precisely F&^K all, or to be precise 0.0000042432% divided by the 30million cars in the UK i my contribution to global warming in ZERO.... Globally - just take out the 2% and it increases from !!!!!! all to naff all.
If you go further, and consider the devil's chariot (the 4x4) then as these make up 8% of UK car sales (SMMT) then they are responsible for 8% of 16% of 2% of 3.4% of 0.039% which is the square root of F*&K all !

Im sorry but the Governments of the world are playing the ultimate Bluff and we've all folded...... so again i have no guilt at all.