If you've been thinking about acting to combat global warning, here's an opportunity.

[noflash]

This is a great website with many resources.
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm

For you republicans, give "McCain" a search here and see how he's fighting global warming.

Here's a link to email your congressional representatives and the whitehouse.
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/wa...ton?linkID=100

Now, where's my hybrid bimmer already?!?

[shimshimhada]

I switched my lightbulbs to the efficient ones already.

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I switched my lightbulbs to the efficient ones already.

same here...got them at home depot

[noflash]

I just finished up the second half of the lightbulbs in my house. Thanks guys. Your doing your part.

Now go tell your neighbors!

[e90rocks]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I switched my lightbulbs to the efficient ones already.

Are you sure this is Shim posting? There's no bellyroll.

I hate those (energy efficient lightbulbs)...they take about 40 seconds to reach full brightness. : ( the worst thing is that they seem to last forever, so you can't even feel good about getting rid of them.
I drive in accordance with local highway speed limits. I also try to save information electronically instead of on paper. We continue to recycle. When the time came for a new car, I chose the e90 over an H3, which I was tempted to buy. Now I can't believe I even considered it!

[Squawks]

The whole irony in hybrids and hydrogen powered vehicles is that we still make pollution to make their energy sources (we pollute to make the batteries for hybrids and we pollute to produce hydrogen fuel).

The other irony is that for every fuel-efficient car an American buys, a rich American is allowed to buy a gas guzzler (including the M3/5/6, Hummer, Navigator, etc. etc.).

The final irony is that no matter how hard we try, the USA doesn't even come close to being to worst polluters in the world. China, Russia, India, etc. stir up enormous amounts of pollution. If you've ever been to Mexico you can immediately tell the difference in air quality - emissions restrictions barely exist.

My point? You can't do anything so don't bother. The world will perish anyways, just live life for now.

[just4kickz]

lol go make an eco house. but saving power n' stuff has some drawbacks... like for some of those halogen lights... you gotta wait like two minutes for them to "power up" and be bright enough to see stuff... two minutes is alot of time... when your trying to find something (should take only 10 seconds?) uhh other problems are like ventilation vs. keeping in natural warmth from the sun...

[Nikki]

some like it hot

[Squawks]

Originally Posted by Nikki

some like it hot

Paris Hilton, for example.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by Nikki

some like it hot

I know exactly how to solve global warming. Remember what the humans did in the Matrix? EXACTLY.

[Nikki]

You create 5.8 metric tons of carbon

lol

[e90rocks]

I think you're supposed to wait for someone else to agree with you, and they post "exactly".

Well, I don't exactly know what happened, but "we know it was us who scorched the sky."

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by e90rocks

I think you're supposed to wait for someone else to agree with you, and they post "exactly".

Well, I don't exactly know what happened, but "we know it was us who scorched the sky."

I'm like that guy who makes a rhyme and then goes "OHHHHHH" by himself.

[noflash]

Thanks for posting.

I am always looking for the dissenting opinion, because I want to to understand why more people don't care.

Let me adress your points of irony.

Originally Posted by Squawks

The whole irony in hybrids and hydrogen powered vehicles is that we still make pollution to make their energy sources (we pollute to make the batteries for hybrids and we pollute to produce hydrogen fuel).

Yes, energy is consumed and, therefore (in most cases), emissions are released when ANYTHING is manufactured. Although, in this case things are not close to being equal. Hybrids and electric cars (yes, plug in ones) pollute only a fraction of what traditional vehicles do.

Originally Posted by Squawks

The other irony is that for every fuel-efficient car an American buys, a rich American is allowed to buy a gas guzzler (including the M3/5/6, Hummer, Navigator, etc. etc.).

This is not true. The more Navigators that sit on the lot, the less Navigators will be produced. Auto manufacturors do not hear our verbal protests, but do hear our pocketbook protests. It is already happening. There is a trend toward more efficient vehicles and SUVs are depreciating at a great rate because they are not selling.

Originally Posted by Squawks

The final irony is that no matter how hard we try, the USA doesn't even come close to being to worst polluters in the world. China, Russia, India, etc. stir up enormous amounts of pollution. If you've ever been to Mexico you can immediately tell the difference in air quality - emissions restrictions barely exist.

This is an absolute untruth. Mexico City may have dirtier skies than you are used to, but it is indisputable that the US is the greatest consumer of carbon-based fuels and the greatest emitter of greenhouse gases. Out of all industrialized nation only the US and Australia have not signed the Kyoto Protocal to reduce emmisions. Also interesting to note, China, while a growing polluter, has higher MPG standards for their autos than the US.

Originally Posted by Squawks

My point? You can't do anything so don't bother. The world will perish anyways, just live life for now.

This is a fatalistic attitude to have and I remember having it when I was young. Truth is you may one day care about it. Maybe it's when you have kids or maybe when Miami is 50 miles out in the gulf. Do some research and see if it's worth your while to do a few little things to help your Earth.

...getting off soapbox...

[Squawks]

I've already done extensive research.

Let me correct you on a few things:

1) You are wrongly assuming that pollution is the sole consequence of poor MPG standards and gas guzzling vehicles; namely because you preach about China's higher MPG standards and because you also praise hybrids/electric vehicles. Wrong. Do you know how much soot is in the air in China? It is among the worst in the world. Why? Not from cars. What is it?

2) Hybrids and electric cars pollute only a fraction of what traditional vehicles do ---- did you not catch the irony in my statement? WHERE do you get the batteries for your hybrids? WHERE are you getting the electricity for your electric plug-in cars? Do you know WHERE most of our electricity is produced? Or HOW? Yup, that's right, folks - GASOLINE. We burn to earn - so if you want to *feel* like you are contributing to 'saving' this world when you are just handing the dirty polluting job to someone else in some other place, feel free.

3) I been to Tijuana. I been to Riverside, CA. Both are equally bad but I have to admit that Tijuana is slightly worst. Coincidentally, Riverside has the worst air-soot in the country. Thus, Tijuana's air is worst than the U.S.A. If your lungs tell you otherwise, then I guess it's pointless to argue over it as Mexico obviously does not have any scientific data to back up their air quality (oh yeah, the Riverside, CA air quality was already measured and published as being the worst in the country. In fact, the article was published within last year).

You said it is indisputable that the U.S. is the greatest consumer of fuels - did you think I did not know that? In fact, I posted hours ago the fact that the U.S. is the world's greatest consumer of crude oil (26%) on a daily basis in this thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25506

Do you also know what I meant when I said that for every fuel-efficient car that a manufacturer sells, that same manufacturer is allowed to sell a guzzling car such as an M. Do you know how the auto industry works? Manufacturers must maintain a minimum 'mileage' rating of the cars they sell or else they will be handed steep penalty fines. For example, if the MPG rating set by the government is 25 MPG, if a manufacturer sells a hybrid capable of 40MPG then it can also sell a tank capable of 10MPG. This is fact. So for every gas-efficient 3-series sold by BMW, they're allowed to introduce more gas-guzzling and polluting M cars into the country.

You think I don't care? Oh, I do - but you never asked what I care about. I care about the world, and any true Earth-sparing fanatic will actually realize that global warming is the least of our problems. In fact, research overpopulation - you'll find our impending overpopulation issues (which also link to pollution as overpopulation will lead to greater consumption) are so severe that global warming is a joke. If you think "space" is the problem of overpopulation, you've barely breached the tip of the iceberg.

[tl_boy]

i believe doing our part helps. for everyone that buys a Hummer, we can't control that. But those that do try to do their part are contributing to some degree, we can't completely negate their effort. If one buys a more efficient car, or car on ethanol, I think its helping. I appreciate noflash's thread.

[shimshimhada]

I want to install solar panels in my roof, no power random power outages ftw!

[Squawks]

The cost of installing solar power for your home/business is almost equal to paying 30 years worth of energy. So unless you are willing to fork out that much cash upfront, it's nice to be more independent.

[tl_boy]

Did you guys catch the latest Newsweek (or was it Time...) on Green America? Some builders are building homes with solar panels to heat water, and this guy says he gets boiling water, and all the hot water he needs completely from solar energy.

I think in places like Texas, California, Middle East, solar energy solutions are going to be very important.

Who knows, maybe one day we will have super efficient panels that would allow us to park our electric car in the garage, plug it in like a rechargeable battery, and let it charge. We will have solar energy powering everything in our houses and computers. Thatd' be cool.

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I want to install solar panels in my roof, no power random power outages ftw!

[Squawks]

Rechargeable batteries do not last forever. They are perishable. They also pollute the land when they are discarded. Production of batteries emit pollution as well. We are doomed. Solar powered homes will have to rely on the grid or such batteries in they wish to sustain power at night.

The best bet would be to park a home high up in the mountains where it is continously windy and build windmills. Or, build a home next to Niagra Falls and make use of some electric turbines.

[tl_boy]

squaks, one thing you're forgetting is even non rechargeable batters like we use now don't last for ever, 3-4 years. They will also be discared and pollute the land. At least the emissions will be drastically diminished!

I think the Niagra falls idea is good.

Originally Posted by Squawks

Rechargeable batteries do not last forever. They are perishable. They also pollute the land when they are discarded. Production of batteries emit pollution as well. We are doomed. Solar powered homes will have to rely on the grid or such batteries in they wish to sustain power at night.

The best bet would be to park a home high up in the mountains where it is continously windy and build windmills. Or, build a home next to Niagra Falls and make use of some electric turbines.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by Squawks

The cost of installing solar power for your home/business is almost equal to paying 30 years worth of energy. So unless you are willing to fork out that much cash upfront, it's nice to be more independent.

But if I did, then I wouldn't have to pay for energy for the next 30 years? I'm just saying it'd be cool.