I’m tired of all the talk of Global Warming, like it is a given fact or something, even if it might be. I’m tired of humanity being arrogant enough to think that they can change the weather of the whole planet, even if we are, perhaps, capable.
But I’m also tired of pollution. I’m tired of gasoline. I’m tired of paying terrorists via the big oil companies. I’m tired of giving Islamofacists reasons to hate us and the funding and capability to act on that hate.
But what can I do? I’m just little ole me. And like a lot of other little ole me’s out there, I’m living my life day to day trying to be somewhat environmentally conscious while being more penny conscious. Living paycheck to paycheck. I’m a dime waiting on a dollar. I would like to upgrade from my 1990 Isuzu pickup to something more miserly at the pumps. I don’t even want a hybrid, as I would like to forego gasoline completely. That means electric or hydrogen fuel cell. But I cannot afford it.
Now, I have done some research. I know that electric means power from the grid, causing CO2 emissions from the power plant, and more importantly a higher electric bill for me. I could repower with solar, but I can’t afford the car note right now, much less the cost of a solar refueling station.
I also know that hydrogen fuel cell technology is coming, but slowly. There is no “hydrogen highway” in my part of the country. I know fuel cell tech is safe – I’m NOT worried about the Hindenberg tragedy repeating itself at the stoplight. I also know that Plug Power Inc. and Honda are teaming up to make Home Hydrogen Refueling Stations. There is also a startup company in Australia working on the same thing; and they aren’t the only ones.
But again, what is the cost of a car AND a home refueling station? What are the savings? And I have checked my budget (and credit rating) and know I can’t take on a car payment right now. Remember, my truck is paid off?
So what I want is for someone to PIMP MY RIDE. You know or remember the TV shows Pimp My Ride and Overhaulin’, one on MTV and the other on Discovery, where someone takes or steals your car and overhauls it for you? Yeah, that’s what I want. I would continue to drive my 17-year old Isuzu pickup until the wheels fall off if it was overhauled to be electric or hydrogen fuels cell powered! Oh yeah, you would have to throw in the home fueling station (solar or hydro) for free, too.
Any takers?
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Comments: 15
So, unless that changes I'll continue NOT to be "green." That environmental stuff is all slanted towards the special interest group agendas anyway.
You know, I spoke with a New Yorker (NYC) the other day who - having never lived anywhere else or visited long enough to observe such things - really thought that in the rest of America (oustide of NYC) people just refused to ride buses, subways and trains. And that, therefore, pollution and global warming was the fault of the rest of us. She really had no idea that there are whole cities and counties where public transportation is almost non-existant.
see my article "Neil Young's '59 Lincoln goes green". Unfortunately, Neil is going to spend $40,000 for that job. After it's completed he will be getting 100 miles per gallon of fuel, but still, I do not have an extra 40k in my pocket right now.
I note that we are approaching an oil crisis right now, but the affordable solution to the oil crisis is years away. Thanks a bunch, Congress and Mr. President and Detroit. I remember Cheney's phrase "conservation may be a nice lifestyle choice but it has nothing to do with our energy needs". Wrong- and that represents a big part of our "wrong turn" on energy.