Recent Comments:
Greening the rails in Japan {Autoblog Green}
Jul 23rd 2008 7:33PM There are numerous examples of urban tramways in the world which have grassy trackways as part of the design, such as Le Mans, France, Adelaide, Australia, Freiburg, Germany and Nice, France. For an examples in the US, look to New Orleans and to Kenosha, WI. The older trolley lines (now gone) in Baltimore had grassy trackways, too.
In Kenosha, the grass grows in a layer of sod with a tight root system which lies above the ballast material on a geotextile fabric. This can be rolled up in sections for ballast maintenance. I don't know the exact procedures used, but it hasn't caused headaches in other cities.
Regarding water, it is actually an advantage to do this -- stormwater mitigation is a big issue in urban areas. By having a trackway with soil and greenery, much of the water which falls during moderate rains can be dealt with on-site rather than requiring large-scale drainage and treatment systems. If the local climate supports a species of grass which can thrive year-round (or most of the year), little watering or maintenance are required.
Edmunds: Hybrids not the cheapest way to drive {Autoblog Green}
Jun 27th 2008 3:41PM It doesn't surprise me that small cars like the Aveo or Yaris are being touted as less costly to own overall than a hybrid like a Prius, but it's not a direct comparison.
If your _only_ consideration is lowest lifetime cost of ownership, and the size, performance, and amenities of the car are secondary, then of course many small cars will be suitable.
However, if you take a car like the Prius and look for other cars with a similar size (4 dr. hatch with plenty of cargo room), automatic trans, multi airbags, stability control, etc., the Prius scores much better.
We're actually considering selling our Prius. Based on what we currently owe and the amazing resale value Prii are seeing right now, if we're careful, we could walk away with a new Yaris (or a similar car), half our current car payment, and some cash to use for other purposes.
But downsizing to the Yaris might be too difficult... we have no problem taking road trips or camping trips with 3 people in the Prius. Why doesn't Toyota offer the Yaris in the USA as a 4-door hatchback? That might work for us.
British scientists develop CO2 to natural gas process {Autoblog Green}
May 10th 2008 9:35PM I see now that your first two indefensible comments have been disproved, you've chosen to move the goalposts.
The National Geographic article you first provided regarding alleged solar system warming leads off by stating the theory is controversial, and includes other quotes like these:
'His views are completely at odds with the mainstream scientific opinion," said Colin Wilson, a planetary physicist at England's Oxford University.'
and
'Amato Evan, a climate scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, added that "the idea just isn't supported by the theory or by the observations."'
Based on this one article about one controversial proposal from one scientist, you boldly proclaimed "The entire solar system is heating up".
I've enjoyed talking to you, and I've checked out the sources you've provided and pointed you to better information. That's about all I can do. I try not to waste too much time with denialist rantings, and you've demonstrated no real factual basis for your claims. Like I said, I didn't expect to change your mind. Good day.
British scientists develop CO2 to natural gas process {Autoblog Green}
May 10th 2008 8:45PM Mike, mike, mike... The YouTube video you link to (which could just as easily have been done in print, as there is no narration, just music) provides no information about the ratio of articles (or more importantly, peer-reviewed scientific studies) promoting warming and/or cooling in that time period.
Your original comment contended that in the 1990's the warnings "did a 180", but you've shown no evidence that this, by and large, is actually the case.
Fortunately, someone has done this important work for us: Gathering the evidence and compiling statistics about reports from the 1970's. USA Today reported on this study in February:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2008-02-20-global-cooling_N.htm
Excerpts:
But Thomas Peterson of the National Climatic Data Center surveyed dozens of peer-reviewed scientific articles from 1965 to 1979 and found that only seven supported global cooling, while 44 predicted warming. Peterson says 20 others were neutral in their assessments of climate trends.
The study reports, "There was no scientific consensus in the 1970s that the Earth was headed into an imminent ice age."
British scientists develop CO2 to natural gas process {Autoblog Green}
May 10th 2008 7:38PM Nice dodge there, mike. You fail to correct your two previous erroneous comments, and then post a link to an article which leads off with "according to one scientist's controversial theory", as though that somehow settles anything.
British scientists develop CO2 to natural gas process {Autoblog Green}
May 10th 2008 6:45PM Sorry, Mike Baz, but you are not quite correct about predictions of an ice age in the 70's.
While it is true that some articles were published speculating about a coming ice age, the majority of the science even then pointed to global warming. In popular media at the time, the term "Greenhouse Effect" had already seen widespread use. For example, it was used as a key element of the setting for the 1973 film "Soylent Green" with the term being spoken by none other than Charlton Heston.
Regarding your earlier comment dismissing labelling CO2 as a "pollutant", it is not necessary for something to be harmful-on-contact or not naturally occurring to be a pollutant. Quantity is key.
There's all kinds of arguments about climate change, and I don't suppose anyone's going to change your mind here in the comments section, but you might want to move on to lines of argument which are more scientifically based and at least factual.
Happy birthday: take a trip in America's largest flying gadget (part 3) {Engadget}
Mar 26th 2008 2:53AM Now entering Part 3 -- why is it so crowded in here?
Happy birthday: take a trip in America's largest flying gadget (part 2) {Engadget}
Mar 24th 2008 3:26PM This is me entering part 2. Thanks.
Happy birthday: take a trip in America's largest flying gadget (part 1) {Engadget}
Mar 23rd 2008 8:35PM A bit of adulation for you -- happy birthday.
Is leather the "ultimate recycled material?" PETA thinks not {Autoblog Green}
Mar 6th 2008 7:25PM "Leather in the Pruis is done by the dealers...NOT Toyota."
Actually, since the 2006 model year, a leather trimmed interior has been a factory option for the Prius.
