BeGreen said:
Your points are well taken pyper, but the Volt is a hybrid and should handle your climate. The tesla has much greater battery capacity but will be more expensive.
But instead of just saying, how does it benefit me, take a look at the larger picture that still needs to be solved. Cheap oil supplies are decreasing. Carbon emissions are accumulating. So what is the best solution in your region to help the country transition and how can you contribute. That is the bottom line question. If we all ignore it, showing up sweaty at a meeting will be the least of our problems a decade or two from now.
Yeah, sure, but in the real world most people need to make decisions based on what's best for them. Cars with limited range are fine for a lot of people, and if they're better for the environment, then we should encourage people to buy them. I'm just saying that they really aren't going to work for some people for a long time to come.
The Volt *might* be a viable alternative for my situation, but there's little solid info out there right now. After I use up the initial charge what kind of fuel economy does it provide? Charging it sound pretty cheap, but it's not carbon free -- how much carbon does a coal plant put into the air to charge a Volt, and is that more or less than running a similar sized car on diesel? And how much carbon does it take to produce a Volt, and how does that compare to me continuing to drive the car I already have? How many times can the batteries be charged, and what happens to them then?
When cheap oil supplies go away there will be more expensive oil. People will use less as a result. I'm actually more concerned about water supplies than oil, but that's another thread ;-).
Buying more local food (and in season!) is a good way to reduce carbon. Producing some of your own food is even better. Eating fewer large animals is good for the environment too. I bet most people don't know that nearly all roses sold in the USA are imported from Columbia. On 747's!! Plant a rose bush.
From a long term perspective, we need to be thinking of ways to encourage smart urban development. We need a national plan for how to reduce suburbs, exurbs, and rural living. I live in the country, and I kind of like it. Maybe I shouldn't have bought a house so far from everything, but now that I have, what are we going to do about it. My neighbors and I need cars that can take us to work and to go shopping. I could sell my house, but whoever bought it would be in the same situation, so there would be no improvement to the environment. The only real solution that I see would be for the government to start buying up rural land and clearing it. Of course, eventually urban living might be so attractive that people with rural properties abandon them. But I don't see that anytime soon.
Also, we need to take advantage of the
fact that steel wheels on steel rails is by far the most efficient way to move things. They keep taking about a light rail corridor between Charlotte and Atlanta. I think that would be great. I'd love to be able to hop on a train and ride to Atlanta. The trouble is getting around once I'm there.
Oh, and about that Tesla Model S -- sweet! But $50+ is a lot for a car. My last three haven't cost that much added together.