As gas price climb here in Puna & Hilo..

[Les C]

quote:

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Have you done any research on how much energy and pollution it makes to produce your batteries?
And what do you do with them when they have to be replaced…off to the landfill?
Not to eco friendly in my book.

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There's always a lot of obfuscation going around to discredit good, if only interim, solutions.
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200711/...#headaches

[mgeary]

Thank you for that, Les. I'd assumed that Kahunascott's point about the batteries was valid, but that the Prius was a good choice to reduce carbon emissions, anyway. I didn't even consider that Kahunascott and others may be misinformed about the dangers and economics of hybrid batteries.

It's good to know that the Sierra Club supports Hybrid technology.

http://www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming/cleancars/

How do I know?

Edited by - mgeary on 12/20/2007 09:25:52

[dmbwest]

Beachboy ...what are all of you doing to make a difference?

Coasting down the hills. Coming back to Hilo on saddle road for example nets more than 25 miles for free.... and you never fall below the speed limit. Consistantly getting 32 - 36 in our Subaru Wagon.

Add ... o.k. got me shields up .. safety police and mechanics fire away.


Edited by - pog on 12/20/2007 10:07:34

[mgeary]

I'm finding the more that I look into the Toyota Prius, the better I like the car:

Toyota has committed to a battery recycling program to the tune of $200 per vehicle, i.e. they pay me $200 to bring the car to a dealership if the battery needs to be replaced, so the dealership can recycle the battery, precisely to avoid the battery going to the landfill. With the number of Priuses on the road approaching the 1 million mark, that means their commitment to recycling batteries is $200 million, and that's just the incentive portion of their recycling program. Toyota is putting their money where their mouth is in terms of the environment.

How do I know?

Edited by - mgeary on 12/20/2007 14:52:34

[Guest]

I really don't like talking about the "Shrub"

However, Bush just signed a new law which increases the fuel-efficiency standards for passenger vehicles for the first time since 1975, requiring new cars to average 35 miles per gallon by 2020 instead of the 25 mpg now required.

I think this news is the best I have heard from the guy.

Now I wonder how far this is going to push up the bottom line price for most cars though?

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Coming home soon!

Edited by - damon on 12/20/2007 16:45:47

[HADave]

Why hasn't someone mentioned Hempoline certainly industrial hemp would be ideal for cultivation throughout Hawaii and the state also has legislation in place for it's trials. I support the diesel platform, a good bet for replacing over complicated electronically fuel controlled gas/ethanol combustion engines. Hempoline would work great in a diesel engine, super clean and highly efficient without major modifications..

"What is Hemp Fuel?
Hemp stems are 80% hurds (pulp byproduct after the hemp fiber is removed from the plant). Hemp hurds are 77% cellulose a primary chemical feed stock (industrial raw material) used in the production of chemicals, plastics, and fibers. Biodiesel is the name for a variety of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from hemp oil, other vegetable oils or animal fats. The concept of using vegetable oil as an engine fuel da
tes back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel.


Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. It can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored.

Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 300 F compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 125 F.

Biodiesel can be made from domestically produced, renewable oilseed crops such as hemp.

Biodiesel is a proven fuel with over 30 million successful US road miles, and over 20 years of use in Europe.
When burned in a diesel engine, biodiesel replaces the exhaust odor of petroleum diesel with the pleasant smell of hemp, popcorn or french fries.

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel in the US to complete EPA Tier I Health Effects Testing under section 211(b) of the Clean Air Act, which provide the most thorough inventory of environmental and human health effects attributes that current technology will allow.

Biodiesel is 11% oxygen by weight and contains no sulfur. The use of biodiesel can extend the life of diesel engines because it is more lubricating than petroleum diesel fuel, while fuel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by biodiesel."

Aloha HADave

S. China / Kurtistown

[james weatherford]

"Biodiesel"
Agreed. This fuel has potential.
We, along with a few others, have acquired seed for oil palm, up to 200 acres total. Outplant 2009.
First harvest, 2012/13.
Biodiesel, soon after that.



James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Mlingen]

The documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car" -(recently released and easily found) is excellent. I think having Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson is what's making it such a success, but if that's what it takes to get it circulated, so be it. It is a "must see" It exposes what is happening, in a big way. 35MPG by 2020 is way too little way too late.

[Tahunatics]

quote:

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"Biodiesel"
Agreed. This fuel has potential.
We, along with a few others, have acquired seed for oil palm, up to 200 acres total. Outplant 2009.
First harvest, 2012/13.
Biodiesel, soon after that.

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James, I bought some african oil palm seeds for 'growing my own fuel' for our biodiesel powered Jeep CRD, but haven't had any luck with germination. Directions said to soak for 24 hours and then make a cut in the seed. Now they're saying soak for a week. What are you doing for germination? Advice appreciated.

http://www.driftwoodgardens.com/africanoilpalm.htm

[james weatherford]

The University of Hawaii Hilo is propagating 10,000 in their greenhouse facility. The nursery in Costa Rica is cooperating to ensure it all goes well.
We are getting 1,000 seeds with 950 to be propagated by UHH; and the other 50 seeds will be used for gearing up tissue culture (TC) propagation; and then build to multiple trees from each seed - 2 to 5 years out.

James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park