September 2008 Archives
The South Coast Air Quality Management District is the top cop for air quality enforcement in Southern California. They have released a spreadsheet of the cleanest 2008 vehicle models that meet their air quality standards. Here is a partial list .. you can see more information on their website: www.cleanairchoices.org
The section with the lowest Carbon Footrpint and highest per gallon fuel use is "Advanced Technology - Partial Zero-Emission Vehicles (AT-PZEVs). Here are a few of the models:
Model C02 tons/year
Toyota Prius (hybrid gas-electric): 4.0
Honda Civic (hybrid gas-electric): 4.4
Nissan Altima (hybrid gas-electric): 5.4
Toyota Camry (hybrid-gas-electric): 5.4
Honda Civic GX (CNG): 5.4
Ford Escape (hybrid gas-electric): 5.7
Mazda Tribute 2WD (hybrid gas-el): 5.7
Mercury Mariner 2WD (hybrid gas-el): 5.7
The section with the lowest Carbon Footrpint and highest per gallon fuel use is "Advanced Technology - Partial Zero-Emission Vehicles (AT-PZEVs). Here are a few of the models:
Model C02 tons/year
Toyota Prius (hybrid gas-electric): 4.0
Honda Civic (hybrid gas-electric): 4.4
Nissan Altima (hybrid gas-electric): 5.4
Toyota Camry (hybrid-gas-electric): 5.4
Honda Civic GX (CNG): 5.4
Ford Escape (hybrid gas-electric): 5.7
Mazda Tribute 2WD (hybrid gas-el): 5.7
Mercury Mariner 2WD (hybrid gas-el): 5.7
In one year of operation, one older gasoline-powered lawnmower pollutes as much as a new car driven 86,000 miles, according to California's AQMD. The solution: change to an electric mower!
Electric lawnmowers provide a variety of benefits over 2-cycle gas lawnmowers.
Where the old technology was loud and hearing protection was recommended, the new electric lawnmower makes half the noise or less.
The 2-cycle engines create air pollution with emissions, but the new emissions-free battery power protects your family from the health problems associated with high emissions such as asthma and even heart problems.
Electric lawn mowers also offer a few conveniences such as push-button starts and light weight.
Another alternative to energy use to consider -- turn more of your turf grass into native plants that require less irrigation, less mowing (yeah!) and provide your local butterflies, birds and earthworms with nutritious food and habitat!
Electric lawnmowers provide a variety of benefits over 2-cycle gas lawnmowers.
Where the old technology was loud and hearing protection was recommended, the new electric lawnmower makes half the noise or less.
The 2-cycle engines create air pollution with emissions, but the new emissions-free battery power protects your family from the health problems associated with high emissions such as asthma and even heart problems.
Electric lawn mowers also offer a few conveniences such as push-button starts and light weight.
Another alternative to energy use to consider -- turn more of your turf grass into native plants that require less irrigation, less mowing (yeah!) and provide your local butterflies, birds and earthworms with nutritious food and habitat!
Reducing wood smoke pollution can have a major impact on the health of your family members in your home, and in your neighborhood and community.
Wood smoke is a particulate pollution that causes respiratory problems for people with asthma or other lung problems.
Wood smoke causes more than four times as much fine particulate pollution as all of the power plants in the 4-county area of Southern California! PM2.5 pollution is associated with a wide range of adverse health impacts including an increase in premature deaths, particularly among those with heart and lung disease. Southern California -- the land of sunshine and mild weather -- has the highest PM2.5 levels i the nation.
A solution: You can convert your wood-burning fireplace to use clean-burning gas logs.
Learn more at www.HealthyHearths.org
Wood smoke is a particulate pollution that causes respiratory problems for people with asthma or other lung problems.
Wood smoke causes more than four times as much fine particulate pollution as all of the power plants in the 4-county area of Southern California! PM2.5 pollution is associated with a wide range of adverse health impacts including an increase in premature deaths, particularly among those with heart and lung disease. Southern California -- the land of sunshine and mild weather -- has the highest PM2.5 levels i the nation.
A solution: You can convert your wood-burning fireplace to use clean-burning gas logs.
Learn more at www.HealthyHearths.org
Save both money and environmental impact by conserving...by simply changing bad habits that waste energy. Here are a few suggestions:
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent...but turn them off more and use light from your windows. Or...go outside for reading or playing -- sunlight is healthier than indoors!
- Use the microwave to cook small meals instead of your range that is sized for large meals!
- Buy energy efficient appliances when you replace old ones. Buying the right equipment makes using LESS so much easier every time you use the appliance.
Some older vehicles and those that are improperly maintained emit at least 20 TIMES more pollution than newer models in good working order.
Some states, such as California, are working hard to get smoking vehicles off the road -- from cars to pickups to big rigs.
In California you can report smoking vehicles and suspected air pollution violations by calling 800-CUT-SMOG.
Let's be careful out there, folks. Let's maintain our vehicles and protect our communities at the same time!
Anther benefit of maintaining your vehicles is gas savings!!! And that's a very nice alternative in the pocket!
Some states, such as California, are working hard to get smoking vehicles off the road -- from cars to pickups to big rigs.
In California you can report smoking vehicles and suspected air pollution violations by calling 800-CUT-SMOG.
Let's be careful out there, folks. Let's maintain our vehicles and protect our communities at the same time!
Anther benefit of maintaining your vehicles is gas savings!!! And that's a very nice alternative in the pocket!
The Department of Energy has just released the 27th edition of the Transportation Energy Data Book.
New data in this year’s edition include:
- transportation petroleum use by mode;
- ethanol consumption;
- number of vehicles per 1,000 people in different regions of the world for 1996-2006 (China grew from 9.3 to 26.6);
- mpg for trucks as a function of speed;
- characteristics of daily driving;
- percent of housing units with a garage or carport; and more.
The data book, created under the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, draws together transportation data from diverse sources under a single, comprehensive document. It is a valuable tool for informing policymakers and analysts about activity in the transportation sector.
The book, available at cta.ornl.gov, is produced by Stacy Davis of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Center for Transportation Analysis.
Also available is "Fuel Economy" (www.fueleconomy.gov), maintained jointly by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which offers tips to help you reduce the amount of gas you use.
