Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 10:42 AM, Ben Scott wrote: > All this talk about fuel efficiency has convinced me I should do > something to help fight global warming. So I'm going to start leaving > my refrigerator door open for a few minutes every day. > I guess you're just a Thermodynamic Scofflaw! :-) -- John Abreau / Executive Director, Boston Linux & Unix AIM abreauj / JABBER j...@jabber.blu.org / YAHOO abreauj / SKYPE zusa_it_mgr Email j...@blu.org / WWW http://www.abreau.net / PGP-Key-ID 0xD5C7B5D9 PGP-Key-Fingerprint 72 FB 39 4F 3C 3B D6 5B E0 C8 5A 6E F1 2C BE 99 ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
All this talk about fuel efficiency has convinced me I should do something to help fight global warming. So I'm going to start leaving my refrigerator door open for a few minutes every day. -- Ben ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
I wanted to say nearly the same thing. Only I know a few more details being Alan's neighbor. One that he has owned a number of bikes, and already knows how to ride. Two that my '05 DRZ400s gets around 60mpg AND would be fun on his backyard track. Three, what's so bad about rain? Think of it as a totally green bike and gear wash. I'm sure that you could buy a DR650 + a nice waterproof suit for a third the cost of a Prius. And it's A LOT more fun! Just remember to "ride safe", because there is more risk involved when meeting Volvo drivers. ;) On Wed July 29 2009 10:27:32 Tom Buskey wrote: > On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 8:09 PM, Star wrote: > > On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > > > On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 11:58 PM, Bill McGonigle > > > > wrote: > > >> On 07/25/2009 08:44 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > > >>> But again, if I'm buying new? Yes, Prius, Prius, Prius. > > >> > > >> Isn't the nickel mining an environmental and thermodynamic disaster? > > > > > > Even taking that into account, > > > http://www.greenercars.org/highlights_greenest.htm lists the Prius as > > > the second most green vehicle. > > > > If you really want to go green, get a motorcycle or scooter... for > > decades they've been cheaper and better for the environment. My > > mid-grade cruiser get's about 60 mpg and can be fixed in my drive-way. > > It's lighter than any hybrid car, is far far cheaper to manufacture, > > is lighter and has less foot-print on the road leading to > > exponentially less damage to concrete and asphalt surfaces (thus less > > need to re-pave), and considering people spend more time solo in any > > car it just makes sense. > > My dual purpose '99 DR350 gets about 50 mph. My '82 CB900F gets 28 MPH, > but I beat sportscars 0-60. But you're right on all counts. Some cities > (London) exempt motorcycles from downtown driving fees. > > A scooter will give you a more upright seating with some wind protection & > more storage. > > Okay, so it's not a good winter-choice, but hey! we're talking about > > > the environment here!!! > > As someone who has done ice racing and off road riding in 1 foot of snow in > January, I'll have to agree. If the roads are wet, it's ice and you don't > want to be on the road. Well, maybe in a sidecar. I see one around > Chelmsford alot. > > Riding a motorcycle instead of a car is like using Linux instead of > Windows. There are many similarities between the cultures. > > > ___ > > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ -- -- Robert E. Anderson email: r...@sr.unh.edu Systems Programmer phone: (603) 862-3489 UNH Research Computing Centerfax: (603) 862-1761 -- ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 8:09 PM, Star wrote: > On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > > On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 11:58 PM, Bill McGonigle > wrote: > >> On 07/25/2009 08:44 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > >>> But again, if I'm buying new? Yes, Prius, Prius, Prius. > >> > >> Isn't the nickel mining an environmental and thermodynamic disaster? > > > > Even taking that into account, > > http://www.greenercars.org/highlights_greenest.htm lists the Prius as > > the second most green vehicle. > > If you really want to go green, get a motorcycle or scooter... for > decades they've been cheaper and better for the environment. My > mid-grade cruiser get's about 60 mpg and can be fixed in my drive-way. > It's lighter than any hybrid car, is far far cheaper to manufacture, > is lighter and has less foot-print on the road leading to > exponentially less damage to concrete and asphalt surfaces (thus less > need to re-pave), and considering people spend more time solo in any > car it just makes sense. My dual purpose '99 DR350 gets about 50 mph. My '82 CB900F gets 28 MPH, but I beat sportscars 0-60. But you're right on all counts. Some cities (London) exempt motorcycles from downtown driving fees. A scooter will give you a more upright seating with some wind protection & more storage. Okay, so it's not a good winter-choice, but hey! we're talking about > the environment here!!! > As someone who has done ice racing and off road riding in 1 foot of snow in January, I'll have to agree. If the roads are wet, it's ice and you don't want to be on the road. Well, maybe in a sidecar. I see one around Chelmsford alot. Riding a motorcycle instead of a car is like using Linux instead of Windows. There are many similarities between the cultures. > > ___ > gnhlug-discuss mailing list > gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org > http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/ > ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 11:58 PM, Bill McGonigle wrote: >> On 07/25/2009 08:44 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: >>> But again, if I'm buying new? Yes, Prius, Prius, Prius. >> >> Isn't the nickel mining an environmental and thermodynamic disaster? > > Even taking that into account, > http://www.greenercars.org/highlights_greenest.htm lists the Prius as > the second most green vehicle. If you really want to go green, get a motorcycle or scooter... for decades they've been cheaper and better for the environment. My mid-grade cruiser get's about 60 mpg and can be fixed in my drive-way. It's lighter than any hybrid car, is far far cheaper to manufacture, is lighter and has less foot-print on the road leading to exponentially less damage to concrete and asphalt surfaces (thus less need to re-pave), and considering people spend more time solo in any car it just makes sense. Okay, so it's not a good winter-choice, but hey! we're talking about the environment here!!! ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 11:58 PM, Bill McGonigle wrote: > On 07/25/2009 08:44 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: >> But again, if I'm buying new? Yes, Prius, Prius, Prius. > > Isn't the nickel mining an environmental and thermodynamic disaster? Even taking that into account, http://www.greenercars.org/highlights_greenest.htm lists the Prius as the second most green vehicle. The number one is a Civic that runs on natural gas. Surely, as you suggest, it is the batteries that keep it from the top spot. That said, there are still 4 hybrids in the top 12, and those numbers are all based on EPA efficiency standards which are slanted against hybrids. Smart driving improves on any EPA number by a couple of points, but you can easily get north of 60Mpg out of a Prius. Of course, Lithium ION is a different story. Worse or better in extraction? I'm not sure, better in every other way that i know of. Both are highly recyclable, so that helps. Ceramic batteries are even better and just around the corner. Ultra capacitors are expect to be similar but lighter, but are not so close to market ready. > Get the Corolla and put up a wind tower or buy solar panels with the > difference! VT gets <5% of grid power from fossil fuel, so it is easy for me to focus first on transportation and home heating. NH is more like 20-25%, so that's a much tougher call. >> For now, my dream is to build a tiny one-seater car with electric bike >> parts and my neighbor's welding skills. If I could get 40Mph, and >> 20mi/charge, it would be the perfect car for my commute. > > The state regulations may be too onerous - how does VT fare? Many > states will require hydraulic brakes, windshield defrosters, airbags, etc. Not sure on the specifics in VT, but I guess I'll have to keep it to 3 wheels so I can call it a "moto cycle" and make it REALLY dangerous. =) > How about "Made in China?": > > http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=6238661 I like it! But for me, enclose those sides so I can drive it in the rain without special cloths (and get better mileage north of 45Mph) and put some batteries in it instead of a nasty little ICE. I wonder what the particulate emissions are like on that thing. I'm thinking lawnmower. ew. Sure does not help much on noise pollution either. > I understand it's hard to get parts though - a stateside dealer network > is probably required (good opportunity?) If it were electric, it would be easier to repair on your own. But for $3K? Heck, buy 2! ;-p ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
Re: OT: green vehicles (was: Power management)
On 07/25/2009 08:44 AM, Alan Johnson wrote: > But again, if I'm buying new? Yes, Prius, Prius, Prius. Isn't the nickel mining an environmental and thermodynamic disaster? Get the Corolla and put up a wind tower or buy solar panels with the difference! > For now, my dream is to build a tiny one-seater car with electric bike > parts and my neighbor's welding skills. If I could get 40Mph, and > 20mi/charge, it would be the perfect car for my commute. The state regulations may be too onerous - how does VT fare? Many states will require hydraulic brakes, windshield defrosters, airbags, etc. How about "Made in China?": http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=6238661 I understand it's hard to get parts though - a stateside dealer network is probably required (good opportunity?) -Bill -- Bill McGonigle, Owner Work: 603.448.4440 BFC Computing, LLC Home: 603.448.1668 http://www.bfccomputing.com/Cell: 603.252.2606 Twitter, etc.: bill_mcgonigle Page: 603.442.1833 Email, IM, VOIP: b...@bfccomputing.com Blog: http://blog.bfccomputing.com/ VCard: http://bfccomputing.com/vcard/bill.vcf ___ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/