What do I think, What can I do?

Archive for 2011/12/17

My prius

image

A couple of years ago my old car died with the boots on and we decided at home to buy another car. I think we can live without a car. Actually, anyone can do it, but in some cases it would require severe changes intheir lives.

In our case, we decided to continue with the possibilities a car offers. It may seem a standard solution but it is important to remember that transport accounts for  a XXX % of CO2 emissions in XXX.

So recognizing my incapability to choose the lowest carbon option, at least I tried to minimize the impact by opting for a lower carbon technology available at that moment: an hybrid car. The two options were an Honda Accord Hibridd and our prefered one, the Toyota Prius. The other option was related with our consumer choices, we bougth a quite knew second hand car because we do not make too many Km each year.

And the result up to now, 3 years after the buying action? We, all the family, are very happy with this car. As I am not talking about cars quality I am going to focus in fuel expenses issues. It uses slightly less than 5 lt per 100 Km, eben if my colleagues do not remember it correctly. It certainly excells in quasy-urban trips, more than autoroutes. Many colleagues consider this figure unimpressive, whereas I consider it very good for a car in its size and age (6 years old).

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industrialize energy

Industrial figure from http://wallpaper.diq.ru

I recognize I have a positive opinion of industry, in spite of all the human suffering frmo the XVIIIth centuries to now, in spite of all the water, soil and air contamination. I still consider industry something that gave most humans access to many things that were just a luxury in preindustrial era. Many of those things have changes our lives, the cars, bicicles, washing machines, TV, phones, clothes, paper, … Of course another factor for this opinion is that I live in an industrial area and work in an industrial company.

Industry is really the transformation of standard raw materials in very interesting objects. And I think that this is the step we should also follow with energy: transform energy production in an industrial based process instead of a resource based one. With raw material as easy to find as wind, sun, water, geothermal heat,… Because this way instead of depending on the scarce resources that have been acumulated in the earth for millions of years and concentrate in few places, we would get this essential resource, the energy from very commong things and effort. I love this idea, I love it from the moment I first listened it, for this reason I love renewables.  I know this is not very important, the concept can be wonderful but it has to work, it has to be attainable. I am convinced it is and we will see it, if it is soon much better.

I almost forgot it, industry generates many more jobs than resources.

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