Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
Climate change - another bashing on the way.
A 700-page report on tackling climate change, to be published on Monday, is analysed by many of the todays (Sundays) papers.
No doubt we're in for some more 4x4 bashing
The Observer says reducing electricity consumption is worthwhile, but buying a "green" car will not make much impact:
2: Buy a green car
The problem
The global fleet of cars continues to expand while the average vehicle produces its own weight in carbon dixiode every 6,000 miles. Quite a sizeable weight, in fact, given that one in seven new cars bought in London last year was of the hulking, gas-guzzler variety.
What you can do
You could join the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s (www.stopurban4x4s.co.uk), which attempts to shame society into avoiding poor vehicle choices. Or move to Richmond, south-west London, where the council announced that owners of gas-guzzlers would have to pay an increased parking permit charge. Hybrids - in the UK made by Toyota, Honda and Lexus - offer some respite, but aren't the full story. In emissions terms, they are comparable to small, efficient diesels. The biofuels route is an increasingly popular idea, but currently there are only 13 filling stations in the UK. The electric car is the cleanest, scoring the only 'A' rating in the government's league table, but batteries currently only support a 40-mile range.
Is it worth it?
The mistake some drivers can make is ditching their old model in order to run out and buy a new hybrid. This is no panacea. Given that your original car created 15 tonnes of waste and 75m cubic metres of polluted air just in production, you should hang on to it and try to mitigate its effects, by converting to LPG for example. Change your driving style, too: it has a big effect on your emissions. Correct tyre pressure can chop 10 per cent off petrol costs, decreasing your speed from 75mph to 65mph increases fuel economy and don't idle - it increases emissions by 13 per cent (www.eta.co.uk has more). The Eco-log (www.ecodrive.org) is a device that tells you when you are driving to maximum potential. If you are buying a new car, go for a lightweight, fuel-efficient model - every 10 per cent drop in car weight decreases carbon emissions by 5-6 per cent. But do you really need a car? The greenest drivers join a car club (www.citycarclub.co.uk)
Effectiveness rating
2/5 - just having a car is a problem, frankly.
The environment secretary is proposing green taxes designed to change people's behaviour to offset global warming, according to a Sunday newspaper. The Mail on Sunday quotes a leaked letter from David Miliband to Chancellor Gordon Brown. Proposals include "pay as you drive" and cheap flight taxes and levies on energy-wasting appliances, it says.
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50934
Sadly the writing is now on the wall for us 'evil' guys in the UK....the tsunami wave is about to hit the shore ...and we are all on the beach
(well ....I am anyway 8) )
It really is hysterical horsesh1t though ...I can't even be bothered to make the argument anymore 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
29th Oct 2006 9:52 am
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
Nice pic. Would love to try that at the beach I like in Cornwall, but the sands very soft..... Wouldn't like to give the locals anymore to laugh at! Disco 5 HSE Lux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyiqaJrmMU
Hope you had a good time?"Funny, mine doesn't do that......."
29th Oct 2006 11:02 am
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50934
Excellent thanks DF I eventually got your text ........on the way home no signal for days...even the D3 radio was picking up RTE 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
29th Oct 2006 11:12 am
cyclic
Member Since: 01 Apr 2006
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 33
China is opening around 5 coal fueled power stations a month so I don't think that the 6000 miles per year I do in the Disco will make a great deal of difference. Why don't they take on the Subaru owners? There MPG is worse than a Disco but the chavs would be outraged.
This is the politics of envy yet again and nothing to do with emissions. Bring it on Tony and Dave, you really have no idea what you are getting into.
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50934
I totally agree Cyclic but sadly it doesn't matter anymore, the Government, or should I say ..the BBC, have decided that we are anti-christ and boy are we going to be punished .....I should start to take bets that we WILL be paying 'major league' road tax within the next two years 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
29th Oct 2006 12:57 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
aside from opening power stations China & other Asian countries are rapidly changing from people powered transport to the internal combustion engine. Just look at pictures/film from Chinese documentaries just a few years ago millions of bikes now its millions of motobikes & cars. All the thick smogs these countries experiece are from huge pollutive industries & vehicles. Taxing car owners in the west is just horse sh@t, most vehicles in the EU are subject to strict emissions regulations & checking on a regular basis in any case. Something which simply does not exist in many Asian/African 3rd world countries. This is simply more tax heaped on the highly taxed, most of us PAYE then we pay all that tax on cars & fuel every time we fill up, we are double taxed & triple taxed.
Go on public transport ? sure, next time I feel like seeing the the end product of the tories 'care in the community' project again I WILL. 2007 TDV6 HSE 'Silver Lady'. With 'free' privacy glass LOL.
Taking the greenpi$$ is: Green taxing your citizens more & using some of the money to buy nukes.
Is this "blame China" model not a bit of hypocracy? The west has been polluting the planet for decades and living off the back of the third world
Now that they are doing what our fathers did, we are wanting to say that they shouldn't. Sounds just like the nuclear non-proliferation debate.
I'm not suggesting that they should just carry-on while we cut back on our emissions, but if everybody got together and shared the technology to prevent the problem, the world could be a better place. However, that would need America to fall out of its ivory tower and break its legs in the process...... HA!
As for taxes - Randalls is completely correct. Our political masters have become so used to spending and taxing by stealth that they think they can get away with anything they like. Watch this space........
29th Oct 2006 4:55 pm
randalls
Member Since: 02 Mar 2006
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 703
Yes, it's true JMC - the west did all that, and more, but we are looking at vast numbers of individuals polluting the planet in a much less 'controlled' way in these other countries ? We've had our cake, but now we are paying for it !!! Personally I am trying to get a wind powered turbine fitted onto my garage, as it's a bit windy up here LOL. You would think I was trying to erect a replica of the Eiffel tower the way this is being treated!!!
America, hmmm land of hypocracy !!! No Koyoto, and 3,500 'front line' nukes ready to go, with 5,000 'second line' nukes. No visible reduction programme, and a 'linear' and 'vertical' nuclear arms development programme started. No ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear test ban treaty, dropping out of the anti ballistic missile ban treaty, revoking the START treaty with the Russian federation and replacing it with a worthless substiute. Then lecturing other countries......But Dont get me started LOL.
Maybe if our government just dropped the trident upgrade programme, and trident altogether that would be worth quite a lot of a tax rebate. I wonder how 'green' a nuclear warhead is ? 2007 TDV6 HSE 'Silver Lady'. With 'free' privacy glass LOL.
Taking the greenpi$$ is: Green taxing your citizens more & using some of the money to buy nukes.
29th Oct 2006 5:56 pm
karl
Member Since: 08 Jul 2006
Location: coventry
Posts: 200
I think i have the perfect solution....
if a member of greenpeace is assigned to each "gas guzzler", and has to push it every where, emissions will be virtually zero (i imagine the greenpeace types suffer heavily from flatulence, so not totally emission free)
if the greenies are so eager to cut emissions, they cant possibly complain at this idea!D3 TDV8 HSE on order, Should Arrive 2017. If i'm lucky.
There is evidence that global warming has nothing to do with polutants and more to do with a natural cycle between hot and cold that the earth goes through. We just happen to be on an up at the moment!Loving the power of the TDV8!
29th Oct 2006 8:41 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
discoflo wrote:
Welcome back DG!
Hope you had a good time?
Now I know why its been quiet - nothing to do with Morocco! Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
I eventually got your text ........on the way home 
no signal for days...even the D3 radio was picking up RTE 
2007 TDV6 HSE 'Silver Lady'. With 'free' privacy glass LOL.
