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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
So much for that fig leaf
Congressional Research Service report bolsters California's case for EPA waiver |
David Roberts |
04 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
| As you know, California is all set to implement its tough tailpipe GHG emissions standards -- and something on the order of 14 other states are ready to follow suit. All Cali needs is a waiver from the U.S. EPA, allowing it to supersede national standards. It first requested the waiver in Dec. 2005, but the EPA has been dragging its feet ever since, to the point that Gov. Schwarzenegger has threatened to sue. Lots of political observers expect the Bush EPA to deny the ... |
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| Topics: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California, cars, climate, climate change mitigation, greenhouse-gas emissions, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Letter from Tom Gage
Consumer Reports hypes hydrogen cars |
Joseph Romm |
04 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Consumer Reports has a fluff piece on hydrogen fuel cell cars in its latest issue (subs. req'd). I spend way too much time debunking this most consumer unfriendly of alternative fuel vehicles -- I even wrote a book on the subject, The Hype About Hydrogen. So I was happy to get an email from Tom Gage, President and CEO of AC Propulsion, containing a letter he sent to the magazine. I asked him if I could run it, and he not only said yes, he expanded it: Dear Editor, ... |
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| Topics: cars, energy, fuel efficiency, hydrogen (all these topics) |
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Post-Labor Day link dump, the first
A gaggle of URLs |
David Roberts |
04 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I've been off work since Wed., so a ton of stuff has accumulated in my browser. As I would prefer to start Autumn '07 blogging with a clean slate, I hereby give you a Gargantuan Post-Labor Day Linkapalooza. Here we go! Illustration by Victor Juhasz for Rolling Stone A while back, the indispensable Jeff Goodell wrote a piece in Rolling Stone decimating "The Ethanol Scam." Bob Dinneen of the Renewable Fuels Association, a corn lobby group, has w ... |
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| Topics: cars, climate, energy (all these topics) |
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Hybrid wars
Honda fights to regain green car company mantle |
David Roberts |
29 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Honda entered the hybrid market before Toyota, but over time it made a fateful mistake: it failed to visually distinguish its line of hybrids. The Prius' distinct shape is like peacock feathers -- it signals your identity to the world. Who wants to be virtuous if nobody knows about it? Now Honda's gotten the message and it's returning to the fight: [Honda is] working on a new high-profile hybrid -- a Prius fighter that analysts expect will have the highest mileage ... |
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| Topics: business, cars, electric vehicles, green living, hybrids, placemaking, Prius (all these topics) |
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Classy Consciousness
Honda to release unique-looking hybrid for conspicuous greens |
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28 Aug 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Classy Consciousness Honda to release unique-looking hybrid for conspicuous greens Honda plans to make its hybrid cars more visible by 2009 by redesigning their exterior to stand out from the rest of its models. One of the reasons Honda has been trailing hybrid-market leader Toyota by such a large margin, according to industry analysts, is the Toyota Prius' unique shape that helps the public id ... |
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| Topics: Big Auto, business, cars, electric vehicles, hybrids, news (all these topics) |
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Dust to dumb
Prius easily beats Hummer in lifecycle energy use; 'Dust to Dust' report has no basis in fact |
Joseph Romm |
27 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| A study came out recently claiming to prove a Hummer has lower lifecycle energy use than a Prius. Because the result was so obviously bogus -- and in sharp contradiction with every other major lifecycle analysis ever done -- I didn't spend time debunking it. But it made it into the comments of my blog and continues to echo around the internet, and the authors keep updating and defending it. A couple of good debunking studies -- by the Pacific Institute (PDF) and ... |
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| Topics: cars, ecological footprint, electric vehicles, energy, insanity, Prius (all these topics) |
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Roads vs. transit
Seattle enviros face a Hobson's choice in November |
Erica Barnett |
23 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| This November, those of us who live in and around Seattle will vote on a $17.7 billion transportation package that would expand light rail (by 50 miles) but also include billions for road expansion -- including roads that will primarily serve sprawling developments to Seattle's south and east, making the package a Hobson's choice for environmentalists. (The state legislature tied the roads and transit votes together last year, on the theory that road supporters will on ... |
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| Topics: cars, placemaking, politics, public transportation, Seattle (all these topics) |
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China and the long-distance runner
Will bikes or cars win? |
Jon Rynn |
22 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| China has an environmental problem. No, I'm not talking about weathering huge dust storms, opening one coal power plant a week, surpassing the U.S. as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, or flooding ecosystems with huge dam projects. I'm talking about something serious: If pollution does not get better in Beijing in time for the 2008 Olympics, the long-distance track events may be canceled. According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, 'China's new middle cl ... |
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| Topics: bikes, cars, China, placemaking, public transportation (all these topics) |
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Policies to reduce and increase driving at the same time
Subsidizing drivers needs to end |
Jason D Scorse |
16 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| This article in the NYT highlights the absurdity of current transportation policy. While New York City is trying to get federal funding to help it pay for a congestion pricing and traffic congestion policy, the federal government is, at the same time, handing out large tax breaks to help people reduce the costs of driving to work. It's yet another example of government policy gone awry, badly. The solution isn't sexy, won't get you on TV, and doesn't make for great ... |
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| Topics: cars, New York, New York city, placemaking, politics (all these topics) |
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What would convince you to give up your car?
Current TV wants to know |
Grist |
15 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Current TV wants to know. Tell them here. And while you're at it, check out the :60 Seconds to Save the Earth Ecospot Contest on the Current site. The best short video message crafted to inspire action against climate change will win a Toyota hybrid, plus exposure on Current TV, MySpace's Impact Channel, and more. The contest is sponsored by Current TV and the Alliance for Climate Protection, in partnership with Grist. |
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| Topics: cars, climate, green living (all these topics) |
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Two, Four, Six, Eight, Why Do We Procrastinate?
Big Auto to host fuel-economy rallies in Midwestern cities |
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15 Aug 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Two, Four, Six, Eight, Why Do We Procrastinate? Big Auto to host fuel-economy rallies in Midwestern cities Revved up over fuel-economy rules, Detroit's Big Three automakers and the United Auto Workers will hold rallies in Chicago and St. Louis this week and next. The demonstrations are a reaction against the U.S. Senate energy bill, passed in June, which would raise fuel economy for both cars and trucks to 35 ... |
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| Topics: Big Auto, business, cars, legislation, news (all these topics) |
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Idle oughts
We still heart Rocky Anderson |
Kate Sheppard |
15 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Rocky Anderson is in the news again, reminding us why we all love him. Now he's taking on idling autos, calling for city-owned vehicles and personal vehicles on city business to limit their idling to five minutes, except in emergency situations. Fifty percent of air pollution in Utah comes from cars and trucks, and Rocky wants the city to do their part in cutting down on the smog-creating emissions. His environmental adviser, Jordan Gates, says this latest executi ... |
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| Topics: cars, energy, fuel efficiency, placemaking, politics, Utah (all these topics) |
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Feds fund Bloomberg's congestion plan
But still no actual decision on whether it will happen |
Kate Sheppard |
14 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| The federal government has agreed to allot $354 million to New York City to help it launch its congestion pricing plan. Yeah, that one where state legislators were first like 'Hmmm, I dunno,' and then they were all like 'no way,' and then some enviros were like, 'Eh, maybe it's not that great anyway.' Not that federal funding guarantees that the state will approve the plan, so stay tuned. |
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| Topics: cars, New York, New York City, placemaking, politics (all these topics) |
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It Only Hertz a Little
Rental and car-share companies get hip to hybrids |
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14 Aug 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| It Only Hertz a Little Rental and car-share companies get hip to hybrids Fueled by consumers' green interests, rental, car-service, and car-sharing companies are increasingly turning to hybrids. (Hear the collective sigh of relief from guilt-prone enviros who cringe with every tap on the rental accelerator.) Big renters Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis have all recently added several ... |
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| Topics: cars, consumerism, electric vehicles, green living, hybrids, news, Prius (all these topics) |
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Electric cars a-comin'
Comin' 'round the bend |
David Roberts |
14 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Coming to a showroom near you: a $30,000 all-electric sedan with a top speed of 80mph and a range of 120 miles per charge. Why the low price? It's made in China, with cheap labor and advanced lithium ion batteries that came out of government-funded research. There's competition: Phoenix Motors has a four-door utility truck with similar performance capabilities that it's planning on selling to the public around the same time. And Tesla Motors, makers of the $100, ... |
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| Topics: cars, electric vehicles, green living, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Move Thyself: Flying objects edition
Watch out for that flaming bag of McNuggets |
Todd Hymas Samkara |
13 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I'm so spoiled now that I live in bike-path-licious Boulder, Colorado. I hardly have to interact with cars anymore when cycling to most points in the city. But just a few weeks ago, before I moved here, I was out there with all the other Colorado cyclists in traffic getting assaulted. Sure, most assaults are verbal and harmless-ish, but then there are the ones that aren't. This article from today's Los Angeles Times leads with a list of one guy's experience in ... |
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| Topics: bikes, cars, placemaking (all these topics) |
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15 Green Cars
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13 Aug 2007 |
Grist Feature |
| The greenest way to get around? On your own two feet, of course, or on a bicycle, unicycle, skateboard, or public transit. But if you still find yourself in need of a car, these are some of the best green options on the market. If we zoomed right past your favorite eco-friendly auto, tell us in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Courtesy of Toyota via Wieck Toyota Prius The best-selling Prius is synonymous with "hybrid" in many minds, and with ... |
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| Topics: biofuels, cars, electric vehicles, energy, hybrids, innovation, lists, Prius (all these topics) |
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Word Gets Around
New bike, parking policies leave polluting vehicles in the dust |
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09 Aug 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Word Gets Around New bike, parking policies leave polluting vehicles in the dust Now for some wheely good news (sorry, it had to be done): officials around the globe are moving forward on innovative eco-transportation schemes. Last week, the city council of Reykjavik, Iceland, enacted a rule that gives free parking to those who drive fuel-efficient vehicles. In Ontario, Cana ... |
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| Topics: bikes, Canada, cars, energy, France, Iceland, innovation, news, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Irony alert
Honk if you think I'm a giant asshole |
Kate Sheppard |
08 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| New specialty license plate option being offered in Oklahoma: 'For Sooners looking to show their terror-fighting pride while tearing up the asphalt,' writes one USA Today blogger. (h/t: TP) |
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| Topics: cars, international politics, Oklahoma, politics (all these topics) |
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Very well said
The green cartopia ain't likely to happen |
JMG |
06 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Kurt Cobb writes a smart and sensible review of Who Killed the Electric Car? Excerpt follows: The documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? is an excellent murder mystery filled with dislikable corporate and government villains. It also features heroic engineers, salespeople and average citizens as well as a sprinkling of good-looking actors and actresses who play, well, themselves. As I watched the film recently for the first time, I found myself doing something that I don't ... |
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| Topics: cars, electric vehicles, green living, hybrids, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Test Drive
New York to paste 'global warming index' stickers on some new vehicles |
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06 Aug 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Test Drive New York to paste "global warming index" stickers on some new vehicles New York has become the second state in the U.S. to require new cars and light trucks to bear a "global warming index" sticker. (We'll give you a minute to guess which one was first.) The law, which begins with the 2010 model year, aims to educate consumers and cut pollutio ... |
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| Topics: cars, climate, consumerism, greenhouse-gas emissions, New York, news, shopping (all these topics) |
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Carbon Conscious Consumer contest
Go car-free, win stuff |
Erik Hoffner |
03 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Here's something most Gristers are probably already doing: going car-free once a week. So step up, take credit, and get entered to win these prizes from New American Dream: Grand Prize: A one-week Bike Tour of Oregon for you and a friend, provided by Sustainable Energy in Motion Second Prize: A Villager U-frame Breezer Bike Third Prize: A $200 carbon offset from Native Energy (and a snazzy t-shirt as well) |
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| Topics: cars, green living, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Engines could easily gulp less gas
MIT lab rats cook up a less wasteful gasoline engine |
Elsa Mary |
03 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Don't hum the requiem for the gasoline engine just yet. MIT brainiacs say it's easier than imagined to flip a car between the usual gas-guzzling state to a low-pollution, ultra-efficient mode. The researchers have tested a system that can run on a quarter less than the usual amount of gas without needing any fancy fuel. With the flick of a switch, the setup alternates between regular, spark-triggered combustion and experimental homogeneous charge compression ignitio ... |
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| Topics: cars, energy, fuel efficiency, green living, oil, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Of cars and carbon
How the Prius stacks up against other cars |
Clark Williams-Derry |
02 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Sure, everybody knows that what you drive affects how much you warm the climate. But after the jump: a chart that proves the point. Just to be clear: this includes only the emissions from the highway fuel itself. It doesn't include upstream emissions from drilling for oil and refining it into gasoline or diesel. And it doesn't include emissions from vehicle manufacturing. In other words, these are conservative figures -- so use them with caution. This is ... |
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| Topics: cars, climate, green living, greenhouse-gas emissions, placemaking (all these topics) |
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They're counting on you
To count ... heh |
Kate Sheppard |
01 Aug 2007 |
Gristmill |
| WNYC is calling on New Yorkers to go outside and count the SUVs in their 'hood as part of an experiment in getting citizens involved in the reporting process. Sez their website: This our experiment in 'crowdsourcing,' where we employ you, the listener, in an act of journalism. We're trying to find out just how much gas-guzzling SUV use there is throughout the New York area, with all the talk of environmental sustainability in the city. So you go out and repor ... |
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| Topics: cars, green living, New York, New York City, placemaking (all these topics) |
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