Let's hug some trees, Emissions...how bad are these cars? Options

[ehick72]

I was reading an article on Mexico City banning the use of the Mexican VW bettle because of safety and emissions. That concerns me because I try to keep my 1.7 engine well tuned. I know my car is extremely fuel efficient but is it bad for the environment in another way? Does anyone know have any info on this?

[dmenche914]

Hopefully the SF BAy area will adopt strict Denver like fire place restrictions. The problem is the air settles the smoke close to teh ground. many of the fire places are not efficient,a dn smoke the entire time. Folks also burn wet or green or other junk wood. Homes are on 5000 Sq ft lots. It is so bad that it causes difficulty in breathing. A thick blue to grey haze is all thru the nieghborhood.

It is crazy to make folks jump thru hoops to smog their cars, yet anyone is free to burn the stinkiest fire 24 hours a day. They problably don't even smell it anymore their so used to it. In a crowded suburban area, that has still wind days in the winter there is too much harm and discomfort done by wood burners. The benifit by switching to natural gas is so much for clean air, that even with the increase in gas cost, and assuming the wood is free, the cost of the smog produced is greater than that reduced per dollor in automobile smog tests. More bang for the buck I say for cleaner air. Just drop the car smog tests, and crack down on wood burners.

Country folks dont have nearby neighbors, so the effect of their burning wood is minimal, however it is still worse than running an old car.


Fancy wood pellet fireplaces, with reburners can burn much cleaner, but many folks don't have them.

Also if your into wanting to hug a tree it is better to keep the tree alive rather than chop it down to burn.