OT: how far we've come?, 35 years of non-progress Options

[lapuwali]

Hybrids are the buzzword now, and people marvel at how the latest Civic hybrid gets 50mpg.

Autoweek had a short article on the early Civics, which got 55mpg with a carb. 1.2L, 50hp, 1500lbs. Sure, they were slow, but they were described as still being fun to drive. The way most people drive modern Civics, I doubt they'd notice if they suddenly only had 50hp.

(yes, I know emissions are much better, it's quieter, it crashes better, yada, yada...)

[Nick]

The problem with ethanol is it takes more energy to produce it then you get out. Basically both sides of the isle like it because it involves huge subsidies to corn farmers. One of the things the Dept of Ag was set up to do is promote US farmers so they push ethanol and have all kinds of numbers showing that ethanol is good. Cruise over to the Dept of Energy and you'll notice that the Dept of Ag does not take into account the fuel used in natural gas fired pumps to pump all the water out of the ground to keep the corn alive. When you account for all the inputs of energy to create ethanol you get less out then you put in. But I can't see a Presidential or Congressional candidate speaking out against Ethanol because they want those votes from the states in the middle of the country who have a lot of corn to sell.

We could also point out the environmental cost of the drain the aquifers and pumping large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers onto the fields to keep the corn alive. Basically modern farming is not clean at all. The biggest fine ever levied by EPA went to Archer Daniels Midlands

Nick