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 Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 3:57 pm
Ethanol is not a miracle fuel. According to a report on CNN, the machines that develop corn into ethanol use PETROLEUM. Public Radio also interviewed several sources that explained hydrogen engines have similar problems - manufacturing the product is often bad for the environment. Even if we could get past that little glitch, to depend on one source of energy is shortsighted.
Did ya know that back in the 1970s - yeah 1970 something - President Carter facilitated mucho research in alternative energies, like solar and wind power. He was laughed at mercilessly by politicians and voters alike. Pres Ronny took only months to retract all of Carter's energy development policies.
Either way, we need to stop USING so much energy to begin with.
Then we should use LESS of multiple kinds of energies.
Thats my thought.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 3:58 pm
Lord Thatlatu of the Tofu Tree Beatle Maiden I guess I can't say that I'm a true hippie, as I live less than a mile from my high school and I still drive a car. Of course, driving to and from school is one of the only ways that I can get driving practice in. And my backpack is really heavy since I have to carry at least two textbooks to school everyday. I only weight 110 pounds, and it's not like much of that is muscle.
Even though my family lives in a large city (Las Vegas), we still drive around a lot. This is because most of Las Vegas, except parts of downtown, is very spread out. We live far to the north in the nicer suburbs, and everyday my brother has to make a long commute to the university. We must commute all around town, and walking really isn't an option. That is one of the reasons why gridlock and air pollution is becoming a growing issue for Las Vegans.
Alternate sources of energy would definitely help us solve this problem, but it is true that there is no "miracle" fuel. Ethanol would certainly be better than normal gasoline, and I doubt that it would "dry up" the West. America produces so many grains on millions of acres already and we won't experience anything like the Dust Bowl again due to better farming practices and new technology. Water powered cars would be an interesting invention, but I can see the steam they give off as a danger to local environments, as it may result in a much more saturated atmosphere than usual. Still not as bad as gasoline, though. As for solar power - well, that may be our best bet. Cars powered on xenon, radium, and neon would probably cost more to manufacture than $114 a year. That may be the problem with those. Not to mention that those three elements are exactly common, and radium has high levels of radioacitivity.
So there's my scientific two cents for the day. mrgreen They've already got about 5000 engines manufactured, and the amounts necessary are very small, while the engine is very basic. -They use far less of the said elements than a neon sign, and the technology is only chemical, with mechanics that were around 2200 years ago. It's a solution, but it's also not widely known. -The organization that makes them, as well as many other simple-yet-incredible things, is still mostly here in Oregon still, and their budget isn't huge. -There is a solution to life other than death (although there is only one end), and these people are finding it.
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 1:53 pm
ToxicHobbit danielthemad There is no miracle fuel. We should revert to the Earth Mother's gift of legs to get around. It is sad how a lot of people rely on automobiles as their source of transportation. Walking is a relaxing practice usually, anyway. 3nodding Yes, but when you have to get somewhere that's beyond walking distance? What then? sad Actually, I rely on planes quite heavily. My lover and I, because of where she's going to school, are on opposite sides of the country from one another. Yet, we make the effort every time we can save up the money to do so (about every 4 months, each) to travel to see the other one and spend as long of a time there as possible. Airports are beyond walking distance for either of us, and if it weren't for planes, this would just downright be impossible altogether. However, I do see where you're coming from. I think that, just to be traveling around town and such, people SHOULD walk more. It's sad that they don't. I live in a really small town, so most everything is within walking distance here.
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Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 7:47 pm
Beatle_Babe ToxicHobbit danielthemad There is no miracle fuel. We should revert to the Earth Mother's gift of legs to get around. It is sad how a lot of people rely on automobiles as their source of transportation. Walking is a relaxing practice usually, anyway. 3nodding Yes, but when you have to get somewhere that's beyond walking distance? What then? sad Actually, I rely on planes quite heavily. My lover and I, because of where she's going to school, are on opposite sides of the country from one another. Yet, we make the effort every time we can save up the money to do so (about every 4 months, each) to travel to see the other one and spend as long of a time there as possible. Airports are beyond walking distance for either of us, and if it weren't for planes, this would just downright be impossible altogether. However, I do see where you're coming from. I think that, just to be traveling around town and such, people SHOULD walk more. It's sad that they don't. I live in a really small town, so most everything is within walking distance here. The use of planes is alright, being as it is mass transit and something I believe is some way to reduce our dependence on energy. I also live in a small town, and I agree that people should walk when driving isn't nessesary. 3nodding
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