China is big on SUV's

Not a big suprise here. Economy is booming, lots of people are making lots of money, and when you take into account the rest of china's environmental disasters, what is there to be suprised aboout? If you have 100k to spend on an suv, then $4 a gallon gas doesnt matter so much.

They are going through a cultural revolution. People can now have wealth and status, and the suv is becoming a symbol of that just as it did here.

 

Mad max was a documentary. But I did not know there was a war on climate change. If there that is the case it is probably like the war on drugs, not a real war just a way to make money for governments

Fear not my friend, trees are renewable. Texas reached the peak chopping point in the '20s or '30s and has since decided trees have value. There are many more here, even after the wildfires than at that sad time. We even have fines if you let a 50 yo tree die on your land.

For every ton of co2 that the west reduces though, china and india add 3 more. The planet is increasing its ghg. We will see if we reach a tipping point or if at some point things slow down.

I unfortunately agree here. Just like learning to live with the atom bomb, ghg are reality, and we can't just mope about it destroying the world.
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But its probably just a fad. Maybe the next one will be electric roadsters.

 

Well the suv was a fad, and the electric roadster is a rich mans toy, so who knows?

 

This could have been my rant I see the (transparent) SUV commercials on CCTV. The fuel price is now closer to 5.5 $USD per US gallon. Beijing traffic jams = LA (other cities will get there soon enough). Parking lots? Um, no. So yes, it is nuts.

The business opportunity may be how to turn all those SUVs into something useful later? Nothing immediately comes to mind, other than use in dikes against 'ocean encroachment'.

I am a fan of trees, along with AustinG. However, I can't accept the '1 down and 3 up' CO2 idea. The west is not down in CO2 emissions. Is it?

Maybe IBM's lithium air batteries will transform electric cars into what we need them to be. Somebody can start a thread on that.

 

The problem is that we all have to be a good example before we can ask developing countries to follow suit.
How could we possibly ask China and India to try and balance out CO2 when USA keeps on trucking with SUVs as grocery getters?

It doesn't matter than Germany, France, England and others tax vehicles based on their emissions as long as there is at least one large developed country which doesn't seem to follow what the international communities preach.

But the largest problem is not CO2. It's the damn fuel going into these monstrosities. I bet that we would still be screwed even if all families in developing countries got prii instead of Suburbans.


Disclaimer
If this thread gets moved to politics, then I will no longer be able to respond as I do not have access to that forum (request ignored).

 

Yep, let's keep the politics out. I don't have access to that forum nor do I want it.

Regarding the above, I haven't followed it but http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=190590#p190590 might be interesting.

The SF BayLeaf club is VERY lucky that IBM Almaden Research isn't far away from the rest of the members. In fact, the entrance to that facility is <2 miles away where I live.

 

It is often said that battery technology is lacking, but technology only evolves when enough research is put into it. The latest push on electric cars has put renewed focus/fundings into battery tech, so advancements (such as the IBM research suggestion) are to be expected.

I hope we get further in this field this time than the last time there was high interest into the field of hydrogen capacitors.

 

Now that's a hoot. One kid per family - rational being food shortages over the centuries in China would cause mass revolt and government over throws. But running out of air that's not putrid ... not so important. Now I understand.
So . . . China is big on SUV's . . . . does that mean the ol' saying is true?

Big car . . . . . . . little - ______? See, I know what you THOUGHT ... but what I really meant was, little money left after filling big gas tank.