Carbon emissions awareness, the Texas edition
On NPR's Morning Edition today, there was a report on how carbon emissions are understood (and often dismissed) in Texas. If you think we're making progress on the environmental awareness front, check this story out (NPR usually adds audio clips to the site a few hours after they air on the radio, so expect that addition later today). The upshot is that in Texas, which would be the world's seventh-largest carbon dioxide polluter in the world if it were an independent country, most people just don't give a rip about emissions. An auto dealers' association (along with other groups) pressured the state legislature to shy away from any sort of climate change bill, even just to study it. And then there's this:Climate activists say that giant 14-mile-per-gallon Chevy Suburbans - once marketed as the National Car of Texas - are part of the problem.
Texas is the nation's largest energy hog because it has a lot of industry, a lot of people, a lot of air conditioning, a lot of miles and a lot of big cars. Tangi Spencer, a movie caterer in Dallas, explains the big-car phenomenon in Texas quite simply: "Here, it's the bigger the truck, the better off you are; the bigger the gas guzzler you are, the better off you are."
Related:
[Source: NPR]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Throwback 9:03AM (11/26/2007)
I heard that report this morning, some what one sided I have to say. Based on all the states If have visited and lived in, I would say Texans tow much more than any other state. I saw more boats, trailers etc being pulled by pickups and SUVs than anywhere else. This is not to say that we all should not do more to lessen our footprint but, the segment gave the impression that everyone lives in 5,000 square foot houses, and drives Suburbans with the express purpose of polluting as much as possible.
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Tony Belding 9:19AM (11/26/2007)
The article notes that TXU cancelled eight planned coal-fired power plants. It neglects to mention that they are going ahead with three others, plus they have placed an order for two of the biggest nuclear reactors that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries offer in their catalog.
Actually I'm all in favor of more nuclear power. I just got my hands on "Power to Save the World" by Gwyneth Cravens, and I think she does a good job of shooting down the myths about fission.
Getting back to cars. . . IN the rural, small-town area of Texas where I live, huge pickup trucks and SUVs are everywhere. It's disheartening to go downtown and look at the massive vehicles parked around the square. The other day I went to the hardware store looking for a door knob. Parked in front of the store was a huge Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Turbo Diesel pickup truck -- with the engine running, clattering and blue smoke belching out of the tailpipe. Parked next to it was a huge Ford F250 Super Duty diesel V8 pickup truck -- also with the engine running.
However. . . Recently I've seen a couple of Priuses and a Honda Insight around town. Change comes slow to these parts, but it does come.
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Hank 10:12AM (11/26/2007)
I'm originally from Texas. On a recent trip I pulled to a Town & Country convenience store in a Chevy HHR. It was the only car. All the other vehicles were 3/4 and 1-ton crew cab trucks, and on 1/2 ton, a Toyota Tundra. I remarked to my wife that they'd never believe I was a born Texan driving a car like that into that parking lot. Texans, more than anywhere else I've lived, have bought hook, line, and sinker that 1) To pull a trailer of 1,000 lbs you need 12,000lbs of capability; and 2) Big vehicles are safe, small vehicles are coffins.
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steven 12:38PM (11/26/2007)
@3: I hate to break it to you, but for the same warped political reasons that the Prius is classified as a mid-size car (along with Rolls Royce, Bentley, the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class, and Cadillac STS), your Chevy HHR is NOT a car. Now if Wikipedia ruled, we'd both be happy.
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Josh 1:07PM (11/26/2007)
There are a few of us (outside just Austin) doing what we can to make up for our brethren, but it is disheartening to see how steadfast the mentality is that big trucks are a necessity. On the other hand, it's very encouraging to see all the wind turbines popping up around West Texas.
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mike 2:59PM (11/26/2007)
Remember, because of the right wing wacko's appointed to it's board, NPR slant's it "news" to the right.
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Tim 3:09PM (11/26/2007)
mike- "NPR slant's it "news" to the right."
I just threw-up a little right before I fell off my chair laughing.
If NPR is to your right, you must have a hammer and cycle tattooed on your ass.
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mike 7:35PM (11/26/2007)
Well, I don't know Tim,
I'm to the left of corporate thievery, corruption and monopoly collusion. I'm pro ethical business though, where the customer comes first and you don't try to ship your "externalities", like pollution, to China. Is "sustainable ethical capitalism" communism?
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MarkR 7:56PM (11/26/2007)
As someone who lives near Austin. Actually between a rock and a weird place. If you lived in CenTex you'd know what the PF... I'm talking about. But I digress, and as you may have seen my previous posts I drive a 4x4 Toyota. There is unfortunately some truth to the article, but leave it to pinko, leftist NPR to really dress it up and make Texas look bad. but they are right about one thing, I'd probably give up an arm and a leg before I get rid of my truck again. I went 5 years with out one and I think the only thing I've missed more than my truck is my Labrador we had to put down last year.
The sooner the big vehicles like my Tacoma are Hybridized the better. And yes before you start whacking on me like ODO did on another site, I chose to offset my larger CO2 producing vehicle by riding my bicycle to work 3 days a week. Thats just one of many way this Repub. tries to green up the miles and miles of Texas.
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Alex 8:35AM (11/27/2007)
I don't think we need to worry too much about what the government is or is not doing to regulate vehicle MPG. Steadily rising gas prices will do that for us.
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BigRedSpecial 9:14AM (11/27/2007)
MarkR(#9): More power to you. I'm a firm believer in only driving what you actually need(I drive a compact), someone driving a truck a short distance twice a week and biking the remaining 3 days is doing a hell of a lot more than the self rightous hippy driving his prius 200 km's per day. Allow me to E-shake your hand.
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EEGeek 9:46AM (11/27/2007)
I heard that piece. It was exactly what I expected from NPR - condescending, slanted, and extremely biased. It was an editorial on how stupid the redneck hicks in Texas are, dressed up as a news piece. I don't mind listening to the expression of their viewpoint, but it galls me that NPR is taxpayer supported through disbursements to CPB.
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gsolman6 1:04PM (11/27/2007)
Actually the article did not go far enough in criticizing Texans. A friend of mine bought a Civic Hybrid for commuting to Cedar Park, Texas and was ridiculed by her coworkers for "shirking" on the gas tax used to finance road construction. On a similar point one of the main reasons tolls roads are being used to fund new roads is all of the oil industry lobbyist opposing any type of gas tax increase - even to keep pace with inflation - because it might dissuade people from buying 11 mpg Dodge Rams.
Another point that was not brought up was land use in urban areas, specifically the low density major "cities." This makes for extra long commutes, increased congestion, and more fuel wasted.
Thirdly, half the trucks bought in Texas are done so for "cultural" reasons and not for pragmatic ones. I drove by a soccer game the other day in South Austin and 90% of the players had pick ups. You would never see that in a D.C. suburb.
Also trucks are perceived as safer vehicles than large cars or minivans even though statistically they are not. I guess Texans aren't smart enough to understand the physics of high center of gravity relating to SUV rollovers. Maybe that's why Texas is #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation (493) and #46 in average math SAT scores (502)..........
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