First, I would like to wish anyone that has had damage to their homes and property my best.

Houston seemed to have lucked-out this time. We could call it a "dry run" for the area in terms of evacuation. Anyone who watched it on the news, the media was NOT exaggerating. Cars were PARKED on every route out of town. It was phenominal. Abandoned cars peppered the roadways from overheating and running out of gas. It took us 6+ hours to go 25 miles, which was better than many fared.

It gave me my first real sigh of relief that I had my hybrid. Not only did I not run out of gas (far from it), but I got to sit in air conditioned comfort, as I watched these poor families roasting with their windows down. I wonder if this has made anyone down here rethink their monstrous SUV purchase? (if any of you have never been to Southeast Texas, there is an absolute glut of SUVs and trucks).

I just wanted to tell people who can empathize with my pride in owning this environmentally healthy and efficient genre of vehicle.

Thanks,
D

 

Yes, we can empathize with your pride in owning an environmental-friendly vehicle.

Scientists are now discussing that the excessive Gulf water temperature has fueled these destructive storms. Global warming is very real. And guess where the large majority of greenhouse gases is coming from? Vehicles!

So we are doing the right thing for the environment, the right thing to reduce foreign oil dependency, and the right thing for our pockets, too.

 

How does warmer temps = global warming = stronger hurricanes?





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I'm not saying that global warming isn't happening, just don't think that the hurricanes and warmer temps prove that.

 

Maybe I should lock this thread now before it becomes a fight.

Both sides have scientist that will say they have research proving their points. So far in my mind it has neither been proven nor disproven.

I am personaly not convinced of global warming. However, erring on the side of caution and being more environmentaly friendly sure can't hurt.

 

No, I won't start a fight.

As you mentioned, the jury is still out on global warming and its long term effects. I fully respect other people's opinions on the matter.

But would we agree that, regardless of Global Warming or not, it still makes sense to reduce tailpipe emissions?

 

It's a theme of mine - hybrids should find favor regardless of your socio/political perspective. They save fuel and dependancy on foreign oil. That helps the economy. They also reduce greenhouse emissions that contribute to global warming. There is something for everybody.

For what it's worth, I think Katrina is part of a cycle of bigger hurricanes not cause by global warming. I believe global warming is real. I'm not in a rant mode.

 

Lots of things go in cycles. There's been a number of reports saying hurricane activity goes in quarter-century cycles and that we're currently in a natural upswing. Weather data is really difficult to extrapolate long-term trends from because there's so many cycles going on. In the big picture, we're currently nearing the end of a warming period before going into the next natural ice age. These are events that have been going on for millions of years in cycles of thousands and tens of thousands of years. I think the best we can do is simply to be responsible with what we've got and try to have as little external impact on the world as we can.

 

wouldn't it be nice if we could produce enough oil and gas just from US owned rigs and refineries. No need at all for foreign oil?

 

I agree, Canada and Mexico should cut off all it's oil exports to the US. That'll learn them.

 

Here is yet another article on global warming. The interesting thing was that if Greenland icecap melts, the oceans would rise approx 7 m. Also, the loss of ice at the poles, (ice is less dense than liquid H20), would cause more equatorial bulge (more water) and slow the earth's rotation slightly, making it even more warm.....???

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050929/...ment_arctic_dc