emissions
Some EV and PHEV Options
Why Consider Electric Cars?
For the last century we have relied heavily on oil to provide energy for our transportation needs. Gasoline- and diesel-powered internal combustion engines (ICE) have monopolized as the propulsion provider for cars and trucks. They have worked fairly well for us, but we are also paying a heavy price in environmental effects. Fortunately, we are starting to explore new alternatives, and electric vehicles (EVs) are emerging as the most viable new alternative for most of our driving. Here are some reasons to consider the switch:
Waste? What’s the Problem?
Eco Cars
Eight years after the Prius was first introduced, hundreds of thousands have been sold, far outpacing all other hybrids, and it is a cultural symbol. After-market plug-in modules for the Prius are now available to the
Benefits of Hybrid Buses
Metro Transit unveiled its first hybrid bus in 2002 and recently added 60 more to its fleet as part of the agency's Go Greener initiative. Over the next four years, 112 more hybrids will follow.
These buses deliver about 25 percent better fuel economy and produce 90 percent fewer emissions than the buses they replace. Go Greener buses are exceptionally quiet, too.
AS MINNESOTA ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE: Some Legislators Get Cold Feet
Air Pollution and Our Health
When most people think of unhealthy air, they think of a stifling, summer day, plagued by high ozone levels and a thick layer of smog over the Twin Cities. However, Minnesota’s worst recorded air alert occurred during the winter of 2005, and ozone was not the culprit. Instead, a stagnant air mass trapped fine-particle pollution near the ground.
Healthy Schools Projects
Three Minnesota schools reduce pollution and save energy and money. Houston Public Schools in southeastern Minnesota, Pine Point Elementary on the White Earth Reservation, and Hutchinson High School took part in a recently finished pilot project to develop a healthier, more sustainable work and study environment in schools. These schools were part of a grant to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called the Healthy Schools project.
What Everyone Should Know About Fossil Fuels
I attended a presentation recently titled, "The Love of Fossil Fuels: The Root of All Evil?" While the title was partly a clever play on the age-old phrase, "Money is the root of all evil," it also had some element of truth on its own.
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