On my way back from lunch carpooling with a coworker
yesterday - yes i should have packed a lunch -
I saw this puzzling spectacle:
an Escalade carrying two bicycles.
The 2005 Cadillac Escalade AWD retails for more than
50K and has a V8 engine delivering 345 hp that are really
vital in this ruthless urban jungle that the DC area is.
Its optimistic EPA mileage estimate is 13/17 mpg.
Even driving like I do, i get 28mpg in my 1.7l 170hp
13 year old 3 door coupe.
Last week there was sobering report from an environmental
group which has worked with McDonald's and FedEx.
A study by Environmental Defense has
determined that American automobiles are responsible for
nearly half of the greenhouse gases emitted by cars globally
although they constitute only 30 percent of the world’s autos.
The authors argued that cars in the U.S. are driven
more miles, have lower fuel economy requirements and use
fuel with more carbon than in most other countries.
As individuals, we can at least address 2 of these factors.
-drive less and smarter
-buy more fuel efficient vehicules.
And if you're not rich enough to buy a new hybrid car
and love your old trusty reasonably efficient and fun wheels,
just bitch about it like me, there'll be enough of us eventually.
