[Fot] mileage plus

[Shane Ingate]

Joe Curry wrote:

<snip> ...if they really were interested in
"saving the planet"  They would scrap that
old car instead of selling it.<snip>

My understanding is that it is far better
economics and less taxing on natural resources
to keep the old klunker going.  Most of the
pollution caused by a car during its lifetime
(cradle-to-grave) is during its manufacture
and disposal, not when it is used on the road.

I heard on NPR just the other day that the resource
cost of producing a Toyota Prius is LESS than
building a Tahoe.  What tipped the scales was the
manufacturing of the battery.  The nickel is mined
in the US, processed in Poland, refined in Japan,
assembled into the battery in Canada, and then installed
into the car in Japan.  The nickel travels around the
world 3 times. Don't even ask about the cost of
disposing of this toxic mess.  Prius owners are in
for a real shock come time to replace the batteries.

Shane Ingate, musing on a slow Friday, in NM

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