A couple of things I want you to try today.
#1 Attempt to download the readings. Let me know in class if it does not work.
Reading 1
Reading 2
Also respond to the article below regarding the development of "efficient" cars. Do you agree/disagree? Is it worth it? Respond by clicking on the comments link at the end of this reading. Hit the radio button for name/URL, enter your name, and then place your comments above.Here is a problem for your students: Where is the most energy efficiency gained? Redesigning a car that got 40 mpg so it now gets 80 mpg, OR getting a vehicle that was at 10 mpg to get 15 mpg?
This is pertinent because we are head over heels in love with the Prius, a vehicle that is sold to people who would have been driving a car like mine (Saturn with 40+ mpg highway). That Toyota company should be bailed out by the Japanese government. And GM should be allowed to burn because they have made such horrible vehicles. And we environmentalists scoff at the improvements made by US engineers at GM and Ford, where their big trucks and SUVs have been turned into hybrids boosting their mpg by what seems paltry amounts, 12 mpg to 16 mpg.
Per 10,000 miles driven, a car getting 40 mpg uses 250 gallons, improving that to 80 reduces gasoline consumption to 125 gallons saving 125 gallons. A vehicle getting 10 mpg uses 1000 gallons per 10,000 miles driven. Improving that to 15 mpg takes consumption to 667 gallons, a reduction of 333 gallons. More than twice the savings of the previous example.
Lesson learned? The Prius doesn't do too much for our energy reduction plans. Keep in mind that the driver of a 10 mpg vehicle will not switch to one that gets 40 or 80.
Second environmental lesson. How much energy does it take to make a Prius? I have a simple process for calculating this. If a 51 mpg Prius costs $24,000, then there is $24,000 worth of energy in it. This conversion factor works for most normal goods. It doesn't apply to a Coach purse (I am embarrassed to say I know what they are). A Nissan Versa can be had for $10,000. The Versa should get about 33 or 35 mpg with a standard transmission. How many miles would you have to drive the Prius to reduce energy consumption by $14,000? Hmmm? Partly depends on miles driven per year and interest rates ( a discounting/net present value problem, and gasoline prices.)
9 comments:
Developing efficient cars is definitely worth it. They will save a lot more energy than the vehicles we have now, no matter how little of a mpg increase there is. So I strongly agree with the article's point that redesigning cars to make them more efficient is necessary and valuable. The most energy efficiency is gained by getting a 10mpg car to 15mpg because it saves more compared to the 40mpg to 80mpg car. On the other hand the 40-80 doesn't use nearly as much fuel, so it meets the purpose of preserving gasoline way better. There isn't much excess gas in the world, so I think using less gas and more of other energy sources is a better approach than using more gas and less of other energy sources. Our current situation presents a dire need to save gas, meanwhile other energy sources aren't in such a huge shortage. I have to say that I strongly believe that the 40mpg to 80mpg change is the best for our position.
I think that developing efficient cars is a good idea...but you need to think also about the economy right now. No one is thinking about by an expensive car. They want to save money for gas not spend thousands on a new car. The new hybrids cars are nice and efficient but they just are not on the price range for a lot of people right now, along with the different energy saving products those things are expensive and we are in debt enough as it is. I think a different option needs to be taken.
More efficient cars will definitely help in the long run. The sad thing is, many people don't want to buy these new cars because a) they're very expensive and b) they're still in love with their gas-guzzling Hummers. I think in order for people to want to buy these energy efficient cars, they need to be more affordable. The smart cars they have out there on the market right now are very dangerous. I mean, imagine if one of those tried to take on a Semi-truck. I really think we need to be completely off of gasoline anyways. A new energy source needs to be found and fast because if we don't get rid of those gases floating up and destroying our precious ozone layer, then we won't be around much longer. Hydrogen cars could be a possibility, except the fact that if they blow up it's basically like a mini atomic bomb. But hey, we're working at it. So I strongly agree with the energy efficient cars. It'll take time, just like everything else.
Developing energy efficient cars is worth it because it will be more beneficial in the long term. People aren't buying them now because they are much more expensive than gas-guzzling cars, but if we keep working on developing them and the supply of them goes up, then the price should decrease to a more reasonable amount. It is true that if you switch a 10mpg car to a 15mpg car it will save more as far as a number amount, but because the 40-80mpg car doesn't use as much fuel to begin with, so its definitely the better choice. That way, it still preserves our dwindling supply of oil better than the car that is merely improved a bigger amount. During these harder times for our economy, people might not want to spend money trying to find a completely alternative fuel supply that gets us away from our dependency on oil, but it will benefit us in the long run if our country can be the first to develop it, especially if it is something we possess in large quantities here. I think we definitely need to concentrate on that right now.
In the long run, developing efficient cars would be worth it. But, because of our economy and the condition of the nation at this point, I don't know if that is our greatest issue. The prices of these cars would be very high, and many things would have to change in society. Wouldn't everyone be forced to own an efficient car, at some point? Would that cause problems?
Any sort of additional efficiency in automobiles today would definitely make a positive impact on the overall efficiency of gasoline usage. I like to look at pickups nowadays, with new Silverados with V8s churning out up to 21 mpg. That is absolutely huge that they can improve the efficiency of larger automobiles now, as proven by that article. However, Wandzi, I think you're ahead of the curve. The future is in running. (or other gas-less means of transportation)
You know, I think the spirit of creating a more efficient car is good...but I really think the timing is too poor to allow such an improvement to be successful. Sure, these cars may save you a few pennies on gas, but then again, you paid an extra 10 grand for the car itself. I'm all for the environment and reducing toxins, but we might as well channel our energy into something that's actually going to make a difference...NOW. Creating an alternate fuel might be a better solution.
But then again, they've already got the machinery(capital goods) to produce cars. I think it's a dead end for the manufacturers. I wouldn't be taking any pity on them when they have to file for bankruptcy.
I agree with the development of efficient cars. It helps conserve natural resources by using other everyday resources. The problem is that no one wants to use them, because they're to attached to a pick-up truck or SUV to worry about efficiency of a smaller vehicle. Also with big families, they don't want to use them either, because of the space. What big families want is a big vehicle for travels, and transportation purposes that give them the room and space.
After reading this, I still believe that improving the mpg on all of our vehicles is important. But, now I realize the significance of improving the mpgs of the SUVs and big trucks. This article reinforced the idea that for many people a hybrid like the Prius isn't cost effecient. From the information presented in this article, I believe that more energy efficiency is gained through getting a vehicle that was at 10 mpg to get 15 mpg. SUVs and big trucks are very popular in America, so it is important for us to create those that get better gas mileage. Another area that we need to improve is in semi trucks (and other shipping vehicles) because these vehicles do so much shipping and travel so far each day, there would be a big impact if we could make these more fuel efficient.
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