Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by sukhdeep on November 26, 2010 at 7:52am

kris, sorry, i did misread your comment and my sincere apologies to you.

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Permalink Reply by Kris Potter on November 25, 2010 at 6:09pm

So by your logic, hybrid cars are worse for the environment than gas driven cars. You're going too far with your crusade against energy consumption, it's not holidays that are a problem it's wasteful every day use. Don't combat a single holiday of the year and ignore the larger 364 day problem ahead of you. Come on

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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on November 25, 2010 at 7:26pm

You may want to check this article from 2008.

Is it more energy-efficient to buy a gas-guzzling used car than a b...

Excerpt:

"In order to do an apples-to-apples comparison, let's pit the Prius against a car that's frequently cited as its closest nonhybrid equivalent in terms of weight, size, and other specs: the Toyota Corolla. Would it be more energy-efficient to buy a brand-new Prius or someone else's old Corolla? Since certified, pre-owned cars tend to be less than five years old and are refurbished before going on sale, let's generously assume that your used Corolla will last exactly as long as your new Prius: 11.5 years, or 172,500 miles. (The average American discards a car every eight years, but that's more often than necessary: A well-made vehicle will typically last 15 years.)

According to the federal government's 2008 fuel economy guide (PDF), a Prius averages 46.5 miles per gallon (assuming half of a driver's time is spent on city streets and half on the highway). Beyond 172,500 miles, then, the Prius will consume 3,710 gallons of gas. Each gallon contains approximately 124,000 BTUs of energy, so that translates into 460 million BTUs' worth of burned fuel. Add in the production energy, and the new Prius is responsible for a grand total of 573 million BTUs over its lifetime (not including disposal costs).

A Corolla with an automatic transmission, by contrast, averages 30.5 mpg—more than eight miles per gallon better than the average car on America's roads. Over the vehicle's lifetime, that translates into 5,656 gallons of gas containing more than 701 million BTUs of energy. Since the Corolla we're considering is used, we won't add to that total by factoring in production energy." - www.slate.com

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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on November 25, 2010 at 11:27pm

"so that translates into 460 million BTUs' worth of burned fuel. Add in the production energy, and the new Prius is responsible for a grand total of 573 million BTUs over its lifetime (not including disposal costs)."

I failed to take what into account?

Even the article in Wired, which seems to be main competing source of information, uses the figure of 113 million BTUs as a production figure. Also - these figures are more than two years old. The technology for producing such a car has improved greatly in the last two years, especially once you factor in the economies of scale that a good uptake of the product will engender.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on November 25, 2010 at 11:34pm

Sorry sukhdeep.

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Permalink Reply by Galen on November 25, 2010 at 7:57pm

Complaining about holiday lights because it wastes energy? It's not that I disagree, but really, you should learn about picking your battles. This one is silly. Just MHO.

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Permalink Reply by Reggie on November 26, 2010 at 8:04am

Holiday lights do not equal theism.

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Permalink Reply by Garrison on November 25, 2010 at 8:54pm

I live in an apartment, so I never put lights up outside. Although, I cannot imagine that if I lived in a house I'd be too awful thrilled at the idea of climbing up a ladder with a string of lights slung over my shoulder and a staplegun in hand. No - definitely not my idea of a good time. And then, I'd probably forget to turn them on anyway! lol I'll keep the lights on the tree, where I can get to them and the plugs easily.

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Permalink Reply by Michael on November 26, 2010 at 12:33am

It's a Pagan Christian lie that has been so secularized and capitalized. I don't observe the Holiday.

But the lights are fascinating for the kids and makes things festive and even atheist partake of the festivities.

Is observing a Pagan Christian lie a sin? Well do your energy wasting in moderation.

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Permalink Reply by Reggie on November 26, 2010 at 5:03pm

Very nice! Thanks for that, Doone!

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