A Shot To The Tree Huggers

[Dale.Volz]

Oh my - all this bitterness, resentment, and polarized thinking. Get over it guys or get some counseling. I'm a deeply committed environmentalist, an officer and board member in the state chapter of the Sierra Club, a public transit commuter, and I drive a Prius. But I'm also a VCA member, and I own a Jeep, a 4x4 truck, a Cobra AC, and 2 Vipers. Caring for and protecting the environment is not some scary subversive conspiracy; it's about maintaining balance in one's life and respecting the life-supporting wonders of creation that God has placed in our care.

 

[plumcrazy]

I don't like to think I'm mean spirited but a situation came up a couple of years ago and I just couldn't resist. I was driving the H2 down a country road and slowed to make a turn at an intersection. Stopped at the sign was a Smart car. As I start making the turn - I see buddy in the "not so Smart car" staring smugly at me and give a condescending grin and tsk tsk his head side to side disapprovingly. I rolled down the window and almost came to a complete stop and pointed right at him and started howling in laughter and said aloud "LOOK!!! , a fat guy in a small car!!!" That took the smug grin off his face pretty quickly. As I drove away he looked bewildered and like he was gonna cry -lol. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't believe in that type of bully stuff but come on - the guy was asking for it. I think I really wanted to re-inforce that ******* Hummer stereotype deep into his head so he'd never forget.

good for you, cant blame ya

 

[v10enomous]

Oh my - all this bitterness, resentment, and polarized thinking. Get over it guys or get some counseling. I'm a deeply committed environmentalist, an officer and board member in the state chapter of the Sierra Club, a public transit commuter, and I drive a Prius. But I'm also a VCA member, and I own a Jeep, a 4x4 truck, and 2 Vipers. Caring for and protecting the environment is not some scary subversive conspiracy; it's about maintaining balance in one's life and respecting the life-supporting wonders of creation that God has placed in our care.

We need to find a way to have all Environmentalists Committed !!!

Couldn't resist... Happy New Year ! Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion and I respect that... So keep that in mind as a New Year's resolution or something...

 

[Kala]

Dale I gotta ask... What is green about the Prius hybrid power and their batteries?

Maybe you don't know the life cycle of what you are driving?

I'm all for saving the environment, but Hybrid cars are a rolling toxic waste dump...

 

[Kevan]

One of the greatest oxymorons of our generation is those that claim to be environmentalists stating that they own/drive Prius' (Prii?).

- More than 90% of the car is made in CHINA (the largest polluter on the planet, by far)
- Where do you think those dozens of batteries (800% more than in a standard car) go when they die? Hint: they don't turn into magical unicorn dust.

With those two simple TRUTHS, and more than 1.5 million units sold since it's release, the Prius could be the most harmful vehicle for the environment ever built.


NOTE: I am *not* anti-environment.
I *am* pro-brain usage.

 

[Phun70]

Oh my - all this bitterness, resentment, and polarized thinking. Get over it guys or get some counseling. I'm a deeply committed environmentalist, an officer and board member in the state chapter of the Sierra Club, a public transit commuter, and I drive a Prius. But I'm also a VCA member, and I own a Jeep, a 4x4 truck, and 2 Vipers. Caring for and protecting the environment is not some scary subversive conspiracy; it's about maintaining balance in one's life and respecting the life-supporting wonders of creation that God has placed in our care.

So, if you know all this---and you're a member of that, why did you buy a prius? Did you fail to research it? Did you know that the waste products generated producing the prius will far outweigh the benefits? There is more toxic waste created and energy used producing a prius than a Viper can cough up in a decade, and you haven't even driven the prius yet! Let alone recycled the damn thing. But, I look at it this way, Toyota loses money on every one they produce, so thanks very much for your patriotism.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Oh my - all this bitterness, resentment, and polarized thinking. Get over it guys or get some counseling. I'm a deeply committed environmentalist, an officer and board member in the state chapter of the Sierra Club, a public transit commuter, and I drive a Prius. But I'm also a VCA member, and I own a Jeep, a 4x4 truck, and 2 Vipers. Caring for and protecting the environment is not some scary subversive conspiracy; it's about maintaining balance in one's life and respecting the life-supporting wonders of creation that God has placed in our care.

BUT, there are others, MANY others that are not balanced. The "enviromental" movement is good if taken in the proper context, but so many of "your" kind take it too far, like burning down colorado resorts.

Just for the record, I am all for recycling..............................

 

[Phun70]

Look, I'm not saying that I'm against taking care of the planet, I'm all for it! I just get sick of the people who demonize me for having a car that I drive less than 3000 miles a year as they putt about in their electric crap boxes. I think there is and has been lots of lies told about climate change etc, and it is irritating to think that there are so many people that are stupid enough to buy in to it. I do take care of the environment by recycling everything I can, and my auto shop doesn't even allow oil to leave the facility, we burn in on site to heat the shop, which is very clean and eliminates the possibility of a spill during transport. But DON'T expect me to buy a hybrid, cause I'd rather walk!

 

[georgethedog]

I am all for finding a car that won't hurt the environment. I went to college that was "green" before it was in vogue. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has been a leading environmental university since the 60's and was/is known as Eco-U. I was an envirionmental science major for a while (long story). I understand things... However, the hybrids and the current electrics are not doing a damn thing today. The energy comes from fossil fuels and the batteries are major hazardous waste (as per my personal scientist-my wife who has a MS in Organic Chemistry and worked several years at a hazardous waste facility).

Now, these early attempts may someday lead us to an answer due to research, etc., but to hear people brag about their Prius or that they are ready to by a Volt to help the environment is just silliness and completely ignores half of the facts. The only thing they are accomplishing is contrbuting to future reasearch (I give them credit for that), but they see it as they are doing something today and just ignores too many facts. Great, as long as they feel good about themselves.

 

[plumcrazy]

a great link on "saving the planet"

George Carlin, “The Planet Is Fine” « Gospel of Reason

 

[Kevan]

Good one, Plum.
Thanks.

 

[Toby]

E cars with batteries and limited range are stupid on so many levels.

Dependence on foreign oil is also not a long term solution.

Finding a car that operates very close to a gas powered car is the answer.

Well now have we seen this...

Honda FCX Clarity Overview - Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle - Site

I am impressed!

Top Gear thinks so too..

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AUurBnLbJw[/media]

 

[anaconda666]

One of the positives to these electric cars is imagine hopping in a Viper after driving one of those slugs!!!

Try a Tesla

 

[99 R/T 10]

a great link on "saving the planet"

George Carlin, “The Planet Is Fine” « Gospel of Reason

Let me add:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw[/media]

 

[v10enomous]

I'm with Jeremy and Billy Bob on this one...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvp69lnZbA[/media]

 

[Kala]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIDpCT1tOqE[/media]

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I'm a deeply committed environmentalist, an officer and board member in the state chapter of the Sierra Club,

If a gas guzzling owner like yourself is a deeply committed enviromentalist then most of us who separate our trash are also deeply committed environmetalist. But your Sierra Club is viewed as extremists. So don't bash us for the county's perception your extremist group has created for themselves.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Got my new plates today, Just in time cause my bud next door just got a new Prius yesterday.

A great plate and a great color. That green really grew on me over the years.

 

[AZTVR]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIDpCT1tOqE[/media]

GREAT !!!! LOL ! literally !

 

[georgethedog]

If a gas guzzling owner like yourself is a deeply committed enviromentalist then most of us who separate our trash are also deeply committed environmetalist. But your Sierra Club is viewed as extremists. So don't bash us for the county's perception your extremist group has created for themselves.

If you look at the list of his cars it just seems like a guy who has a little guilt (i.e. your gas guzzling comment) and thus bought a Prius to feel better. Glad to know I am a deeply committed environmentalist since I separate my trash for recyling! I feel better now too. Actually, I think the Sierra Club he is referring to is for GMC truck owners (he just forgot to list in in his vehicle list--got too long). I didn't know they were extremists; although I have seen a few with gun racks.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I meet the environmentalist wackos half way. I separate my trash, turn off my A/C when I leave the house and the lights when I leave the office. And I lug 5-gallon buckets of oil to the parts store instead of pouring it in the alley like we used to do 40 years ago. That's meeting the nutjobs halfway and it's as far as I'm gonna go. If that isn't enough for them, which it appears that it is not, then I'm just gonna go back to my old ways.

Jeeze, we used to burn our trash in big drums once a week and burn leaves in the street every fall. Now we gather it all up and pay the city to pick it up and do what with it?..haul it off to an incinerator to do the same thing we did with it 40 years ago. What a scam the green movement is. Should be called the 'greed' movement.

 

[DrumrBoy]

I drive a Prius. .

We're happy for you. If you drive it because you like it, great. If you drive it to feel great about how wonderfully environmentally conservative you are - and flaunt that attitude to those driving higher-consuming vehicles, then you're the target of this.

The thread started out with someone complaining about the condescension of a Smart car owner....that's what most object to.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Years ago before I had my truck a buddy used to let me borrow his Hummer to haul my Viper to the track. One day after picking it up and taking it to the garage to hook up the trailer I got a big thumbs down from some dork walking along the sidewalk. I didn't know if it was because he didn't like Hummers because they are awful vehicles (they are lousy vehicles) or if he was an envirowacko. As years passed I figure he was the latter.

 

[georgethedog]

One last thought... Back in the 60's-70's there was so much smoke in our industrial side of town that my dad had to turn on his headlights during the day. Addtionally, our Great Lakes would burn, when my dad would finish pumping off product (gas & oil) from a barge they would just let the hose drain into the river. I am pleased at our progress (and agree with most of what has been done) and I don't want to go back to that.

What ****** me off is that this country is significantly more clean than it was years ago and now the environmentalists are looking for minutia to complain about in order to continue funding their organizations. Most of followers in these organizations never saw what I saw in the 60's & 70's to compare and have no frame of reference. We have probably gone further than almost any country in the world. If you want to do some good, GO ***** at China (and much of the Far East), India, parts of South America, and Russia as they are all WAY behind what we have accomplished and because of little environmental regualtions they can produce cheaper, etc., etc., etc. OK, back to the regular fun we have on this board.

 

[DrumrBoy]

GO ***** at China (and much of the Far East), India, parts of South America, and Russia

Beijing on most mornings makes Allentown of the 1970's look like San Diego!

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

I talked to a South Korean recently. He said that there are very few convertibles in S.Korea. The air pollution is so bad that you couldn't stand it during your drive and would smell and look dirty after the ride. I saw a documnentary on China showing how landfills are overflowing into populated areas. You would have to pay me to visit those countries.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Manila is pretty bad and they don't even manufacture anything.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

One last thought... Back in the 60's-70's there was so much smoke in our industrial side of town that my dad had to turn on his headlights during the day. Addtionally, our Great Lakes would burn, when my dad would finish pumping off product (gas & oil) from a barge they would just let the hose drain into the river. I am pleased at our progress (and agree with most of what has been done) and I don't want to go back to that.

What ****** me off is that this country is significantly more clean than it was years ago and now the environmentalists are looking for minutia to complain about in order to continue funding their organizations. Most of followers in these organizations never saw what I saw in the 60's & 70's to compare and have no frame of reference. We have probably gone further than almost any country in the world. If you want to do some good, GO ***** at China (and much of the Far East), India, parts of South America, and Russia as they are all WAY behind what we have accomplished and because of little environmental regualtions they can produce cheaper, etc., etc., etc. OK, back to the regular fun we have on this board.

I hear ya George. I grew up in a steel mill town in the 60s that was the last to use coal locomotives. I remember all the soot. We had a need for the EPA back then. Not so anymore. We did our job, we cleaned up our act. Now let us live please!