It's fun to be green
 

We got a new car on Friday - a hybrid! While I doubt I'll ever recover the extra cost of a hybrid over a non-hybrid, the satisfaction of getting 50% better gas mileage in an SULEV car more than makes up for it.

If you've never driven a hybrid, the technology is pretty amazing. You can hardly feel the engine turn on or off and the electric motors kick in and out seemlessly.

Happy me!

Good for you, George. If a couple million more people made their next car purchase a hybrid we could tell Bush and his oil cronies who want to squeeze the last drop of oil out of Alaska - environment be damned - to get stuffed. If a few tens of millions of people followed your lead, we could tell the Saudis to get stuffed, as well. It'll probably never happen (well, at least not under the current administration), but it's fun to think about.

In the meantime - manage to sell the Hummer yet? :wink:

I just ride my bike everywhere... I suppose that helps the environment or something...

The only problem is my bike cost 2x more than my car did... Hmm...

:ermm:

There have been many alternate fuels and hybrid cars available for quite some time. For milions of people to pursue that purchasing route, they'll need incentive to overcome the cost. The US government gives tax rebates in at least some states for certain types of hybrid cars, but it doesn't make up for the larger cost of ownership as compared to the traditional gas guzzlers. If it takes higher and higher gas prices to finally drive the alternative vehicle and fuel industries, then we probably won't have to long to wait...

There are tax incentives to purchasing a hybrid car. In 2005, one may take a tax deduction (an amount you can subtract from your taxable income) of $2,000 "above the line" (meaning that you get this deduction even if you don't itemize your deductions). The recently-passed energy bill provides a tax CREDIT (an amount you can deduct from the taxes you actually owe) of up to $4,000 for the first 600,000 purchasers of each model hybrid.

I have been telling people that if they are thinking about buying a hybrid, they should be first in line on January 2 at their local dealership.

Disclaimer: I am not a tax lawyer. I am quoting from memory and from press reports of what was going into the bill. With all of the eleventh-hour pork that was attached to this particular bill, maybe all the President signed was a ham sandwich.

As to the economics of purchasing a hybrid, rising gasoline prices can only help. One concern is the expense of replacing the battery at the end of its useful life.

If you don't mind my asking, George, which hybrid did you buy?

[QUOTE=Xyzzy]The only problem is my bike cost 2x more than my car did... Hmm...

:ermm:[/QUOTE]
Wow! What type of bike you own? A hybrid one? :razz:
Well, I won´t ask about the car... :whistle:

Perhaps Xyzzy's referring to a recumbent or a [i]motor[/i]bike.

Since we are talking green, I would like to disclose my green habits.

i would like to say M29983571 will be my second LL-test performed completely on solar energy (or at least 99.9%). I have two small panels that charge a small 12v battery. The laptop running M29983571 is exclusively charged by this system.

Most of my LL tests are technically performed on Wind power. Electricity is deregulated in Texas and our household chooses Green Mountain Energy.

[url]http://www.powertochoose.org/[/url]

[QUOTE=E_tron]Since we are talking green, I would like to disclose my green habits.

i would like to say M29983571 will be my second LL-test performed completely on solar energy (or at least 99.9%). I have two small panels that charge a small 12v battery. The laptop running M29983571 is exclusively charged by this system.

Most of my LL tests are technically performed on Wind power. Electricity is deregulated in Texas and our household chooses Green Mountain Energy.

[url]http://www.powertochoose.org/[/url][/QUOTE]

very cool... In illinois we dont get to chose.
Congrats on being green.

GM isn't helping the green movement.

They recalled their electric cars a few months back.

[url]http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/gm_ev1.html[/url]

[QUOTE=lycorn]Wow! What type of bike you own? A hybrid one? :razz:
Well, I won´t ask about the car... :whistle:[/QUOTE]Actually, my car is just an old cheap Toyota that wont die...

My bike is an '05 Cannondale 613 "Team Replica"... I don't own anything else, just a bike, so I decided to splurge a bit...

:cat: