A Change of Heart

[CelticFlyer]

I recently picked up a copy of Ron Gogan's GREEN CAR JOURNAL. It's a quarterly magazine that reviews planet-friendly alternative modes of transportation, and their related technologies. It's an interesting read. No big deal, right?

Well it is if you all knew me better! Until recently, I was a hard-core muscle car fanatic. And those vehicles are not green and their owners typically don't give a hoot about the environment. In fact, many of them have contempt for anyone suggesting their rides are detrimental to our home planet.

Some may argue that I sold my '07 Mustang GT because of the sheer economics; that gas, insurance, and the cost of modifications were putting a hurting on me. Or that I caved in because of the political strife associated with our dependence on foreign oil, and the blood that's been spilled for it's acquisition. Perhaps all of these played a factor in my decision to sell my car and leave the hobby. However, it all boiled down to reassessing my wants and needs, and deciding that it was simply the right thing to do. I didn't exactly have an epiphany. It was more of a process of thought that led to my decision. I grew tired of the incessant blather being spewed by the muscle car crowd. (Hardly cerebral and definitely counter-productive.) And I grew anxious by the thoughts of committing more and more financial resources to the upkeep and enhancement of my car. In the end, the joy of ownership had simply evaporated. I guess I'm just not interested any more. I briefly flirted with the idea of getting a Jeep so I could go camping virtually anywhere and anytime, but then reality set in: that vehicle uses more gas and pollutes the air even more than the Mustang! So, I weighed my options and decided to get nothing. At least not right away...

Now I take the bus to work (a natural gas powered bus, btw) and get everywhere else on foot. It's not so bad; I live downtown, so many things are easily within walking distance...bars, restaurants, shopping malls, retail stores are conveniently nearby. I do have my groceries delivered, though. I just couldn't bring myself to lug them fifteen blocks from the nearest supermarket!

By no means did I mention any of this to assume an air of superiority over my former peers, or to stroke my own ego for making a wise decision. I just wanted to describe the process by which I went from being a muscle car fanatic to a green car enthusiast. I must admit that I feel better knowing that my carbon footprint has been reduced, and that I will continue to be aware of my own impact on the Earth. I mean, it's your home too!

Now I'm waiting for the VentureOne. It represents the best of both worlds; a sporty compact car AND an environmentally-friendly mode of transportation.

My subscriptions to Motor Trend, Automobile and other muscle car magazines will soon expire. They'll most likely be supplanted by the Green Car Journal or equivalent over the next few years. Given the climate (literally), economics, and the political landscape, I wouldn't be surprised to see their readership boom!

What about you folks? Have you always been "green" or did you experience a similar "change of heart?"

[RAN]

CF, my story parallels yours in many ways. I'm in my 50's and haven't been much into muscle cars lately, but as little as a year ago I was waiting for the 1 series BMW to come out. I became very disillusioned when I discovered that the 1 series weighed almost as much as the 3 series; not really any better performance, agility, or economy to be had with it. That and the fact that the price crept up a few thousand $ as it neared release just burst my bubble with regards to traditional gas-powered cars. Let's not even talk about our idiot president and the war machine that has cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars. In my Firefox Cars folder I have Motor Trend, C/D, R&T, Automobile, and a couple other "performance car" websites... I hardly ever go to them anymore. I started searching for alternative modes of transportation, and found Autobloggreen and the Aptera. A comment there led me to Venture Vehicles. I made a new Green Tech folder for Firefox, with many new sites I now read frequently. Here are some of them:
http://mobilemag.com/content/100/354/ (they have good mentions of green cars as well as conventional ones)
http://www.autobloggreen.com/
http://www.evworld.com/
http://www.greentechmedia.com/categories/category-news.html
http://www.ecogeek.org/
http://www.lp.org/ (ever wonder why nothing ever changes, no matter which party is in control?)
This list is by no means complete, but good reading nonetheless.

Now, I'm waiting for the new wave of solar panels to come down in price... I may do the whole house for solar, but certainly I will do panels big enough to charge the car(s).

The world has changed. We simply can't continue on the way we've been going. The overall costs of a gasoline economy, including wars and health costs for breathing exhaust fumes is no longer acceptable. If it was left to our "elected officials", who are in bed with corporate America and big oil, their greed, stupidity and avarice would lead us right over the precipice into oblivion. The only reason government and the big automakers are talking green cars is because consumers are demanding them. Meanwhile, Car & Driver et al keeps extolling the virtues of 600HP freak machines that you can't drive at a fraction of their potential on any road in America, but will pollute more and consume more gas anyway.

It's not easy finding sanity in an insane world... but what's the alternative??

[Derwin]

Well said, RAN. But I have to be honest with all of you guys.... I do not YET consider myself a "green" person, nor do I buy into all of the "green" hype, at least not entirely. It's my opinion that there has been a considerable amount of "hype" going on in regards to this, and even more profiting from it. I forget what they are called, but some company is even selling Carbon "credits" that are supposed to make us feel better for polluting. I think that is a real scam. It may be well intended (and I even doubt that!), but is really a way for the wealthy to feel good in spite of their excesses in life.

As I said, this is all just my opinion. I will say one thing that I DO believe with all of my heart......This world IS ours to take care of, and be responsible for. Doing things that will lesson the pollution that goes into the air is one way that we can help be good stewards of this fine earth.

Derwin

P.S. I am always OPEN to becoming a completely "green" person, so any attempts at persuasion are joyfully welcome! =y:

[Miracleman89]

Ditto, Celtic I have always been sort of a car nut! As I have mentioned before, I had a Mustang which was my baby for a long time. Actually I had two Mustangs the first one I blew the motor racing it and turned around and bought another! I was always a big big fan of the old Fox Bodies!! My wife, when I met her wanted a Hemi Cuda I was actually looking at an old fast back mustang. It was an old wrecked mach1 and I decided that the work to fix it would cost more then buying one that looked perfect! My long time dream was to own an 1932 Auburn Speedster or a Duesenburg SSJ Roadster! you know the old boat tails! Two of the most beautiful cars ever built IMHO! But I consider myself to be a man of decent intelligence, hell when I was a kid I skipped fifth grade and after having read article after article about the environment, after having seen the oil companies continue to raise prices while the economy suffered as they set record profits, after reading about all the advancements made in clean energy,and after see time after time a full tank but an empty wallet, I felt it was time for a drastic change! I became sick of the big three as they continued one the bigger is better platform. I couldn't stand going to auto shows anymore because I would see a cool concept car that looked spectacular and then they wouldn't build it or if they did build it they took everything that was cool about the car and changed it so it looked just like everything else on the road! I felt like the automobile industry lost it's imagination! Anyway here I am, I can't give up automobile transportation where I live, it just wouldn't make since! I am about an hour from the nearest Wal-mart for example! Plus, my daughter still lives in Illinois so I have got to have a car!

[RAN]

Derwin, I wouldn't ask anyone to buy into hype, but the simple fact of the matter is that oil is ruining the quality of life in so many ways it's impossible to count them. I'm not sure I buy into alarmist views regarding global warming, but there are a dozen other reasons to get rid of the internal combustion engine, and they in themselves are reason enough to do it. Plus, I view global warming this way: if the scientists are right, it will cost us dearly to ignore it. Far more than it'll cost us to do something about it now, and there will be benefits in return. It amazes me how people think we can't afford to take care of the only planet we got, but it's ok to spend billions on a war in Iraq that will get us... uh, what will it get us again? Oh yeah. A handful of people will make millions off of it. The rest of us can eat $3+/gal gas and die.

[cpaddock]

These passionate responses are more evidence that VV won't be able to meet the demand for their visionary product.
aloooooha!

[cpaddock]

Derwin, et al. here is some suggested reading....that is, these are a few books which
had a profound impact on my thinking....
The End of Nature by Bill Mckibben (stunning)
On Walden Pond by Henry David Thoreau
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Nature Writings by John Muir (my favorite)
Desert Solitare by Edward Abbey

go to Amazon books and get any of these titles and find tons of related material new and used.

[Derwin]

Derwin, I wouldn't ask anyone to buy into hype, but the simple fact of the matter is that oil is ruining the quality of life in so many ways it's impossible to count them. I'm not sure I buy into alarmist views regarding global warming, but there are a dozen other reasons to get rid of the internal combustion engine, and they in themselves are reason enough to do it. Plus, I view global warming this way: if the scientists are right...

RAN,

I agree that oil has been not been too good to our environment, but I guess I look at all of the GOOD things that oil has provided for us over the last 100+ years. I mean, where would we be if we did not have this substance working for us in so many ways? I could take up pages and pages listing all of the benefits durived from oil, but I'm sure you already know. And, NO, I do not own any stock in the oil companies! ;)

Should we now look toward alternative ways to fuel our vehicles, AND do all of the other things that oil does? Of course! Especially when we now see that people on the other side of the world can CRUSH our economy by simply slowing down the production. I don't think ANY of us want to be subject to the whims of other countries. We want our country to be strong and self-sufficient in EVERY way. Getting off our dependency on oil is a first start.

I agree with you about the internal combustion engine to a point. IF we have the technology to replace ALL of the many tasks that the ICE performs, than I am all for it. But do you really think we have reached that point yet? Do we really have the technology to completely do away with it? I am sure no expert, but from what I see......I don't think so. But I am always open to new and fresh ideas, or information that I may not have access to. :IDEA:

As far as the war in Iraq goes.....Well, I don't think I should go there. That gets far deeper into politics than I care to go! =n:

About Global Warming....This is obviously a very HOT issue right now, especially during this campaign season. All I really care to say about this is that "ALL" of the scientists are not in agreement about MAN'S participation in global warming. One of the scientists that won a Nobel price at the same time Gore won his, has stated that it is not a proven science at all. There is back-and-forth on all sides of this issue, and I just don't want to get into a debate about it. My opinion, after reading all sides of the issue, is that YES, of course there is global warming.......Did WE play a part in it? I think THAT question is still up for debate. IMHO.

After all of that being said, I still want to be a "greener" person. I think it is my obligation as a member of the human family to do so. I'll leave it at that!

=y:

Derwin

P.S. As I said earlier....I am always open to new evidence and ideas. BTW...I think this is a good open and honest discussion. Let's keep it going. Maybe we can all learn new things....especially me!

****cpaddock....Thanks for the reading suggestions!

[RAN]

Derwin, you're right in saying that oil has been responsible for opening up many horizons to a world growing into technology, but we have paid a high price for it too. If we had wisely started looking for alternatives 30 years ago we'd have them now, but big oil certainly has no incentive to look for them, and the politician/lap dogs aren't concerned with anything but getting re-elected, and all the big corporations that have been built up in the automotive supply and aftermarket business don't look kindly on them either. This is why you see such a push for hydrogen and biofuels as these old greed dogs frantically try to hang onto as much of our bowels as possible as they feel their grip loosening.

As far as what man can do to his environment.... when I was a kid, Arizona was a good place to come for the air quality and dry climate for people with asthma. 40 years later, the air is so foul here that instead of people coming here to cure their asthma, now they come here and *get* it, along with several other respiratory ailments. I like to sing, and years ago I got such a bad case of laryngitis out here I almost lost my voice... I *did* lose the top octave of it, and the ability to break into falsetto.

Are we *causing* global warming? Maybe not. Are we *contributing* to it? Very likely.

[Derwin]

RAN,

I agree with 100% of what you have said. You make a good and valid point in that we have NOT worked on alternatives like we should have been doing. And, yes, it is because big oil has a choke-hold on our political system, and on our country as a whole, at least this is one of the main reasons.

Just imagine where we would be today if our country put ALL of it's effort into finding alternative energy sources, and coming up with vehicles that could be powered by substances other than oil products. I think we would be doing things today that are unimaginable.

We made an effort to go to the moon. Why did we commit our country to doing this? I think it's clear that we didn't want the Soviets to get there first! Well, we did the "impossible and landed a man on the moon and brought him back. It just goes to show you with the right MOTIVATION, we can achieve ANYTHING in this country.

We all know that what motivates most everything in this world is M-O-N-E-Y. Well, if people like us can show the "powers that be" that there is a truck-load of money to be made by coming up with "green" vehicles, than guess what? We will see those vehicles in the marketplace. But how do we get these "guys" to see the money? I don't know. :o

And we can damage our environment to the point of no return...this is for sure. But can we actually affect GLOBAL warming? I am still not convinced of it, but I guess it's possible. =y:

Derwin

[CelticFlyer]

I'm glad my "essay" was taken in the light it was intended. I wasn't suddenly "enlightened" or thunderstruck; I just had a reckoning. Over time, I became disillusioned by the new car mod hobby. It enslaved me. My car was becoming a money pit, and I was losing sight of what I was doing and why. I questioned my motivation. Who was I trying to impress and what did I stand to gain from it? What did everyone else stand to gain? And in the end, how did it matter in the grand scheme of things?

Now that I've severed my ties from the Mustang crowd, I'm able to think more clearly. I'm less prone to wasting money. I think twice before buying non-essentials. Nowadays, my buying habits reflect my desire to lessen the burden on our ecology and our economic stability.

While I wish others would follow suit, I cannot fault them for not. They may be a product of their environment, afraid to stand apart from the herd, or unable to make a few sacrifices. It's something everyone must come to terms with in their own way.

Here I am a couple of days before selling my car to a girl in Mesa, Arizona:

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/GrabberOrange/IMG_8739.jpg

I had my share of fun, but it was time to let her go...

Now if they can find a way to squeeze a hydrogen fuel cell in there someday, who knows? =D

[Mark Tomlinson]

For me, it's been more a matter of... oh, I don't know, spiritual growth, perhaps? Maybe just growing up. It's taken me half a century to get here, and I'm still a far way from my ideal. I don't consider myself "green", just reasonable. Somehow taking without giving back doesn't appeal to me any more.

Many things drive me to using less energy. Here's a couple.

First, almost all energy on this planet is derived from solar energy. Millions of years of plants captured that energy and it's stored away as oil and coal. Thermodynamics tell us you can't create or destroy energy, you can only change it's form, and all those ancient plants took in CO2 and released oxygen storing energy as long carbon molecules. Now we're digging up millions of years of carbon and adding oxygen to convert it back to CO2 within only a few hundred years. I don't know about Global Warming, but that can't be good. Insanity! I'd rather get my power directly from the sun, the short path to solar through renewables, or other sources like the gravitational forces that make the tides and winds.

A second driver is just the pure inefficiencies of gasoline engines. Think about it. First off, the engine doesn't even extract all the energy potential out of gas; much of it is thrown out the tail pipe. Of what it does extract, most is thrown off as radiant energy - heat. Enough heat to melt steel, so we have to use some of the energy we do get to remove the energy we're wasting. And if that isn't bad enough, the only way we can get rid of that much heat is to push the broad side of a radiator into a 35 or 65 mile an hour head wind. More insanity. An electric motor, on the other hand, changes as much as 95% of the energy it gets into mechanical energy to drive the vehicle.

Maybe I just don't like being wasteful. Maybe I've been moved by the hiker's creed to "take only pictures, leave only footprints". Maybe I'm becoming Buddhist. I don't know. I'll tell you in another half century. In the meantime, though, I'd rather be part of the solution than part of the problem.

[Miracleman89]

for me it has been more like.......

[CelticFlyer]

RAN, I appreciate your reply and thanks for the links. I’ve bookmarked them for return visits. I enjoy reading what people are thinking. I have much to learn, but I’m ready to do my homework. What you said resonates with me, because I share your opinions, and it’s refreshing to hear someone speak so candidly.

Derwin, I’m glad you’re keeping an open mind. I’m kinda late to the party, but I think I’ve got a pretty good head start. Given human nature, it’s not surprising to see some people try to profit from the fear and ignorance of others. That’s why it’s important to remain skeptical and cautiously optimistic.

Miracleman89, I got bit by the restoration bug shortly after high school. It resulted in a number of restoration projects. Most fell short of completion, but I managed to see some through. Those included a 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88, a 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee and a 1971 Plymouth GTX. They were all gas-thirsty beasts, as were the Mustangs that followed. So I guess I feel that it’s ironic for me to show so much interest in a “green car.” I still enjoy going to auto shows, though. If for no reason other than seeing what GOOD humans are capable of. Their innovation and imagination restores my faith in mankind. And yeah, I’ll eventually get a car. I hope it will be the V1. If not, I may “settle” on another, but it will definitely be small and fuel efficient. That gauge is a hoot, btw. Brother, I know the feeling.

Cpaddock, thanks for the suggested reading. I’ve read Thoreau in school and remember some of his writings to this day. The concept of civil disobedience struck a chord with me in my teenage years. No surprise there!

Mark, your reply was food for thought. And like you, my perspective has changed with age. I think my break from my old crowd was just a step in my growth as a human being. I’m getting my priorities in order and learning to distinguish wants vs needs. I’ve got years of bad habits to break. The next few should be interesting…

[cpaddock]

Some say we are going to fry. Some say we are going to freeze. Some say there is plenty of oil.
Some say it is running out. Some say we are the cause. Some say it is the sun.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that every new technology, from the plow to the wheel to
The Micro chip, brings with it a new set of problems. Homo Sapiens is a tool user. It is hard wired
Into our genes. And in the 200 or so short years since the dawn of the industrial revolution we
Have managed to evolve our “tools” to the point that we are now capable of wiping ourselves off
The face of the planet with the push of a button. We are smart, but not wise. Very few cultures have
Ever managed to “live in harmony with nature”. Nomadic tribes, hunter-gatherers, simple agrarian
Societies, even the Chinese in the recent past achieved a sustainable balance of consumption and
Replenishment. And there are plenty of well documented examples of how even these folks
Were able to destroy their environment and subsequently vanish into the sands of history. I won’t
Go down the list here, but I would point out that we (the entire biosphere and it’s inhabitants) are
Doing every thing possible to get on that list.
We are engaged in a grand experiment. It is called “modern society”. No one seems to be in
Charge of this experiment and we are all the guinea pigs, like it or not. The purpose of this experiment
Is only vaguely defined as “Progress”. It has taken on a life of its own and we have become slaves to
The machine. Generation after generation is born into a culture which asserts itself as “Reality”
And we have little choice but to adapt/adopt if we are to survive. The ‘60’s and ‘70’s saw the
Emergence of ecological awareness and a movement by some to go “Back to the Land”. I was
Among those who willingly abandoned the “luxuries” of modern living and sought a deeper connection
To nature, a more direct way of being on the planet and relating to one another. Of course we
Were idealists, dreamers, hippies, artists, musicians. The life style presented enormous challenges
And many sweet rewards. I built a little log cabin with my own two hands, and my son was born
In it. We had no electricity or running water for six years. Instead, I tapped into a spring in a nearby
Ravine, where you could walk a lovely trail through the forest and come upon a faucet by a little foot
Bridge, with a tin cup hanging on it. And the water was clear and cold and satisfying. The task of
Carrying the water back to the house replaced a “trip to the gym”. I lived in a teepee for a year or so
While building my timber framed passive solar house. The ritual of fire building and quiet conversation
Before snuggling under down comforters replaced “the nightly news” and the “tonight show”.
Fast forward to 2008…..we still have rivers of cars commuting back and forth each day, most with
Only one occupant. Gas will soon be $5 a gallon. It cannot be denied that DEMAND is one of the
Reasons for this. Sure, corporate greed plays a big role. But we seem to be locked in to the mind set
That technology will not only solve our problems, but allow us to go on consuming and proliferating
Forever.
What is needed is a new paradigm. The voices pleading for this change are in competition with so many destructive forces, that it is fuel for despair that a lemming-like end is our future. My children and
Grandchildren and their grandchildren deserve better than this. If we have a shred of ethical sense we
Must awaken from this sleepwalk over the precipice and DO SOMETHING!
I believe choosing the V1 or similar vehicles is one small step in the right direction…..
Alooooha!

[CelticFlyer]

Talk about "food for thought!" That's a lot to ponder, cpaddock. Thanks! =y:

Ever since leaving my parent's nest, I've been a minimalist. I suppose it was because I moved several times in the years following my departure. With each successive move, I lost more and more baggage until all I had left were a few items of personal interest. It's funny to see what you've got left after you've trimmed all of the "fat" off of your personal belongings. Most of us can distill our essence into a few items (think music, books, photos, etc.), all of which encapsulate who we are as human beings. Think for a moment about what you would place in a fire-proof safe. The adage "He who dies with the most toys wins" is tired and twisted. In reality, the measure of self worth is determined by how you affected those you left behind, and how well you used the finite resources of the globe we call home.

There are definitely distractions along the way. I'm living proof of it. I've spent a lot of time and money on various hobbies over the years. I've grown as a person and enjoyed the learning curve and the process of creation (or re-creation with regard to the auto restorations I've performed). But eventually, I grew aware of how much my activities affected others and my surroundings. Some for the better, others for the worse. It was a ripple effect. Ultimately, it comes down to making wise choices, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem at the time. Everything we do impacts everything else, and ultimately, we are responsible for everything in our world.

Could I do without the V1? Sure. We all could. But as you said, it is a small step in the right direction, and it has the added benefit of bringing a small measure of joy to our lives!