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Cars of the future – Are we there yet?

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles. 6 Comments on Cars of the future – Are we there yet?

3_hypercarsWe’ll look at cars of the future (and a few
exotic prototypes of today) – Are We There Yet? Are hybrids part of the
answer to America’s oil predicament and, if so, why aren’t they making more of
them? And what about hydrogen – are we two, or twenty, years away from a fuel
cell future? We’ll pose these questions, and more, to a panel of clean car technology
experts this weekend on EcoTalk including:
3_pac_car_2_3Chris Onder with the ETH Pac Car2 project

Listen (11 min)

3_hy_light_4_1Philipp Dietrich with the Michelin Hy-Light 2 litre car,
Listen (6 min)

Daniel Sperling of UC Davis Listen (19 min)


LISTEN to the whole program (37 min)

Greener cars in Canada

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, climate change, Energy.

A_singer_climate_1The Canadian government,
apparently lightyears ahead of US, has succeeded in getting automakers
to voluntarily reduce their vehicles greenhouse gas emissions up to
nearly 6 milion tons by 2010. We’ll get reaction and analysis on how
the historic agreement will impact the way cars are made for the rest
of us from Sierra Club’s Dan Becker.    Listen
The cartoon is by Andy Singer.

Greener cars in Canada and green carpets

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, climate change, Energy. 2 Comments on Greener cars in Canada and green carpets

A_singer_climateA_ray_andersonThe Canadian government,
apparently lightyears ahead of US, has succeeded in getting automakers
to voluntarily reduce their vehicles greenhouse gas emissions up to
nearly 6 milion tons by 2010. We’ll get reaction and analysis on how
the historic agreement will impact the way cars are made for the rest
of us from Sierra Club’s Dan Becker. Also, a chat with Eco- evangelist
Ray Anderson, founder of Interface Carpets. We’ll hear how he went from
"plunderer of the earth" to being voted "the greenest CEO in America".    Listen
The cartoon is by Andy Singer.

A deceptive ad campaign by the Auto Alliance

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles.

A_automakeradresponse2David Friedman, Research Director for the Clean Vehicles Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists explains why they are protesting a new ad campaign by the Auto Alliance (a trade group of 9 manufacturers) that claims that "autos manufactured today are virtually emission free". Meanwhile the manufacturers have filed a lawsuit to prevent California to promote stricter pollution standards.
Listen  (7 min)

Arctic drilling, Auto Alliance deceptive ads, more crushed EV1s and more mercury

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, Energy. 5 Comments on Arctic drilling, Auto Alliance deceptive ads, more crushed EV1s and more mercury

Arctic2_nrdcOur guests today are:
NRDC Legislative Director Karen Wayland talks about the Senate’s decision to allow oil drilling in the National Arctic Refuge. Also read Orion.
Automakeradresponse2_1David Friedman, Research Director for the Clean Vehicles Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists explains why they are protesting a new ad campaign by the Auto Alliance (a trade group of 9 manufacturers) that claims that "autos manufactured today are virtually emission free". Meanwhile the manufacturers have filed a lawsuit to prevent California to promote stricter pollution standards.

Ev1_crushed_1_3Chelsea Sexton tells how GM has requested police protection to been rush the EV1s they still had in Burbank and move them to Arizona to crush them as fast as possible.A_burningstack1_2 Feel free to post your comment on GM’s blog.

Navis Bermudez, Clean Water Advocate with the Sierra Club
in Washington explains how the new mercury regulations are going backwards allowing power plants to continue polluting.  LISTEN to the whole program

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Stop the crushing, save the EV1s!

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, Energy.

A_electric_car_gm_ev14_2Our guests for our
show include:

1. Chris Plaushin – National Manager of Regulatory
Affairs for AAA to discuss their new finding re the EPA’s descrepancies with gas
mileage.A_emilyfigdor_us_pirg_1

A_stopthedirtyairplan_32. Emily Figdor – Clean Air Advocate for USPirg will explain how the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee defeated S 131, the President’s Air Pollution Plan and refused to weaken the  Clean Air Act.

3. Dave Barthamus, Manager — Public Policy,
Environment & Technology Communications for General Motors Corp. will talk about their project ofEv1_crushed_3_2 hydrogen car and present GM’s point of view on crushing the electric vehicles, EV1s.
No info about that issue (yet?) on the GM’s executive blog, the fastlane blog, but you can post a comment.

Dont_crush_the_ev1s_14. Chelsea Sexton , former GM employee questions GM
crushing the EV1s she loves and wants to keep running. In Burbank where GM keeps a few remaining EV1s she is part of a Vigil protest.
More info about the EV1s with the EV1 Club and the death of the electric car (PBS program). Listen 

How green is Ford?

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, Energy. 3 Comments on How green is Ford?

A_ford_large

Ever wanted to ask top-level U.S. automakers why
they’ve been ‘dragging their wheels’ when it comes to taking the fast lane to a
cleaner car future? And what’s up with Bill Ford Jr., the once great green hope
of enviros? Is he a true believer and if so why is he and other in the auto
industry spending millions to defeat California’s emission-reduction laws?
Everything you ever wanted to ask Ford’s top two environmental execs this
weekend, plus a report on the Red Carpet – Green Cars initiative at this week’s
Academy Awards and a meeting with the Editor of The Natural Home and Garden Magazine.
Listen

First let me report for full disclosure that I am a founding member of Don’t be fueled! Mothers for clean and safe vehicles.
My
guests are Neil Golightly, Director of Ford’s
Sustainable Business Strategies and Andy Acho, Worldwide Director for
Ford’s Environmental Outreach Strategies.

They talk about the new hybrid SUV, the other alternative cars Ford has developed and what’s next.

A_robyn_griggs_lawrence_1We have also invited Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor-in Chief of the Natural Home and Garden Magazine, A_natural_home_garden_covera bi-montly about green living with quality and style.
She is the author of Wabi-Sabi House, finding beauty in things simple, humble and well used.

 

2005 Budget and Kyoto

Written by Philippe Boucher on . Posted in clean vehicles, climate change, Energy. 1 Comment on 2005 Budget and Kyoto

Our first guest today is Wesley Warren, Director of Advocacy for NRDC who will comment about the 2005 federal budget with drastic cuts in the funding for the EPA and many environment programs.

A_al_gore_1The second segment is devoted to Al Gore‘s comment about the Kyoto protocol and the fact the US is not part of this treaty.

A_kyoto_protocol_5Lisa Hymas senior editor with Grist Magazine explains the importance of the new technologies and how the rest of the world will go ahead. She mentions Ross Gelbspan‘s initiative, Kyoto and beyond, the people’s ratification. Sign the petition today!

Sarah from Oil Addicts Anonymous talks about their protest tour in the heartland of America to help break the country’s oil addiction.    Listen

Join the Union of Concerned Scientists protests against the Japanese car makers lawsuit in California.

Another on line campaign against global warming is the cut the emissions petition initiated by the Environmental Defense Fund.
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