Yes it will..... Anything into Oil Link to Discover article PDF file It is not a fossil fuel, we can extract it from a lot of things. DD
No, just that the two SUV couples. suburban livestyle that burn 6 gallons per day or more just to get to work and run errands, will collapse. They will be forced to walk away from their 4,000 sq ft. McMansions when gas is $10 per gallon and heating and cooling has also gone up 3 to 4 times.
I do too. My front yard is small and my backyard is "zero-scaped" so there is nothing to mow. If you have kids but a park nearby, why do you need a huge grassy yard? Its a waste of time/money. How many people pay somebody else to mow their lawn and then in turn pay for a gym membership? Things have gotten a little skewed. btw Sishir, great thread. I've had the same thought about high oil prices and never verbalized it before. My wife and I have structured our lives where we have minimized our driving ...now with gas prices, I'm feeling even better about that decision. Our house is more expensive but I'll recoup that when we sell ...but paying >$2k year on gas is simply a waste. Eventually more people will fundamentally rethink their lifestyle.
Yes, there was an update in Discovery magazing about 2 months ago saying that the plant is up and operational, and that it looks like Europe will be getting a lot of them because they are being way more aggressive in tax breaks. I think that Oil has to be above $60 a barrel for it to be profitable, and clearly we are there now...but it does work....pretty cool, huh? DD
From that first link... http://www.mindfully.org/Technology/2005/Changing-World-Technologies-Palmer9apr05.htm
Major, Yet there are tons of people who say it works, everything has a sceptic at one point or another. I need to find the new article from January talking about how the plant is finally operational in Mizzou and the realistic break even point etc. An update in Discover magazine - not the one I am looking for but new info DD
The flaw to the high oil prices idea is that the market increase is naturally occuring rather than controlled variables designed to increase costs without negligable impacts upon the economy, mainly inflation. Sure, people are complaining about prices, but people always complain. They complained 5 years ago, and years before that. In fact, the Peak Oil alarmists might actually help the oil industry's cause because it slowly acclimates people to the idea that the prices are supply limited. This crisis is more about the inaction of the American people who are unwilling to drive less while blaming the Federal government for not magically solving it without tangible costs. The fact that all 50 senators rejected Kyoto speaks much more loudly than Bush's insistent opposal to the treaty. The market hates wimpy hybrids or electric cars that lack the performance or muslce of gasoline. Companies are blamed for not making a more fuel efficient SUV. It's sad that people need something tangible to force themselves to action. They government has tried to hide the true value of oil. We're on a collision course to something nasty. Here's an April update. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1611689/posts They've been setback because they have to pay for the waste instead of getting paid to handle it.
These looked intriguing, if you're looking for alternative ways to mow your lawn and conserve, while cutting "direct" pollution to zero. Check them out: Neuton mower The 48-pound, cordless, rotary Neuton mower is powered with a 24-volt, 9-amp rechargeable battery that provides power for up to 60 minutes on a single charge, depending upon the length and thickness of your grass. The battery is removable, so you can take it inside and charge it overnight (using about 10 cents worth of electricity each charge) for a mow the following morning, or pop in a spare battery for extended mowing jobs. The Neuton costs about $350 for the basic mower; a mulch plate and additional blade, grass catcher, trimmer and extra battery are $140 more. This mower has a quiet hum that is far more pleasing to the ears than the din of a conventional gas-powered machine. Bigger than the Brill but smaller than the Black & Decker, the Neuton has easily retractable handlebars and an almost seamless, hard, plastic shell. It easily switches from a bagger to a mulch plate — just don’t allow your grass to grow too tall before using the mulching option or the Neuton may bog down. We thought the 14-inch mowing width was a little narrow, but it worked well overall if you don’t mind walking a few extra laps around the yard. Cutting height ranges from about 1½ to 3½ inches using one lever near the bottom of the mower. The Neuton comes with an edger/trimmer attachment that connects to the front of the mower. We found it handy for detailing lawn edges, although it lacked the maneuverability of a traditional weed whip and seemed to deplete the battery more quickly than mowing alone. The Neuton comes with a six-month free trial and a three-year warranty covering all parts, making it a great, low-maintenance option. Black & Decker Model CMM1000 The Black & Decker battery-powered, rotary mower was the largest we tested, with a 19-inch cutting width. Its 76-pound weight definitely makes it harder to push around the yard than the other electric mowers we tested, but its sturdiness and power compare favorably to many gas-powered mowers. The Black & Decker costs about $420, which includes a rear grass catcher and a mulching plate. Its 24-volt battery fully recharges in 16 hours. It is not removable, which means you can’t change out a spent battery for a fresh one. We found that a fully charged battery allowed for two separate mows of a small to medium-sized lawn (up to a third of an acre), but grass length will affect run time. While the mower slows a tad in long grass or thick, wet areas, the battery still provides plenty of punch when fully charged. Cutting performance slowly decreases as the battery loses its charge, but this is true for all battery-powered mowers. The Black & Decker’s folding handle allows for storage in tight spaces, and the heavy-duty polymer deck is durable and easy to clean. Cutting height ranges from 1½ to 3½ inches with one-touch adjustment, although the mower we tested had a problem maintaining the selected height; the setting usually slipped after hitting a bump. Its two-year warranty covers all parts. Overall, the Black & Decker mower handled the best among the three we tested for its power, stability and longer-lasting battery. This mower comes close to matching the performance of a gas-powered mower. The Bottom Line Cordless, battery-powered lawn mowers are quiet and work great for small to medium-sized lawns, require less maintenance and cause less airborne pollution than gas-powered mowers. Electric mowers still are at a disadvantage on larger lawns, however, because they are not self-propelled and can have trouble handling heavy or wet grass. Upfront cost is considerably more than a gas-powered mower, but cordless, battery-powered mowers should save you money over time, thanks to lower energy and maintenance costs. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Homesteading_and_Self_Reliance/2005_April_May/Energy-Environment-lawn Keep D&D Civil.
You will stop supporting it when the U.S. is dragged into a great recession because of this high oil price. Well, the global economic will suffer except for the Arabs. Be careful with what you wish for. The techonology is not ready for life without fossil oil.
It very might well happen but sometimes you need a crisis to change. We dropped the ball in the 70's on moving away from depending on fossil fuels and if we don't do something now when we have some incentive it will only get worse. This whole idea that we need to get oil prices down without making serious efforts to conserve and move away from fossil fuels is just like giving a junkie a fix to deal with DT's. It provides for short term relief without addressing the overall problem. All it does is defer greater pain into the future.
Great job Krosfyah! That's an example of they type of individual changes that I'm talking about that if many more people undertook can greatly reduce the demand for oil.
I hadn't heard of that before but it sounds interesting. While I think internal combustion is a longterm loser that is a lesser problem than depending on non-renewable fossil fuels that mainly come from foreign sources. Anything we can do to developing renewable fuels, even if they still are burning hydrocarbons, is a good transitional step.
Yea, although gas prices really don't affect me, I have found ways to preserve gas. Instead of driving the mile and half to my gym, I now run that distance and make it to the gym. This way, I get an extra workout as well.
why does it have to be mutually exclusive? why can't you see the price of oil drop along with conservation or moving away from oil dependence? in fact, less demand generally equals...what?? anyone, anyone?? bueller? bueller? fry?
You bring up another funny point. How many people live <1 mile from the gym and drive? Even if you live about 2-3 miles away, riding a bike still only takes 5-10 minutes. Back in the olden days, there were no fat people partly because of all the manual labor involved in maintaining your household. Not that we need to go back to those days, but structuring your life for "convenience" doesn't give you too many chances to burn calories. I often look for ways that I can be productive while walking like running errands. An unexpected benefit is I am often pleasently surprised about something that I would have otherwise missed. EG, I often run into friends/associates or even meet new people. Or I might find a new store or just see something interesting. The more I walk the more I enjoy it. Granted, Houston summers will curb that but no less so than northern winters so that isn't a valid excuse. Other than San Diego, it ain't always perfect.
