It always worries me when governments embrace fads – particularly environmentalist or “green” strategies that are often rooted in emotion, not fact. I am sure that the government ecoterrorists will be pushing hybrid animals soon (see picture at right).
Today’s O.C. Register underscores the problem by pointing out the fact that the Schwarzenegger administration spent $17 million on “green” vehicles for state employees – but ended up creating MORE emissions by running them on gas instead of E85 ethanol. Oops!
Turns out there is only one E85 gas station – it is in San Diego and no state vehicle has ever filled up there. Instead they have been running on regular gasoline – ironically creating more carbon emissions than their fleet predecessors, which ran on regular gasoline.
This is not the first time, as it turns out, that the state has goofed in this manner. According to the Register, “In 1981 the state bought cars that ran exclusively on M85, a blend of 85 percent methane and 15 percent gasoline. There were no M85 pumps then, either. When the private sector chose not to open methane pumping stations, the state “invested” in 50 pumps, but ultimately abandoned the effort. The fleet ran on nothing but gas.”
In Santa Ana, city officials, led by Mayor Miguel Pulido, went nuts for electric cars a few years ago. I spoke out against their plans to build recharging stations, and sure enough within a couple of years the cars were no longer in production. God knows how much money we wasted. Never mind that most of our electricity comes from coal fired power plants in Utah.
Pulido likes to drive around in a hybrid car provided by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which he serves as a board member. Now there is talk about buying hybrid cars to replace the entire city fleet. Not good!
The hybrid car technology is not ready for fleet purchases – it keeps changing. Why lock yourself into a purchase of a technology that will be quickly outpaced by new developments?
According to the Post-Journal,
I think you’re mostly right on about the sensible things Santa Ana can do to be more green, but I think you miss the point about hybrid cars.
For instance, the quote you pulled from the Post-Journal.
You quoted the manager of the Hartly Buick Honda Pontiac GMC dealership as saying “
Joe,
It comes down to this – the government should not lead in buying new technology. The marketplace ought to work out the bugs before the government jumps in.
The sole exception is the military. As it stands, most new innovations come from the military to begin with.
Besides, how do we know that hybrids are not today’s Betamax? What if something comes along that is better? Isn’t that what happened to the electric cars?
Seems like Art has it all figured out.
What if something comes along that is better? Isn’t that what happened to the electric cars?
Well, no. That’s not what happened to the electric cars. In the U.S. electric cars were eliminated by General Motors under pressure from the petroleum industry.
Looks like Art has now begun the swing back to the Right. His political schizophrenia is making him conservative again.
Art do you have any political philosophy or loyalty at all? Do you expect Mike Schroeder, Curt Pringle, Matt Cunningham, Scott Baugh and other Republicans to welcome you back with open arms? More like a closed fist is what will await you.
“In the U.S. electric cars were eliminated by General Motors under pressure from the petroleum industry”
And we invaded Iraq for cheap oil.