other side. I'm most likely going to buy a hybrid for my next car, despite the higher cost, because I happen to like my planet.
On the other hand, I think science and nature will find a way through our current problems and we'll muddle on through each crises just like we've always done.
Anyway - I never had a clue how much shale oil there was until I read The NPR Story on it.
A study by the Rand Corporation estimates the sedimentary rock in the corner where Utah borders Colorado and Wyoming holds about 800 billion barrels. That's three times the size of Saudi Arabia's oil reserves....
Bhattacharya figures the company can produce oil for about $33 a barrel in the early days, and that, over time, production costs will fall to less than $20 a barrel.
Yes, environmental problems will need to be solved. And new ones will appear... for example, it's time we started paying attention to pollution from ships.
"Ships were perceived as a small source that could be neglected," says James Corbett, who studies emissions at the University of Delaware's Graduate College of Marine Studies. "We've been regulating cars for 30 to 35 years. Ships have not been significantly regulated to date."
Part of the reason that boat and ship pollution is getting more attention is that cars and trucks are getting cleaner. That means ships account for an ever-larger share of the air pollution around port cities. Environmental officials estimate that in 25 years, marine vessels will account for nearly double the percentage of the USA's smog-forming pollution.
3828. robertjayb - 5/25/2006 2:18:47 AM
What about those drybacks with their mowers and leaf blowers? I read that those small engines spit out a lot of bad stuff.
3829. robertjayb - 5/25/2006 2:26:47 AM
Wouldn't you know? The Swedes are on top of it...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- The air pollution from cutting grass for an hour with a gasoline powered lawn mower is about the same as that from a 100 mile automobile ride, according to a new study from Sweden. The report, which the authors say is the first to compare lawn mower pollution with auto mileage, recommends using catalytic converters on mowers.
3830. Ronski - 5/29/2006 4:43:45 PM
Do catalytic converters still get very hot, or did they solved that problem? In cars, they used to start fires if the vehicle was idling over some dry grass.
3831. Ronski - 5/29/2006 4:48:57 PM
Well, I googled and it seems they solved that by a new design in 1981 and by using unleaded gas. Figures, since I haven't heard of fires for a long time.
3832. Ronski - 5/29/2006 4:57:33 PM
We went to the Presby Iris Garden in Montclair, NJ, yesterday:
3833. Ronski - 5/29/2006 4:59:18 PM
3834. Ronski - 5/29/2006 5:00:22 PM
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3839. Ronski - 5/29/2006 5:05:56 PM
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3846. Ronski - 5/29/2006 5:14:54 PM
