Re: [cdn-nucl-l] " Why should taxpayers subsidize hybrids? "

[Randal Leavitt <randal.leavitt@rogers.com>]

Jaro wrote:

>Why should taxpayers subsidize hybrid hot rods?
>JAY BRYAN, The Gazette
>Published: Saturday, April 01, 2006
>  
>
The hybrid, in particular the Prius, was developed to run cleanly, not
cheaply.  It is sad that this initiative has been perverted into a fuel
efficiency contest.  That really misses the point.  Fuel efficiency is
one aspect of running cleanly, but not the whole story.

There is an old joke about a fellow looking all around on the ground
under a street lamp for something.  His friend asks what he is looking
for.  He says a nickel.  His friend asks where he lost it.  He says
across the street.  His friend asks in amazement why he is looking
here.  He answers "The light is better".

Measuring the pollution coming out the tail pipe is difficult.  Measure
gas consumption is easy.  So the hybrid discussion descends into a fuel
efficiency debate.  What a waste of time.

The hybrid vehicle makes sense if it serves as a stepping stone to
electrically powered transportation.  Electrically powered
transportation is acceptable if the electricity is clean.  The only way
to produce that much reliable, clean electricity is with fission.  At
this stage if your hybrid does not plug in to load up enough energy for
at least one day's driving, then you are not doing anything to advance
the clean living cause.  You are not increasing the demand for fission.

What the government should be doing is taxing tail pipe pollution, not
subsidizing bad technology.  It should also be building new reactors. 
The link between these policies should be widely understood.  More
advertising would help.

-- 
Randal Leavitt ---------- gnupg public key: bbbad04d
http://positiveenergy.blogspot.com/
http://de.lirio.us/rubric/entries/user/RandalLeavitt