Why Don't BITOGers Care About The Environment?

[The Critic]

Answer this question honestly.

Around here, it seems like being environmentally friendly is about the least of our concerns. I constantly read things such as:

- Let's sacrifice some MPG for longevity, convenience, cost, etc.
- Let's change our oil more often, environmental effects be [censored]
- Let's disable emissions equipment on new diesels

And so on....

Why is that?

Isn't the environment a concern for all of you? Why isn't everyone taking more active steps towards being environmentally friendly?

 

[Scooter_man]

Pardon my boldness, but I think that you are reading the posts/resopnses of a few certain members here and applying their views to the entire BITOG Community.

I for one care about the environment and practice some green living (solar power supplement) as do some others on here as well.

Come on, I drive a Chevy Metro 1.0 3-cyl and a Honda Metropolitan scooter which get 40-mpg and 100-mpg respectively - in town! No gas-guzzling SUV's at my house. Please- absolutely no offense intended toward SUV/Large Truck owners, just trying to make a point.

I think that you'll truthfully find a good portion of this community cares very much about the Earth and being environmentally friendly.

Well, i've probably stirred up enough with this post, better hide for a while.

Rob

 

[addyguy]

I'd lke the thik it is b/c a lot of us are smart enough to see that some of these things aren't environmentally 'insensitive' at all.

If we sacrifice some mpg for a cars longevity, technically, less cars have to be built, which is more environmentally harmful.

If we recycle all the oil we change 'early', it can be re-refined or at least recycled into another product, so technically less oil has to be found and pumped out of the ground.

If the emmission equipment on new diesels actually makes them get slightly lower mileage, then disabling it helps the vehicle get better mileage. and last longer, whic in turn makes less vehicles have to be built - see point 1.

We're a smart bunch here, and we can see throught the propeganda and carp that is sent out on this topic....

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I think I read far more posts about fuel economy, recycling and keeping a car on the road rather than junking it which creates a greater negative impact on the economy.

Maybe I'm missing something?

 

[buster]

Caring about the Environment, and being truly environmentally friendly are two different things, as addyguy was alluding too.

Critic, wasn't it you who recently suggested everyone go back to the 3,000 mile oil change interval?

 

[opus1]

I think addyguy said it best, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[Kestas]

Critic, I don't think we're as bad as you may imagine. There are plenty of threads on how to dispose brake fluid, coolant, and oil.

Also, as a group we're interested in the longevity of our vehicles. We don't treat them as disposables, unlike the attitude of most people and the wishes of our manufacturers. Keeping a car running and out of the waste stream as long as possible is good for the environment.

I personally think that much of the tailpipe regulation has gone too far. The costs to meet newer regulations each year far outweigh the benefits of the tiny increments to cleaner air. The EPA has outlived its usefulness. It did a great job since its inception in the 60s. Now they should downsize to police what they've accomplished over the decades and move on away from automotive tailpipe regulation.

Europe enjoys high-mileage diesels because they don't have the stringent NOX emission standards that the US has implemented.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
If we recycle all the oil we change 'early', it can be re-refined or at least recycled into another product, so technically less oil has to be found and pumped out of the ground.


What about the energy used during the manufacturing process that is used to produced the re-refined product?


Originally Posted By: addyguy
If the emmission equipment on new diesels actually makes them get slightly lower mileage, then disabling it helps the vehicle get better mileage. and last longer, whic in turn makes less vehicles have to be built - see point 1.

We don't know the exact calculations. Yes, a "clean" diesel getting slightly lower mileage may pollute more since it gets less mileage, but since it is already cleaner, we don't know how that compares to a dirtier "conventional" diesel that gets slightly better mileage. We don't know how much dirtier the "conventional" diesel is and whether it's lower fuel consumption negates it's "dirtiness."

 

[saberz]

Please, we aren't members of BobistheGreenthumbed guy for nothing. This site and its members(majority) care by doing extended OCI's, maintaining a vehicle to run efficiently instead of like a clunker(which emits far more emissions than a properly running car).

We properly dispose of oil or reuse it in other mediums. I don't see how we are wasteful. I'll plant a flower on Saturday morning to prove it(with pictures).

 

[tig1]

We talk about oil and engines here at BITOG. They pollute. All there is to it.

 

[wavinwayne]

Critic,

In your opinion, specifically what must one do to qualify as someone who cares about the environment?

 

[jstutz]

Though some of your points may be valid, many on bitog do care about the environment. Speaking for myself, i care about the environment a lot, Im not a radical though. Some things we hear all the time about "green earth", i just dont hold much stock in. Some things make clear common sense though. We only have so much oil. At some time it will run out. To me, though all things cumulatively make a difference, some of it is just in significant compared to other issues. Though many on here, including me would sacrifice .1 mpg to increase engine life another 100k miles, would do it (just making a point, not saying w20 reduces engine life 100k). One thing that bitog does do, between all the 5w20 and 5w30 wars, is inform general people such as myself about oil and its actual capabilities. Before bitog, i would never in my life considered extended drains past 8K with any of my vehicles. I would bet that if we could get the general public to understand that almost any current spec oil in any regular vehicle could extend past 3k. Even if everyone right now that did 3k changes just went to 4k changes, you talking a 33% decrease in engine oils.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Critic,

In your opinion, specifically what must one do to qualify as someone who cares about the environment?

I am definitely not qualified to make a list of responsible environment practices that would be applicable to automotive maintenance. However, I do read about some practices on this forum that are clearly bad for the environment. Plus, there just seems to be an anti-environment sentiment around here. So, the purpose of this thread was to simply initiate discussion on this topic.

 

[addyguy]

Critic,

You're going to have to be careful here - you drive a Saturn that burn far more oil than many people's cars on here!

WHO's environmentally friendly? HMMM?

J/K

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Critic,

In your opinion, specifically what must one do to qualify as someone who cares about the environment?

I am definitely not qualified to make a list of responsible environment practices that would be applicable to automotive maintenance. However, I do read about some practices on this forum that are clearly bad for the environment. Plus, there just seems to be an anti-environment sentiment around here. So, the purpose of this thread was to simply initiate discussion on this topic.


If this is how you feel, your post title is quite misguided.

I am very environmentally conscious, personally. However, the green propaganda [censored] that get ssmeared around these days is ridiculous.

 

[daves87rs]

It's not just the cars, it's a lifestyle. Making your car run longer/better is just one of those...


I do many thngs to help save the earth.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Answer this question honestly.

Around here, it seems like being environmentally friendly is about the least of our concerns. I constantly read things such as:

- Let's sacrifice some MPG for longevity, convenience, cost, etc.
- Let's change our oil more often, environmental effects be [censored]
- Let's disable emissions equipment on new diesels

And so on....

Why is that?

Isn't the environment a concern for all of you? Why isn't everyone taking more active steps towards being environmentally friendly?


I do take steps to be environmentally friendly- I recycle, I don't dump my used oil, I buy locally when possible, I have made tons of energy efficiency upgrades to my home... the list is long.

But when it comes to cars, 1) I think the environmental mandates that have been forced on automobiles and trucks are very disproportionate to their effectiveness and 2) I think that making an entire vehicle last longer, even if it means consuming more fuel and oil in the process, is an NET environmental savings because it is SO incredibly polluting to build a single new car. I will keep driving my 10 mpg no-catalyst '66 for a long, long, long time before its emissions equal the emissions required to build one new car.

And as for diesel particulate filters- disable it for sure. You'll SAVE fuel that won't be wasted on the "burn" cycle and the engine will last longer too. They're just a stupid idea- particulates aren't even a long-term pollution problem because they was out of the air so quickly... but people SEE particulates and not NOx or the hydrogen sulfides that spew out of badly-calibrated gasoline catcons, so particulate filters are a nice political "feel good" law. It also doesn't hurt that *most* voters don't drive a diesel so they think the law benefits them while "putting those nasty polluting truck drivers in their place."

 

[Johnny]

I eat more beef to cut down on methane gas from cow poop.

 

[d00df00d]

A few possibilities:

- There are definitely a lot of people on here who associate environmental concerns and sustainability talk with the worst liberal stereotypes, and immediately shut down when they hear those things.

- Many people consider it un-American to restrain themselves out of concern for others, regardless of how and for what reason.

- Many people simply don't understand what environmental issues and sustainability mean. They don't see skies darkening, trees wilting, and resources dwindling in front of them, so they don't care -- much less do they see how 3k vs. 6k OCIs will affect things.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

It's all a question of peception and place on the continuum.

Unless you sell all your stuff and join a monastery or commune you will pollute more than somebody else. IMHO, the Green Inquisition can stuff it.