Sell the BMW 540i and get a smart car?

Pinter75 said:
I am also concerened about it's horrendous C02 emmisions. I am not a tree hugger or anything, but me and the GF are in the stages of self building a 100% sustainable energy efficient house. The 540i sorta goes against what I am trying to acheive with my carbon footprint.
Click to expand...

Don't be so ridiculously wet. All this carbon stuff is a load of complete newbury-bypass-avoiding swampy piffle. It doesn't make the blind bit of difference because soon, China will industrialise in a massive way and we are all screwed anyway.

With 5000 miles a year, enjoy your 540i becuase you are in the best possible position to do so. Lovely, comfy, wafty auto around town. Top stuff. Smart's are crap.
 
Wicksta said:
I remember hearing that about 20 years ago, although they were saying within 30 years or something back then.
Click to expand...
I'd be tempted to say we're already royally screwed, just no one seems to want to talk about it... Emperor’s clothes?

For the sixth time in the past seven years, the human race will grow less food than it eats this year (06). We closed the gap by eating into food stocks accumulated in better times, but there is no doubt that the situation is getting serious. The world's food stocks have shrunk by half since 1999, from a reserve big enough to feed the entire world for 116 days then to a predicted low of only 57 days by the end of this year.

That is well below the official safety level, and there is no sign that the downward trend is going to reverse.
http://www.energybulletin.net/21736.html
Click to expand...
 
clv101 said:
I'd be tempted to say we're already royally screwed, just no one seems to want to talk about it... Emperor’s clothes?
Click to expand...

Whats the point? On an individual basis, none of us are in a position to do anything about it. So rather than sit on your computer blogging the end of the world and shouting WOE IS US, PEAK OIL WILL KILL US ALL, why not simply accept the inevitable and enjoy life?
 
[TW]Fox said:
Whats the point? On an individual basis, none of us are in a position to do anything about it. So rather than sit on your computer blogging the end of the world and shouting WOE IS US, PEAK OIL WILL KILL US ALL, why not simply accept the inevitable and enjoy life?
Click to expand...

It's not just about Oil, it is our generations responsibility to try and change things, if we all sit back and say "oh well it's gonna happen anyway" then yes we are screwed.

This year we have seen the longest warmest summer. The seasons are out of 6 weeks out of sync. I saw tornadoes off the Sussex coast! The warning signs are here and now.

Yes China and the other developing countries are going to be a big problem. The USA is a big problem. At least the UK can hold it's head up high by exceeding the targets set by the Koyoto protocol.

I am in the stages of building a house that does not depend on fossil fuels, this is to avoid the problems (and potental big bills) we all face later when fossil fuels run short.

There is loads of oil left in the world, but extracting it is becoming very hard. The more you take out the lower the pressure gets, the harder that makes it.

If Greenland and Antarctica continue melting at their present rate all costal areas will be in deep water (no pun). Either of these melting 100% will increase global sea levels by 20ft.

Watch http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_classics/aninconvenienttruth/trailer/
 
So what? It's part of the natural cycle of the earth. It's happened before, and it'll happen again, and it'll happen irrespective of whether you drive around in a BMW 540i or a stupid plastic 600cc Smart thing.
 
Pinter75 said:
Classic, thats what the US government say too.
Click to expand...

The difference being the US government may or may not be in a position to do something about it, whereas you and me definately are NOT in such a position.

Besides, I think they've got a point. It happened before, thousands of years ago, with no man made emissions whatsoever..
 
[TW]Fox said:
So what? It's part of the natural cycle of the earth. It's happened before, and it'll happen again...
Click to expand...
Wow, you've jumped right from denial (do nothing) - straight past addressing the issues - to it's happening and we can't do anything about it (do nothing). What is it about doing nothing that you find so attractive? There are things we can do that have positive benefits for the individual, for the country and for the planet, why not do them?
 
I think the point here, and i agree, is that it doesn't matter if he is driving round in his 540, or a smart, its going to make sod all difference.

Just the same as if i were to ditch my polluting volvo 740 for a push bike, it would make sod all difference, so why bother?

It WONT make a difference.

If everyone in the UK was to swap cars for push bikes, then maybe that would make a slight difference, but it wont happen.
 
Becuase the problems/issues are too large for people with ideas above their station to do anything at all about. Yes, writing blogs and funky web pages about how we will all die soon is very nice, but it won't solve anything. None of us are in a position to do anything, so why waste time thinking about it?

Realistically, clv101, what can YOU do about this? And don't give me the 'omg i can build a carbon neutral house11111' or anything like that becuase you know as well as I know it would have a similar effect on the bigger picture as bringing a cocktail stick to a gunfight.

Yes, I know, if everyone thought 'why bother', nothing would happen. Thats true. But even if the whole of OcUK suddenly thinks 'omg lets ride bicycles and grow flowers', the result would be the same. Nothing would happen. Why waste time on futile efforts when the rest of the world doesn't give a damn?

I won't go out of my way to 'screw the planet' and I'll often walk instead of taking the car but I'm not making a single major decision based on something so out of my hands.
 
Smart cars are evil, they give me false hope in my works car park, i see what looks like a space between 2 cars, so i drive down the "aisle" just to see a smart car stuck 3 feet further in than the rest of the row!

ARGH!!!!
 
Ok Fox, If I am going to keep my planet killing barge, have you spoken to your friendly BMW dealer about the bumper yet?

;-)
 
[TW]Fox said:
Realistically, clv101...
Click to expand...
You're being too defeatist about this. Change can happen, look what's happened at the EU today, the carbon budgets of all member except the UK have been torn up 'cos they weren't tight enough. The general population is shifting in opinion, more people today care - and are making decisions - to reduce their environmental impact. Whether it's buying efficient cars, light bulbs, organic food whatever.

Over time attitudes change, what was once acceptable, the accepted wisdom can shift. I think we are seeing this with the broad topics of energy security and climate change.

The whole argument not doing anything about CO2 'cos it won't make a difference is fundamentally flawed, it's like saying no point in voting 'cos 'my' vote is insignificant. Anyway - ignoring the global CO2 issues it's critically important for the UK economy that we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels - 'cos we're running out and can't afford to import it.
 
clv101 said:
You're being too defeatist about this. Change can happen, look what's happened at the EU today, the carbon budgets of all member except the UK have been torn up 'cos they weren't tight enough. The general population is shifting in opinion, more people today care - and are making decisions - to reduce their environmental impact. Whether it's being efficient cars, light bulbs, organic food whatever.
Click to expand...

But it will all fade into insignificance when countries like China and India experience exploding car ownership...

The whole argument not doing anything about CO2 'cos it won't make a difference is fundamentally flawed, it's like saying no point in voting 'cos 'my' vote is insignificant.
Click to expand...

Which again, is partly true. With our electoral system, my vote WAS insigificant becuase I live in the sort of area where they'd vote labour even if ethnic cleansing became a manifesto commitment!
 
People don't truly understand the problem. It is not just about C02 emmisions, but what the hell do we do when the oil runs out.

This is the major point in my planet loving low-zero emission house. I will not be dependant on energy that is produced using fossil fuels. Ok I will probably live on a diet of carrots and cabbage, as all the supermarket shelves will be empty because there is no oil to transport the stuff about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom