Recently I found myself engaged in several discussions about taking care of our environment as a matter of personal integrity, choice, and responsibility. One such conversation happened with a stranger in a training course I was attending.
The man works for the EPA. He looked to be in his early 30s. He jumped into a conversation I was having with someone else about hybrid vehicles. He said that he owned one and said the name of it, one I had not heard of. He said, “Yeah I traded my Prius in for something bigger because we’re thinking about kids.” Having them, that is. So when I asked, this guy explained that he’d purchased a hybrid SUV.
Hybrid SUV, yeah, I think it was the one that Kermit the Frog was plugging during the SuperBowl in 2006.
Now, maybe I am a bit uptight about gas guzzlers, but his statement that the thing gets about 32 miles to the gallon didn’t wow me. In fact, I was shocked that someone informed, someone that works at the EPA, would buy an SUV, regardless of its hybrid status. He was incensed. “Look, we did a lot of comparison shopping; fuel efficiency, leg room…”, but here my brain just froze. I was incredulous. Are you telling me this guy is arguing that he feels validated buying an SUV because of LEGROOM?
He then started trailing off about how he used to be an environmental activist…he was one of the first hybrid buyers…but so many people at EPA are just bureaucrats and what is the point…and his whole house is outfitted with compact fluorescents…
I kept my cool and stated in the most compassionate way I could muster that I believe it is important that each and everyone of us does our part. I know that we can all justify what we do with the whole balancing out argument: I wear fur, but don’t eat meat, I walk to work so I can fly all over the world 15 times a year…I can have 5 kids because they are all so amazing…it is very difficult to have a net zero impact, but we can make an effort in our consumption rates to act responsibly. It is the easiest step we can make. And the sacrifice? Well, is it really a sacrifice?
At the conclusion of the training class our EPA man went around the room collecting our plastic bottles in a bag, saving them from the trash. When he got to me he looked me in the eye, and, with a bit of cynicism, said, “I am taking my personal initiative here.” I was quite happy. Though he probably thinks I am a jerk, I hope my words helped jerk him back to center (or maybe alittle to the left).
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ride on, sistah!
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:55 amJen,
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:36 amI’m with you on the general uselessness of hybrid SUVs. The gas mileage is nothing to rave about–except that if you compare it to the standard SUV, it’s significantly lower. And for this guy who is only “thinking” about children, he could have stuck with his superior Prius for a couple of years–as long as there was only one kid–before having to give in to something bigger.
Because listen, it is difficult to find a good family hybrid. My husband and I are going to need to replace our 10-year-old Civic (200k+ miles) sometime in the next year. It’s been a great car, with respectable gas mileage, but eventually it will die. Also, we plan on having a second child soon. So we’ve been researching hybrid options, but haven’t been that thrilled with out choices. The Prius is a wonderful car, and I would buy it in a heartbeat if I thought there was any chance it could fit the cargo necessary for hauling two babies around. This is where the rubber meets the road on the hybrids: cargo space is seriously lacking. The Hybrid Accord and Camry both offer plenty of leg room and decent mpa (though now, obviously, as good as the Prius), but the cargo space is smaller than my current car, and that’s not enough for when we take trips to visit family, for example. Where is a family of 4 going to put the suitcases, strollers, and portable cribs in these cars? Their design doesn’t exactly make them great for hardshell storage racks on top either.
So please, help me–what’s an eco-family supposed to drive?
we drive a leased dodge caravan stow and go, and love it and I suppose that it is not considered family eco friendly, yet with 2 kids in carseats and the ability to sleep in the back and carry much inside we are lean when we travel and prfer not flying. Now many days I do not even drive anywhere with my 2 girls, we bike and walk and play in our own neighboorhood. My daughter starts kindergarten in the fall and busses will come by to pick up all the kids k-12 3 to a seat, now that’s eco friendly compared t driving you child to and frm school which I see plenty of as well. Our prior car was a 1989 volvo station wagon.
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:07 pmMaybe the answer is fewer kids? Then you wouldn’t need a bigger car. I just have to put a word in for being an only child. I feel like a lot of people think having just one kid is somehow mean or psychologically damaging to the child. It was a great experience for me and I loved growing up more independently than most of my friends. I certainly don’t miss siblings I never had, and feel like I have many brothers and sisters among my close friends.
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:18 pmWell, this is an interesting question - what should an eco-friendly family do about the need for a bigger vehicle? Less kids? Well, this is a thought - overpopulation is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, environmental problem. But, if you already have several kids and want to travel (have kids, will travel), then I would suggest traveling with less STUFF!
Yes, I am suggesting you leave behind that which is not CRUCIAL to the journey. Do you all really need a suitcase worth of clothes, junk, toiletries, etc??? I am guessing, though I may be wrong here, that anywhere you are driving TO is going to have stores within which you can purchase those necessities that take up so much trunk space.
Packing light is an artform, one I have still not perfected after years of backpacking; and all that junk is on my BACK! So, as another suggestion, I would draft a letter to the car companies requesting a hybrid station wagon and I guarantee if enough people asked, they would provide - we are still living in a market-based economy and if they know they have a demand, they will scramble to be the first to supply it. Here is a site that talks about the hybrid cars - thus the companies that manufacture them:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hybrid_sbs.shtml
Here is a site that lists the current flex-fuel vehicles:
http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/e85vehicles.html
If you have access to an E-85 pump, you could power your family transporter with ethanol.
I hope this helps!
May 3rd, 2007 at 5:53 amLadies.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:51 amI appreciate your creative solutions. Jen V.–I will certainly re-think my “necessities” for travel. I am actually pretty conservative about packing already, but there is always room for improvement. Some places I travel to do have the things I need–such as my parents, who have a crib at their place for us–but sometimes we go to, say, a rental home (like we are for Memorial Day), where we have to take the place for our son to sleep and a stroller to get him around (so we can walk lots of places), etc. On another note, I don’t think the suggestion of buying stuff everywhere you go is very environmentally sound. Those little tiny toiletry kits, for example, are kind of wasteful, plus, I’d never use them all up, then I’d have to get the leftovers home anyway! Anyway, all I’m saying is that there’s never a perfect solution–there are times that no matter how lightly you pack, you’ll need some extra space, etc. I have considered going with the small hybrid and then just renting a regular car on those occasions, a couple times of year, when I need something bigger. I will rethink my packing though. Thanks for the links as well.
We looked into the Prius and decided against it and it had nothing to do with cargo room for kids, stuff, etc.
First, what turned us off was the price. We just can’t afford a brand new car.
Second, and almost if not more, importantly is a Prius is not fab when you live in the mountains. Especially in the winter. Our driveway is about 200 feet long, unpaved. As a matter of fact, we live off a dirt road which is off a dirt road. It won’t make it up the driveway when there’s snow on the ground. And considering the last of our snow melted a couple weeks ago, I can’t see us becoming a Prius owner anytime soon.
We have not condsidered the SUV-hybrids and probably won’t because of the price. And because I don’t need a SUV for any reason. But I understand where the guy was coming from if he’s looking for a hybrid with more power.
The movie Who Killed the Electric Car was the reason we started this line of thinking. The movie was fab and made great points, but it was obvious, or so that’s how it seemed to us, electric cars are made for warm climates. We have a F-250 with a plow. While I’d love a hybrid or an electric, none have the power to handle plowing a foot of snow in the dead of winter. And until a vehicle exists which can do such, we’re going to have to stick with gas cars.
But it makes us sad.
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:43 pmThis post make me very disappointed. Why are “green” people so seriously judgemental of others! It gives the impression that you are self-righteous about being green, which gives us all a bad name.
Instead of looking down your nose at someone not being “extreme green” enough for you, consider the fact that they are even making an effort. (unlike most people)
Likewise, by you putting them down on thier decisions you are hurting thier opinion of being more environmental. You’re also giving them negative feedback that could make them give up on green all together.
One last thing to remember — we need people to take small steps — they will then continue a larger internal conversation with themselves and take bigger steps down the road.
May 8th, 2007 at 11:02 amRenee-
You make an excellent point, but I’m not sure I agree. It’s getting to the point where we need to make changes, and big ones, pretty damn soon. I feel like we’ve been mucking around for the last 15-20 years and we don’t have infinite amounts of time to solve the environmental problems we are facing. We are talking about global warming that is already killing 150,000 people a year due to changing climate which is effecting ecosystem functioning. I know sometimes it might not be ‘nice’ but it’s time to get a little pushy, particularly someone who already works at the EPA and should know better! I mean come on, we had 35 MPG cars in the 1970’s for goodness’ sake.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:29 pmI am sorry you are disappointed, but perhaps you missed something in the post. I challenged this guy, not because I think I am better than him in any way; shape or form, but because I felt he was using the self-validation argument explicitly because he knows otherwise. The story had a happy ending - his eco-friendly nature won out (collecting bottles). And I agree with Starre. There is no time to be polite. We are in a serious situation of pollution, global warming, and disappearing biodiversity/species - much of the reason for this is irresponsible consuming. Americans consume more “things” than any other country on earth - we still produce the most greenhouse gases…we have to think critically and be SUPER SERIOUS about it.
I attended a Noam Chompsky lecture a few years ago - and the thing he said that stuck with me the most was that it is appropriate right now to be impolite - in fact we MUST be impolite - if we expect any change to come about in our established systems.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:20 pmSometimes the truth HURTS. Small steps are very important, but which direction was he making those small steps in? Going from a Prius to an SUV? It is important to call these things out when you see/hear them. We all have that responsibility. We should challenge ourselves and one another on a regular basis - complacency is why we are where we are.
I am not so worried about hurting people’s feelings; I take the risk that someone will dislike me because I challenged their personal choices. I would rather get them to think about what they are doing to the rest of us.