Have you heard about the recent $25 BILLION President Bush has granted as a loan package to troubled US automakers? As a taxpayer this is simply outrageous to me. Let’s add some MORE debt to our already huge deficit!
Let’s see what caused this catastrophe, shall we?
Bush is allergic to renewable energy.
During his term, Bush has continually slashed subsidies and funding for solar and wind power while supporting dirty energy such as coal, oil, and nuclear power and giving major tax breaks to oil companies. Though Bush seemingly supported increasing mileage to 35mpg by 2020, in my humble opinion, that is way too little, way too late.
What is a pizza farm, you ask? It’s a small chunk of land (about half an acre) that is divided in 8 in a circle, similar to a pizza. It grows ALL the ingredients needed to make… you guessed it, a pizza.
• Goats: ”You are petting living cheese,” Gregory said.
• Pigs: Can you say pepperoni?
• Cows: “This wedge is ground beef, and we have a little bull in there. Cows eat grass and hay. The only reason Midwest farmers feed grain to a cow is to get rid of their excess corn, which we won’t have this year. Corn creates white marbling in the meat, which removes all fatty acids, which prevent cancer.”
I have mentioned a need for a plastic bag tax before, and since then I’ve stumbled upon this wonderful slideshow on exactly what the billions of plastic bags do to our environment, nature, and animals.
According to MSNBC, the US currently has two cars on the market that achieve over 40mpg, down from five in 2005. In Europe, they’re blowing us out of the water with over 113 cars that achieve 40mpg+. To add insult to injury, most of those automakers are either American companies or companies that have a long-standing history of selling cars here, such as Toyota and Nissan. So why do we get the crappy end of the stick, especially in these times of high gas prices when consumers are clamoring for more efficient cars?
Times have changed and the people have spoken: We want more fuel-efficient cars. Waiting lists for the Toyota Prius has now grown to over 6 months in many places. Sales of SUVs and large trucks have dropped 18-24% this year. And more and more people are buying smaller, more compact cars to save money. One would think that automakers would scramble for this opportunity, but why isn’t it happening now?
Although there are typical, straight earthship designs, there have been many more built around the world using intricate and beautiful designs. Here are some of my favorites. (Click on the picture to be taken to the original source.)
Earthship in Taos, New Mexico (the black dots are glass bottles)
What are earthships? Earthships are dwellings, mostly made out of old tires or other recycled waste, built on the earth for the purpose of living “off the grid.” It uses passive solar and geothermal energy which allows the home to be heated without gas. Its design allows for a comfortable year-round temperature. Many people who live in earthships say they pay anywhere from $0 to $100 per year for utilities. It even recycles rain water so you’re not dependent on the tap.
October 1, 2008 
During his term, Bush has continually slashed subsidies and funding for solar and wind power while supporting dirty energy such as coal, oil, and nuclear power and giving major tax breaks to oil companies. Though Bush seemingly supported increasing mileage to 35mpg by 2020, in my humble opinion, that is way too little, way too late.
Posted in alternative energy, green cars, sustainability 
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