Sport utility vehicle or a Volkswagen Rabbit?
Today, in this media-saturated world, we are exposed to clever ad campaigns with images of an SUV splashing quickly through a puddle of mud during an off-road adventure, or plastered in dust and mud while drawing the attention of a pack of lionesses in the middle of the Sahara.
First, a brief history: in a typical "too little, too late" response to the Arab oil embargo crisis of 1973-1974, Congress enacted The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975. The EPCA established Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger vehicles model years 1978-80 and 1985 and thereafter. The CAFE standards finally established a minimum average mileage a specific vehicle class must obtain per gallon of gasoline.
In the U.S., SUVs (along with minivans and pickup trucks) are simply classified as "light trucks" and are not held to the same standards as passenger cars. Currently, the standard for passenger cars is more than 27 miles per gallon (mpg), while for light trucks it is less than 21 mpg. Many larger SUVs, such as the truck-based Ford Excursion, Chevrolet Suburban, and Hummer H2 in highway driving average a mere 12 or 13 mpg on regular unleaded gasoline.
According to the California-based environmental group, the Sierra Club, for each gallon of gasoline used by a vehicle, 20-28 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the environment. CO2 emissions from vehicles are responsible for 20 percent of the total amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere.
The Sierra Club has also calculated that driving an SUV for one year is easily equivalent to the energy wasted by leaving a refrigerator door open for six years, keeping a small light on in the house for 30 years, and leaving a TV on for 28 years. The group also estimates that almost half of the cars sold today are considered light trucks. If the current rates of fuel consumption continue, the entire world's gas reserves will be fully depleted by 2040. Whether or not you agree with the views of groups like the Sierra Club, one thing is clear: a new and inexpensive alternative fuel or method of transport must be found—and soon.
I, for one, do not drive an SUV for a number of reasons. Instead, I drive a stick shift 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTi with no air conditioning, power windows, power locks, or cruise control. The car may be 20 years old, but it gets excellent gas mileage, it is light, and it’s a blast to drive. I do not feel I need to be sheltered by three tons of steel, leather, and wood to get to my destination. The only concession the car makes to luxury is a steel sliding sunroof, which is excellent for those bright, sunny summer drives.
My car gets a solid 42 mpg, uses precious little fuel, and does not pollute the environment. It may leak through the hatch and need constant attention just to keep it on the road, but I can still pass most cars without much trouble. Many people ask me why I drive a small, boxy, dated, and rather beat-up car, and they tell me to go buy a Chevy Blazer or a Ford Explorer. I merely say it gets me where I need to go and is easy on my tiny college budget. The car is pure and simple to drive, cheap to run, and still a joy to drive even at its elderly age.
Until someone comes up with a cost-effective, fuel-efficient, alternative fuel vehicle that everyone can afford, I will continue to drive my little Rabbit. The gas/hybrids Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are excellent choices but are still far too expensive to buy and maintain, especially for a college student with little to no funds. There are alternative fuels and vehicles out there. The options are available; you just have to look for them.
Quite a few websites on the Internet focus on alternative fuels and vehicles. Here are a few links for more information; check them out:
www.dancingrabbit.org/biodiesel
zionsake.tripod.com/alt-fuels.html
www.vwc.edu/library_tech/ww-pages/gnoe/avd.htm
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