[ale] unusual global warming experiment

drifter drifter at oppositelock.org
Thu Feb 11 10:45:45 EST 2010


Geoffrey,
I think you need to visit more of the world. Newer cars built
and sold all over the world today are much cleaner than they
used to be even 10 years ago. I have been in Bangkok, Mexico
City and other traffic filled cities.  The cars aren't the problem;
it's those millions of 2-cycle (<150cc) scooters/motorcycles
that are polluting the air. In much of Thailand, for example, the
two-wheelers far outnumber the cars and each of them is pumping
out vastly more pollutants that the typical 1-2 liter auto engine.

This is only now beginning to change as more and more small scooters
are being built with 4-cycle engines, especially in China and Japan.
Don't know about India. (My 2-year-old scooter is a 150cc water-
cooled 4-stroke and it is 50-state legal, easily meeting California's
strict standards for motorcycles.)

Also remember that only in this country are 3 liter and larger engines
the norm for cars. Anything larger than 2.5 liters is considered a
LARGE engine everywhere else. And taxed accordingly. Gas taxes
are another reason that small cars are the norm for much of the
industrialized world; in England last summer gas was selling for
roughly $3.20 a liter, given the then current exchange rate.

Sean

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On Thursday 11 February 2010 07:32:46 Geoffrey wrote:
> Greg Freemyer wrote:
> >> Most of the pollution around cities is caused by factory stacks,
> >> specifically the burning of coal, but the spin magicians make it the
> >> "fault of the masses" by saying we can solve those emission geysers
> >> by reducing the emissions of cars.
> >
> > I'd guess most of the pollution around cities is caused by 2-cycled
> > engines on small motor bikes.  Just not in the US / EU.

and Geoffrey responded:

> Seriously, you jest?  Certainly if it's gas powered engines, the size
> and volume of automobiles far exceeds 2-cycled engines of all types?
> (mowers, weed eaters..)
> 
> > Greg
> > _______________________________________________
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> 


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