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Allan´s Weblog

A Life? Cool! Where can I download one of those from?

Fill'er up with swine, thanks

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This is an entry about CO2 emissions, car technology and my private world of tomorrow:

Firstly I have decided to buy a new car. For the last four years I've been driving a Toyota RAV4. A wonderful vehicle, to be honest - if it wasn't for the fact that it's rather expensive to keep moving and that it's quite energy-ineffective because of the four wheel drive, the weight and the gasoline engine.

Recently the Danish government changed it's attitude toward cars' and trucks' taxation. As a result of the new style, we're, as Danes, rewarded economically if we drive an energy-efficient vehicle and punished when we drive the opposite.

So, this was an easy choice, also because car-tech has improved significantly during the last few years.



The above is a picture showing my new car, only my car is longer and has five doors instead of the three doors hatch on the photo. A Toyota Yaris with a hefty diesel engine. The engine is supplied with a turbo charger and an intercooler - which make the car go from 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) in 10,5 seconds - which is the same acceleration as my RAV4 will achieve.

A strong, little engine - but a very fuel-efficient one, too. It goes 22,5 km/l (64 mpg). Thats exactly twice the distance compared to my old car. Plus insurance and taxes are reduced to less than half the price also.

It's a significantly smaller car - but it' extremely roomy. Surprisingly enough it will, because of it's smart design and equipment, load almost the amount of goods as the RAV4 does. Almost, but it satisfies all my needs.

Secondly, to make good times even better, the production of bio-diesel is about to start here in Aarhus. Bio-diesel is made from slaughterhouse waste products, and will be sold from 65 stations in the Aarhus Area in about six months.

And my new car will run perfectly on that.

Cheaper and more environmental friendly at the same time. And with a nice car, too. Can you beat that?

I will have my new car in two weeks.

Read more about bio-diesel here, if you wish.

New CameraMy Job

Comments

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Nice wheels :up:

Happy motoring. :smile:

By Mickeyjoe_irl, # 2. April 2008, 20:55:22

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Thats so great Allan. Hope it pleases you :happy: It looks nice :up:

By nopanic, # 2. April 2008, 21:57:17

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Mrs Kjeldsen writes:

Congrats ... I didn't know you'd contracted .. Yaris.. but, alass, for evererything in this world there's a cure..

Sereously, it's a really nice car. My friend has one, and she's ever so pleased with it.

By anonymous user, # 2. April 2008, 22:17:47

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Looks great! Enjoy! :smile:

By musickna, # 2. April 2008, 22:26:57

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Wonderful looking car and so economical!! Hope you'll be packing your cameras in it and taking some nice pictures for us to see.

By cakkleberrylane, # 3. April 2008, 01:28:05

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It looks much like my car, a Chev Aveo.

By sanshan, # 3. April 2008, 04:16:38

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congratulations on being ahead of your time.

isn't ignorance the result of apathy?
i care.

By I_ArtMan, # 3. April 2008, 09:34:51

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Thanks, all, for commenting.

Scott - if ignorance is the result of apathy, the opposite might just as well be the case?

By ricewood, # 3. April 2008, 11:06:12

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Well done for making a careful and considered judgment in the choice you show here. Your comment regarding "Bio-diesel is made from slaughterhouse waste" is extremely interesting and informative. This form of fuel source should avoid, one assumes, the sort of controversy that seems to be surrounding the 'bio fuel' derived from crops (where said crops are alleged to be displacing food crops).

By lokutus_prime, # 3. April 2008, 14:18:27

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Exactly, Loku. Prices on food are already increasing at a steady rate - as anyone will find out by going to the nearest supermarket.

That's particularly troublesome if you're poor - of course.

By ricewood, # 3. April 2008, 18:30:20

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Scott - if ignorance is the result of apathy, the opposite might just as well be the case?

allan,
yes i would say so. apathy is the result of ignorance. so is chaos.

By I_ArtMan, # 3. April 2008, 19:07:38

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A wonderful car. Congratulations!

I applaud Aarhus too, in making things possible for the green cars. Too bad they don't do that here -- idiots.

By edwardpiercy, # 5. April 2008, 21:11:03

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How revolting! Slaughterhouse-waste? I recognize the ecological perspective, of course, but the mere thought makes my stomac crawl... It's almost cannibalistic, isn't it? A car running on dead animals. Horror! It's ironic too, in a twisted and rather sick way. At first I thought you was april-fooling us, but I see now that you are, pardon me, dead sirious... The idea is, in fact, not only revolting but also offensive. Unethical. Wrong, man, wrong! Taken to the limit, you could put your dead grandma in the tank. It's tradition to respect the dead, and that goes for dead animals as well.

:yuck:

By Aqualion, # 6. April 2008, 23:32:31

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Well, what else can we do with such waste? Better fueling a car than dumped in our water supply.

By cakkleberrylane, # 7. April 2008, 00:28:00

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Martin - I could understand what you were saying if the word you used was "unaesthetic" rather than "unethic".

I have a couple of questions:

With you remarks about my dead grandma in mind, why then is it unethical to put dead animals in the tank if it's ok to put them in your mouth?

Assuming you very well know what fossil oil is made of - millions of dead plants and animals - why then does the time-factor make things better?

Is it not more unethical to destroy the climate than using a dead animal to the full extend in order not to throw the remains in a dumpster?

I am looking forward to your answers.

By ricewood, # 7. April 2008, 06:46:35

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It's just wrong, Ricewood. I'm sorry, but I have no valid argument. I'm stating my opinion, that's all. An opinion based on a gut feeling, nothing else.You and others may have a different opinion, wich I accept and respect. Your points are totally clear, and I can't argue against them.

But still I have this feeling in my stomack...

Maybe it's because I really hate cars and believe the world would be a better place with no cars at all.

No offense...

By Aqualion, # 7. April 2008, 20:15:32

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Well, everybody is entitled to an opinion... :smile:

By ricewood, # 7. April 2008, 20:22:05

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Well, thanks...

I've done a little thinking since my last entry and I think I know why I have this gut-feeling. It's because of those dark glasses I wear... My vision of the future is always clouded by fear and suspicion.

Picture if you can bio-fuel diesel becoming a succes. If a car can run on the stuff, well so can factory engines, boats, trains and maybe even airplanes. No more fuel problems. It is not hard to imagine the next step - cattle breeding with just one purpose: kill and fill.

See the picture?

By Aqualion, # 7. April 2008, 22:41:12

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that is one nice car! i like the concept of more efficiency in automobiles and the technologies that are coming about.

i can't justify the added expense on my budget. maybe one day there will be a chance for me to change my spending habits and driving habits to accommodate a greener lifestyle. i do my part in some ways though; instead of driving 25 miles one-way to work each day, i drive 6.5 miles round-trip for a fifteen percent wage cut.

i've had to walk it (and ride a bike too) before, and this old body of mine didn't hold up very well. my job performance suffered from that stress. therefore, i will continue to drive to and from work each day. we have no buses nor taxi cabs in our area.

By 1bluebox, # 7. June 2008, 16:49:16

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