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Date:         Sun, 29 Aug 2004 22:48:07 -0500
Reply-To:     Donald Baxter <onanov@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Donald Baxter <onanov@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: emission ethics
Comments: To: gary hradek <hradek@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To:  <20040826151549.36945.qmail@web41313.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

If i were still living in Atlanta, I'd probably have to give up the Vanagon--it's last test was on the verge of not passing. I'd never do anything to circumvent the testing though--Atlanta has filthy air and I don't think i'd be happy contributing to it.

So I live now in Iowa, which has some of the cleanest air in the USA, and a state that makes most of its electricity using coal that makes pollution that heads straight to the Northeastern United States and Ontario and Quebec. It's a no-win situation that isn't helped by the current "New Source Review" policies of the Administration. No counties in Iowa currently test for vehicle emissions but I don't know how long that will continue to be the case. The fact is that driving it adds to the net effect of pollution even though I don't live in a place with dirty air.

If there was a sure-fire way to make my Vanagon cleaner, though, I'd do it and cost wouldn't be much of a factor. I'm thinking engine conversion at some point. Seems like most of the ways to make it cleaner with the original engine make it practically undriveable. I drive with my timing advanced which probably makes it dirtier--it's the only way i can get a stable idle speed. This bothers me, but I also realize the effect of buying a new "clean" car means that it is only clean at the tailpipe. The manufacture of a new car creates immense waste, both air and solid, that from my understanding has more effect on the environment than driving my dirty Vanagon. Hell, mowing my grass probably creates more pollution in a single day than my Vanagon does in a year.

There are no simple answers except to walk/bike when you can, take public transportation when you can, drive when you have to and combine those trips (which will have the residual effect of making your Vanagons last longer).

Donald Baxter

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:15:49 -0700, gary hradek <hradek@yahoo.com> wrote: > Joy, > We need no ethical guidance on this list when it > comes to emission checks. If you really push this > issue you would not be on the vanagon list at all but > you would be on the low polluting eurovan list. > There are many reasons people choose to handle a > vanagon problem the way they do. We need to take > care not to judge them on this action. Two hundred > dollars may make the difference whether they get > enough to eat or not. > I for one would like to know if advancing the > engine or retarding the engine will decrease NOX? > I thought an engine runs hotter when it is retarded > and thus NOX would be higher? So what do you think? > regards, gary > Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:25:39 -0400 > From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU> > Subject: Re: Failed Emissions Check

-- --------------------------------------------- Donald Baxter 316 Ridgeview Avenue University Heights, Iowa 52246 http://www.mindspring.com/~onanov


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