Date:         Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:00:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Luke Bakken <luke.bakken@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Luke Bakken <luke.bakken@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      help me understand US emissions control strategy.(NVC)
In-Reply-To:  <6acc6ca40809190859q5cedfd88rb9c187745ddab286@mail.gmail.com>
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On Fri, Sep 19, 2008 at 8:43 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
> I read on MSN's homepage news about Ford having built a 65mpg diesel Fiesta
> and currently selling it everywhere except the USA.  Their guy states that
> the US is so anti-diesel that they can't sell those fuel efficient vehicles
> here.

I am by no means an expert, but I believe the situation for diesel may
stem from the fact that people can see diesel emissions (black smoke)
and thus think that diesel is more "polluting".  That, coupled with
the fact that our government doesn't see CO2 as a pollutant at all,
may explain some of why diesel is not more popular in the US.

Plus, auto manufacturers are resistant to change and have vast lobbies
in Washington.

>  These 'allowed vehicles" use up six times as many barrels of oil burned up
> per mile traveled, and six times as much fossil fuel by-product is spewed
> into the atmosphere.  It's ok for the gas guzzler to be here, but not the
> little diesel car? (according to the  corporate whores who write our US
> vehicle emission standards).

This really is because CO2 is not an official pollutant yet.

> What's with these creeps making the rules here in the USA?
> They stupid?

No, probably not.

> They think we (the population) here have an
> unlimited supply of Vaseline and will just stay bent over, taking it for
> ever?

Yes.