Environmental Volunteer Project Spring 2012

This semester was my first semester at CSUS and my first as an environmental studies major. Starting at square one, more or less, ENVS10 was my first class for the subject since high school (yes I actually had environmental science my junior year of high school). I've always been a science major (marine biology before) and in the past few years I've become more concerned about the globe as a whole than with individual oceanic species. Recently, I've been trying to make changes in my life to be "greener" like using less water, buying environmentally friendly products, using less gasoline, etc and it's a slow process but it starts to become part of you and rather easy. It's about choices, and making the green choice has being instinctual for me.  

Anyway, as I am older than the average undergrad and need to be looking at career choices I figured volunteering with CEAR seemed like a good idea. They are local and providing a very important service, and not to mention being pioneers in recycling. I firmly believe that the human race consumes far too much that becomes useless to us too quickly and because of that CEAR and organizations like it MUST exist. Otherwise, millions of tons of obsolete electronics would end up in landfills or incinerators. 

My experience with the e-waste collection was entirely positive. It was a beautiful day to be outside working. Our CEAR representative, Jane, couldn't have been friendlier or easier to work with. We chatted for awhile, had some coffee, and waited for the first drop. They arrived promptly and since we were so motivated things moved into the dumpster rapidly. Our pace was ahead of the arrival of cars dropping off items for awhile, but we never had more than two cars waiting at a given time. We took delivery of many CRT monitors and large TV's which I handled myself, against Jane's wishes, but like I said I was motivated. We made an even base with the TV's and then started stacking all the other items on top which included computer accessories, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, printers, and so many other random items I can't remember. Much to our surprise there were even a few modern LCD TV's and monitors dropped off! Eventually we started throwing things onto the pile which had a certain amount of satisfaction to it (think Office Space, the scene destroying the printer). 

The day was a success, but over too soon for me. I wanted to keep going, all day long, and fill the whole container! By noon when the truck showed up to take it away we had filled it less than a quarter full, but Jane said it was a good amount and I think it was. It was a highly rewarding experience overall. The people dropping off junk were appreciative and interested in learning about e-waste disposal and that was good to see! I was glad that I got to volunteer for CERN. I do think that I could work for an organization like them in the future, or at least be an intern for them before graduation. 

We got A LOT of old CRT monitors and TV's

This was the total e-waste for the day. The big white thing is an electronic marker board...

Below is a readout of my ecological footprint from footprintnetwork.org. I find the numbers astonishing! If accurate, it's simple proof that our lifestyles are unsustainable. But, I can't imagine being able to effect enough changes to be able to go from needing 5 earths to 1 and still be living the same life. 

This is my calculated ecological footprint, NOT SO GOOD.

Two wheel transportation of the motorized persuasion.

I'm not the average driver, or rider in this case. I've always liked things that go fast, and ever since I was 16 I wanted a motorcycle. It wasn't going to happen because my parents were against it and I didn't have any money saved to go buy even the cheapest bikes. Looking back I could have probably saved for something decent if I wanted it and my parents might have allowed it if I proved responsibility and took the rider safety course. Anyway, when I was 20 I decided it was time to start making the first steps in the two wheel direction, but not necessarily for the right reasons. I soon had two new motorcycles of what I consider now the wrong persuasion and wish that I had started with something totally different. Now, both are sold, and I have a Vespa scooter. I still like motorcycles and will own several more in the future, but now that I'm commuting to school I took it as an opportunity to try something new that I had never really considered before. And in case you're wondering, yes scooters are a lot of fun and no I'm not ashamed to be riding one.

How many of you have considered riding a motorcycle or scooter? If you haven't, reconsider. There are large benefits to be had that I feel outweigh the drawbacks. If that wasn't true, there wouldn't be so many riders out there and the motorcycle industry wouldn't exist. The biggest issue you might see with motorcycles is safety. Take the MSF course, be a smart rider, wear good gear, and that's about all you can do for safety. If the thought of two wheels is pure terror to you I don't think anything is going to change that. Your loss. Honestly, motorcycles are safer than you think; stupidity is a large part of what makes them so "dangerous". Other drivers hitting you no matter how "safe" you are is usually the other variable in the equation keeping people away from motorcycles. If you want to enjoy two wheel riding like many millions do, traffic collisions are something you have to put to the back of your mind or you'll always be afraid. Yes, be aware of the possibility of a crash, but don't be thinking about it every time you ride.

Practicality is another issue for most people. Where do I put all my crap? Well, I say chuck it, you don't need it, be a minimalist. If it can't fit in motorcycle luggage or be strapped to your bike you probably don't need it. I'm not saying ditch your car if you don't have to, but I am saying ditch the full size pickup truck or large SUV. Seriously how many of you really, really, NEED those things? Keep your car for hauling tons of groceries when you must, or friends, your dog, furniture...but you'd be surprised how many people transport these things on bicycles, less a motorcycle! But, when you don't HAVE to be driving your car, don't, and eventually you'll realize how much you can actually do with a motorcycle or a scooter and you'll use the car less and less. Even the bitter cold and rain won't stop you once you're comfortable with it and have the right gear. 

Why do you need to do this? Well, there could be several reasons...because it's fun, because it's new and exciting to you, because its a skill to have, you like the sound of the bike or the looks, or you like how you look on it, but for a lot of you that isn't enough. OK how about spending a lot less money on gas and reducing your carbon footprint? Wait, you say your Prius gets 50mpg? Yeah sure if you keep your foot off the gas pedal and drive like an old person. And, are hybrids fun... like fun at all? Didn't think so. And if you think you're saving the planet by using less gas in your hybrid have you stopped to consider how those batteries are made or what happens to them after they're no good? Neither is what you would call "green". And how much did you pay for that thing anyway? Almost $30k, more? Yeah... that's a lot of cash to invest to save some gas, and that new Toyota will depreciate faster than you want to believe. If you bought a preowned one you saved some depreciation but how much longer are those batteries good for now? 

Most motorcycles/scooters are less than $10,000 and if you buy something preowned you could be looking at half that figure. Insurance is pretty low if you have a clean record and if you don't buy a race replica super sport bike. Being over 25 years old helps too. Most fill ups at the pump will be $10-15 for the average motorcycle that has a 3.5-4.5 gal tank (premium fuel) and less than $10 for scooters which have smaller tanks. Your range will vary, but expect anywhere from 100-300 miles per tank depending on what you're riding. Most of you spend over $40 to fill up you car, others over $100 for your trucks, and your range can be 200 miles to 400 miles depending. Some of you who have newer turbodiesel cars can get 40-50mpg and have a range of over 400 miles. I see you all as more sensible than hybrid owners; if/when I get a new car it will be a turbodiesel. 

Something that most people don't know about, so obviously don't consider, is energy efficiency.  It's not the same as fuel efficiency. Technically, the most energy efficient means of human transportation is a bicycle. On a bicycle, you get the best ratio of mass transported for the least amount of energy output. So, bicycles are great for that reason, but you're limited to about 20mph, unless you're Lance Legstrong. That means it takes a lot longer to get places, and then time management becomes an issue. Also, you may not be in the kind of physical shape you need to be to travel 30+ miles a day on a bicycle (yes many people do that, and more). Anyway, think about the energy output of a car versus its mass and what it's transporting. Cars are REALLY heavy, so the vast majority of the kinetic energy attained by the combustion of the gasoline is spent moving the weight of that car or truck, not you. And that gasoline doesn't burn very efficiently either, most of the energy is lost as heat. The reason that diesel cars are more efficient is because the diesel fuel itself has seven times more energy in it per unit than gasoline, something to think about...

These days the average full size pickup truck is over 5,000 pounds, and the average sedan is over 3,000 pounds. Conversely, the average motorcycle is about 400 pounds, and the average scooter less than 200 pounds. My Vespa, for example, being a larger scooter and an all-steel monocoque rather than a tube steel frame cladded in plastic, is about 350lbs dry (no fuel or oil). So, you can see the massive weight advantage of two wheel motor vehicles concerning how much energy is needed to move them. The concept here is commonly known as "power to weight ratio" and while it's most often used to describe performance figures, these days its becoming more used in the war on gas prices. Cars are starting to get lighter without becoming much smaller through the use of high tech materials. This tactic along with more efficient engines, transmissions, tires, and aerodynamics, regular gas powered cars are getting over 40mpg highway. This is great, and it will get better, but for example, Honda's new 125cc PCX scooter claims over 100mpg, a figure previously only attained in smaller 50cc scooters. That's a 150% bigger engine in a larger scooter body, so quite an achievement! If only it were possible with cars at the moment. The PCX uses gasoline, so imagine the kind of mileage you could get with a high efficiency diesel scooter, likely over 200mpg!

So, I've piqued your interest? Which should you buy? Well, if you travel mostly by highway you'll need a motorcycle. You can go sporty for several reasons, but I even at 25 lean towards comfortable sport-touring or adventure motorcycles. When I started riding at 21 I stupidly only considered aggressive sport bikes, as most new riders do, and thought scooters boring because they were slower and you don't shift any gears. Most of the sport-touring bikes are still very fast and have great handling, while their roadability pays out huge over the sport bikes. And there's even big freeway-cruising "Maxi" scooters if you want to avoid shifting gears (automatic transmissions are only available in a few motorcycles currently). Please, as a new rider, do not get a very big, fast and powerful motorcycle, it's just a bad idea. Ridiculous speed isn't needed to have fun and it's really not smart on the street, save it for the track. Learning to handle a bike really well in the twisties at moderate speed is a lot of fun and shows you're of the right mind to be a good rider. I've seen many more talented riders on smaller, lighter, more agile, less powerful motorcycles rather than bigger, very powerful ones. Mastering these handling and control skills will also be a huge advantage when you are ready for a really fast bike, especially when you take it out for track days. Also, dirt/enduro riding can hugely enhance your road riding skills, or so I'm told.

If you drive around town a lot or on back roads, consider a 150cc or smaller engine scooter, a 250cc or smaller sport/standard motorcycle, or even a "motard" style bike. If you think about it you'll realize that all your running around town doesn't require four wheels, four doors, and a trunk. Example: Instead of going to Costco and buying 3 months worth of food and loading up the Chevy Tahoe (ew) go to a local market with a couple reusable bags to do a day or two worth of shopping, then put that under your seat, in your top case, or on your bag hanger between your knees. You may enjoy grocery shopping now instead of dreading it and you'll get out of the house more. Further discoveries I leave to you, the new rider.

There is a third option now, but you need as much money as you would spend on a new Honda Accord. It's called the CanAm Spyder and it has three wheels, two in front, one in back, a modern v-twin engine in the middle, and a whole bunch of cool electronic toys. Three wheels means no balancing act if you have a problem with the basics of riding something with two wheels or like the sure-footedness. There are companies that rent them and take you on tours, so I'd do that before buying one as they are so expensive. Same goes for those of you looking at options like BMW motorcycles, which are worth every penny IMO, but are some of the most expensive production bikes out there. 

The details of how, what, where, and when are all up to you. I can advise certain makes and models but that's another blog entry. All I'm looking to do is plant the idea in your head and get you over your preconceived notions about motorcycles and scooters. Open yourself up to something that will make you a more aware human being and inject some fun into your day to day life.

See you out there!

Here's a short article about the merits of owning a scooter and specifically about that Honda PCX: MotorcycleDaily.com - Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Toyota GT-86/Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S revealed!

For those of you living under a rock: Toyota and Subaru have together built a sports car. The concept was called the FT-86 and now its a reality revealed at Tokyo and NYC auto shows! 
 
http://www.subaru.com/brz/2013/index.html 
 
http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s/2013/2013-scion-fr-s-to-hit-us-showrooms-in-spring-with-under-30000-price-tag.html 
 
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/30/toyota-gt-86-gt86-tokyo-2011/ 
 
That haters have already started with "200hp isn't enough" and all that crap. But the engineers were smart and focused on light weight, balance, and a revvy n/a engine, much like Mazda engineers with the MX-5. I'm sure the whiners will get a turbo version by 2015. But, this still isn't a replacement for the old 2JZ Supra, it's in fact a descendant of the venerable AE86, or for the layman, the late 80's Toyota Corolla GT-S, which was in fact a RWD two door sports coupe and is still loved by enthusiasts and drifters today. 
 
They are the same car basically using a 200hp naturally aspirated 2.0L boxer 4cyl in the front and drive to the rear with two doors and two seats in back. Now THAT's a new car I'd want to buy!!! I'd get the Subaru because I refuse to own a Scion badge. North America won't be getting the Toyota GT-86 version bc Toyota North America only cares about trucks and Prii (the official plural of Prius). There will be a HUGE demand for these cars considering the last 15 years without affordable lightweight Japanese RWD sport coupes (Hyundai Genesis doesn't count in my book, not only because it's Korean, but it's ugly and heavy). Scion dealers won't be able to mark up the FR-S but Subaru dealers will mark up the BR-Z and they will not be sitting in showrooms for at least a year after launch, think 2006 Civic Si demand but 10x worse. Anyway it's not only a lightweight balanced fast coupe, but it looks really good! Finally a new car that isn't totally fucked in exterior design! It looks like a Lexus LF-A!!!  
 
This car I predict will trigger the competition to build new cars, which means Nissan will make a new Sylvia, Mazda a new RX-7, and likely Honda an S2000 successor. Nissan has actually said they want the car to do well so they have a reason to build a baby 370Z, which I think they already have reason by the fact that Toyota and Subaru found the demand for their car and thus built it.  
 
I'm truly excited that sports cars could be on the rise again. And I can pretty much guarantee I will buy one of these when I can afford it. Who says you can't have two RWD sports cars in one garage? 

Why does everyone want boring cars?

Seriously, why? EVERYONE drives a boring car and they're smitten about it. And by boring car I also mean boring truck, boring SUV, boring crossover, and boring hybrid. Does anyone know what it means to be excited by a fun car anymore?

I know what one of the key problems is: everyone drives automatic. Rather, their automatic cars drive them. Drving a manual transmission is the first step in an engaging automotive experience. Really people, you'll go bungee jumping but shifting gears is just too much excitement for you? I've actually had people look at me funny for driving a manual, like I'm stuck in the past or something. The other key problems stem from illusions of safety, need for so-called "desirable" features, the obsession with size, and a general distaste for sportiness.

The fact that the vast majority of Americans will not buy a car with a manual transmission leads the car manufacturers to produce what Jeremy Clarkson calls "heffalumps" or cars that are totally unexciting; our country is filled with them. All our cars are four doors and a trunk full of lame. We've got trucks and big SUV's, small SUV's and crossovers, big sedans, compact sedans, econoboxes, and then hybrid versions of almost all of those categories. And, I'll say this about trucks: The drivers of full size and lifted pickups I think are beyond help. Whatever personal issues they have necessitating their driving an 8,000lb vehicle that gets 8mpg on a daily basis are obviously not going to allow them to drive a car, much less a small one. There are many douchebag-mobiles, but trucks reign supreme in that category.

Bigger is not better. That mentality has infected our thinking and that infection picks our cars for us. When it comes to my beliefs in cars, less is always more. I drive a 1997 Mazda Miata which is not only very small, but has almost no modern conveniences. I own this car because of the way it drives. It's light, it's rear wheel drive, it's got real suspension, it's got a stick shift, it doesn't have much power, it doesn't have a back seat, it's fuel-efficient enough, and it is good looking regardless of the stigmas against it. Being a bachelor it works great as daily driver for me. I'm not saying everyone go out and buy a two seat sports car, but you don't HAVE to buy the antithesis of a two seat sports car either. It also doesn't mean go buy Prius. That's just another car that offers a totally numb driving experience but it gets 50mpg instead of 12. Anyone who thinks they're enjoying driving either type of vehicle is kidding themselves. Not to mention, people have become far less critical it seems over exterior beauty with cars and SUV's. Each generation is getting uglier as it gets bigger. People used to generally refuse to buy ugly cars, but it doesn't seem to matter anymore because instead of being once in a blue moon, they're everywhere. Take pretty much every Toyota for example. I mean honestly, could we have some more bulges please? Or how about some more creases and fake plastic accent pieces. Tell me a Prius is better-looking than a Pontiac Aztec. No, stop it you're lying.

My brain hurts thinking about EVERYTHING that is wrong with the American car industry and American drivers, and I think it's made me write poorly this time around trying to have any kind of coherence and flow. I've got so much to get out that I have no idea how I'm going to organize and package it into blog entries instead of a hundred page run-on sentence. It boils down to the fact that the European car market is far more exciting than ours and more practical at the same time. We could learn a lot from them. Come to think of it, Europe is the home of my favorite type of car the almighty Hot Hatch. I think I just thought of my next blog entry. Or has this all been leading in that direction...?