| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| dougal |
"Two Jags": No Prius?The Indy reports that ministerial cars are being replaced by Toyota Prius'es. Its a decent-sized hatch that gives a really excellent emissions figure of 104g/km of CO2, thanks to its "hybrid" technology. In case you hadn't heard, an electric motor assists the petrol engine as required, and the batteries are charged by braking (and topped up by the petrol engine when appropriate) - it can also trickle along in traffic jams on electric-only..But it seems "The Deputy" wants to be at the back of the queue... http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=642854 |
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| footprints |
Re: "Two Jags": No Prius?
Read animal farm for an explanation of why this is. |
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| jema |
It is sad but you do need a few celebs some times to show that green can also be "cool" 
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| wellington womble |
I'm starting to get a bit cross about this - here we are being urged to use public transport, with all the ministers having private cars (and probably private cars as well!) because 'they can't take their work on the bus' Me niether! My patient notes are confidential too.
And in all this moaning about rover, I can't help noticing how few of the people who are moaning about the travesty of the decline of the british car industry (himself included) do not drive rovers. Who do they thing is responsible for that then? It was highly noticeable in all the recent french new coverage, that the ministers all drove peuagots (sp?) - OK still private cars, but at least french ones. Why is this country only able to patriotic about football, and then complain that we have no manufacturing left? Rant over! 
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| macatsuma |
all our future reps cars are going to be Prius, but on taking the test car out on trial i must say i found it an odd experience, for town driving the electric motor does all the work and the drive (by wires, urghh) is completely silent, which at present is such a unique experience i nearly offed 12 pensioners and a crocodile of school children on their way to the baths, all on a ten minute jaunt round halifax. Didn't Tufty, Green Cross Man et al teach us to stop, look (you can't see it over the prevailence of people carriers) and listen (there's nothing to listen to, you almost ex-squirrel). god help willy weasel rushing to the ice cream van with this bad boy in town.
In terms of fuel consumption, green credentials etc etc almost unrivalled, i'll let you know how it is at pulling cows stuck in the mud out of the beck in due course 
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| Jonnyboy |
I went on a drivers day with Toyota, I have to say the Prius is a damn good car. Around country lanes I couldn't get it above 65mpg though. | ||||
| Bugs |
Aha, it's a cunning plan to solve the pensions, senior care and education crisis whilst looking like a cuddly green. I like it. The idea of quiet cars is extremely tempting though. Are they really that silent? |
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| tahir |
Mac's got a point about the silence though, especially in urban areas. | ||||
| jema |
I guess the Darwinian priniciple will soon apply though, and a new breed of child who looks as well a listens will be forced to evolve 
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| macatsuma |
in the interest of our creationist neo-con american friends its a Darwinian "theory"
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| jema |
You mean you have "creationist neo-con american friends" they don't seem to like me much at all 
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| macatsuma |
i own guns so i fit right in
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| Treacodactyl |
Simple, you just need someone with a flag to run in front... |
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| judith |
But what on earth do they make of you at Suma? Judith (the Hebden Bridge escapee!) |
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| tahir |
Good idea TD | ||||
| Treacodactyl |
They don't ask. 
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| macatsuma |
I accept their vegetarianism, they ........put me in a side office and bad vibe me, actually there are only 30 or 40 veggies here and i've not yet shot one of them on purpose or otherwise, we live so harmoniously that we are like that coke advert with "i'd like to teach the world to sing" in it but with better hair cuts and not an A-line crimpolene skirt to be seen 
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| judith |
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| tahir |
You've spelt crimplene wrong (says the man who's sold bri nylon, terylene, tricel and cashmillon) | ||||
| Bugs |
I know Suma says it's a vegetarian wholefoods seller (or something like that) but if the vegetarians aren't a majority would Suma ever get in to selling appropriately-sourced meat/fish etc? Or is there something in your constitution (?) to prevent that as it's against the spirit of the original idea? This is very much the kind of problem we're looking at for this site...it won't always be the same people running it but I'm sure we'd all be glad if in 20 years time we can still pop in (using our sustainably-powered recycled low-energy dolphin-friendly welly-mounted internet access) and find something in the same spirit.... hope that makes sense...it probaly doesn't
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| macatsuma |
being serious for a second, yes we constitutionally protect our being a vegetarian wholesaler and that is so intricately woven into what we "are" that even raw unicorn eaters like myself would not want to compromise that, it extends throughout our whole ethos in that we consider the social, political, ethical and ecological aspect of everything we stock.
As downsizers you will appreciate that this extends in all you do, even though i eat meat i've either caught it, found it, shot it or fed it up at Sutcliffes (my butchers) farm. Finding the right people to carry on our mantle is difficult but rewarding, we've often said that Suma is an almost sentient being you can take all the people out of it but it would still be the same thing a bit like anthony daniels and C3P0
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| Bugs |
What an illuminating image. Good explanation though and that's how I thought it went, it's so unfamiliar, unfortunately.
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| whitelegg1 |
Good idea for the Pirius, make an audio tape of the next Grand Prix, and play it really loud through one of those speakers the election people use, pensioners should then hear you coming!
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| thos |
I always fancy a recording of skidding tyres that I could play when somebody does something stupid and I have to brake. It should concentrate the mind to see a car apparently about to plough into you (whereas in reality it is under control). In relation to the Prius, it would be nice if the cars going past my house would be quieter. I would like one to replace my Berlingo, but I could not justify spending more on my new car than I did on Terri's Galaxy. |