Late last night I hailed a taxi, I know, a strange occurrence in LA. Even stranger was the green Prius that pulled up. While I support green initiatives, grass fed beef, and local produce, I couldn’t help but inquire with my taxi driver, what made him go green?
“Tax breaks and gas prices.”
I couldn’t blame the guy, but what I could ponder was, what happened to the perfectly capable quintessential yellow cab that smelled vaguely like thai food? Further research revealed some startlingly facts.
When calculating the environmental impact of a brand new Prius, many things need to be considered beyond gas millage, such as production and shipping. The Prius has two engines, one gas and one electric. The electric engine begins its life in Ontario, Canada, is then shipped to Wales, UK, for further refinement, and finally to Toyota’s plant in Japan, where it fully becomes a hybrid battery.
That transportation alone leaves a big environmental footprint. Experts have concluded the most environmentally friendly option is to drive your current car its full life span, and when it becomes necessary to invest in new wheels, invest in green. Surprisingly, much of the good you are attempting to do is negated when preemptively going green. The tiny print that Toyota and other green car companies wish you to overlook.
Oh commercialism, we see you, despite that big green bow you’re wearing.
Click here to read the full article detailing the green pros and cons of a Prius Purchase:
http://www.suite101.com/content/environmental-costs-of-buying-a-toyota-prius-a109887
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