|
 Dear
GreenLight:
My husband
and I are considering buying our first new car. We would like
to by a vehicle that both meets our needs and is good for the
environment. When we talk to the various salesmen, we often either
get no answers or conflicting answers. Do you have any specific
recommendations regarding finding the most environmentally friendly
vehicle.
-- D.J.
Dear D.J:
I doubt cars
could ever be considered to be environmentally friendly. However,
they are becoming significantly better. Today's cars emit less
smog, use less fuel and are more recyclable then ever. However,
there is a wide variation between models. By choosing smartly
you can not only help the environment; in most cases, you will
also save money.
The first
issue to consider when buying a vehicle is the minimum features
that will meet your needs. For example, if you intend to use
the vehicle for commuting to work you may want to limit your
search to compact models. On the other hand, if you're a soccer
mom or dad you may need to consider something considerably larger,
such as a station wagon or minivan.
After you
have decided which class of car best fits your needs, you should
look for the vehicle in that class which gets the best possible
gas mileage and/or emits the fewest pollutants. The job of determining
which vehicle gets the best mileage is made easier by federal
standards that require that each new vehicle carry a label showing
fuel economy. Additionally, EPA maintains a web site at www.fueleconomy.gov/
that lists estimated fuel mileage for all available vehicles.
Vehicles sold
in California are required to carry a label showing how much
they pollute relative to emission standards. Within any given
class of vehicles, a lower number indicates that the vehicle
pollutes less. However, keep in mind you should not use the Emissions
label to compare cars to SUVs, because SUVs are allowed to pollute
more. Additionally, the California Air Resources Board maintains
a web site at www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ccbg/ that provides a list
listing of low emission vehicles.
By considering
both fuel economy and air emissions in your vehicle selection,
you will be rewarded with lower fuel costs and a better chance
of passing that pesky smog checks. Although is sounds insignificant,
by improving fuel economy by just 3 mpg you may be able to save
up to $150 per year. Although the benefits of lower air emissions
are more intangible, clean is good in smoggy Southern California.
Dear GreenLight:
I recently moved to San Diego from the Midwest. I've noticed
many of the weather sections in the local papers contain an "Air
Quality Index" or AQI. How is the index calculated? What
does it mean? Is the air in Southern California really that bad?
-- M.R.
Dear M.R.:
First, let
me welcome you to Southern California. Hopefully, in living here
you will be part of the solution to our environmental challenges
by living in a sustainable way.
The AQI is
a simplified method of providing information to the public on
air pollution for major contaminants (ground-level ozone, particulate
matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide).
A detailed description of the AQI may be found at the EPA web
site www.epa.gov. The key point to remember is that if the AQI
exceeds 100, air quality is considered "unhealthy for sensitive
groups" and if the AQI exceeds 150, air is considered "unhealthy"
for everyone. If possible, avoid exercising outdoors if the AQI
exceeds 100, or try to exercise early in the day before smog
starts forming. Also, you can help to improve air quality by
limiting your driving on days in which forecasts indicate poor
air quality.
The air quality
in So-Cal has improved dramatically in the last few years. However,
we will need to do a lot more to get the air quality that could
be called good. Currently, in most areas on most days, the air
quality is acceptable. However, we still get a few days per year
in which the air quality is unhealthy. The major problem in So-Cal
is emissions of volatile organic compounds such as unburned gasoline
and nitrous oxides that react in sunlight to form ozone, usually
in inland areas. Exposure to high ozone levels can cause eye
irritation, irritation of the lungs, chest pains, cough, shortness
of breath, nausea and headache. In most cases symptoms are minor
but, in a few cases, medical treatment may become necessary.
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