Seven Reasons For Not Buying A Hybrid Car

Looking to buy a hybrid car? Are you scouring the web for which are the best hybrid cars, what are the facts about hybrid cars, and perhaps even what are hybrid cars for sale on eBay?

Just hold on a moment and slow down. Of course, a hybrid car is a popular choice right now. And you’re thinking that getting a hybrid vehicle is all about doing your bit about global warming and save money on fuel. It’s a feel-good, win-win situation isn’t it?

But is this true and is that all there is to it? Well, let’s just say that there are at least seven good reasons why you should not buy a hybrid car.

Do you need a hybrid car?
Have you thought about your purpose of using a car at all? Who, and how many passengers will be using the car? Driving in the city or in the country? Perhaps public transport, a bicycle or an electric scooter could fit your needs just as well.

Just because we’re all used to the comfort of our air-conditioned boxes on wheels does not necessarily mean we need to continue the habit, does it? You don’t really need a car, hybrid or other? Then the best thing you can do for the environment, and for your pocket, is not to buy one.

Would your hybrid hold its value?
OK, so you know that hybrid car prices are above average but are inevitably coming down with a rapidly increasing demand. You also know that any tax incentives that may apply now may not continue forever. What does that mean? It means that you will not be able to sell your car at a premium price later, even though resale value is good now. So if you buy a hybrid because you think it will hold its value, don’t count on that being true in five year’s time.

Getting your money back by saving on fuel?
This depends on your mileage and the model hybrid. Even in the best scenarios you will need five years before you recoup your purchase price. Don’t buy a hybrid for economic reasons only.

What are your alternatives?
Hybrid car technology is only one means of saving the environment and your money. Cars that drive on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or natural liquid gas (NLG) do this too. Modern diesel vehicles run much cleaner than older models and biodiesel fuel is emerging rapidly as an alternative, not to mention ethanol blends.

So, if you cannot justify buying a hybrid car compared to what’s locally available to you in alternative fuels, don’t buy one.

Mechanical assistance?
Many mechanics are not yet trained in maintaining a hybrid vehicle. Could you get yours repaired and maintained locally?

Hybrids ain’t hybrids
The hybrid car range includes SUVs. How many people really need one? Buying a hybrid to roll over the off-road environment seems a little incongruous. Don’t buy one unless you absolutely cannot do without it for good reasons.

Saving the environment?
You are probably like most people who buy a hybrid car because they want to do their bit about global warming. Right? Good for you. Hybrid cars are part of the future. But…

You cannot buy a sustainable world. Selling cars, whatever fuel they use, involves vast quantities of energy and emissions in mining metals, transportation, production and distribution. Whereas it is better to drive a hybrid car than a gasoline-driven one, don’t expect to save the planet from global warming just by doing that.

It’s a change in thinking that’s needed, from seeing ourselves as independent consumers, to interdependent people who live in relationship to others and our environments. Once you and I know that we’ll act more wisely in choosing Earth-friendly technologies that we really need.

Cannot afford to buy a hybrid? So what? Reach out to someone else who needs you today or volunteer in your local environment protection group. That’s really putting your foot down in making a difference!

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Top Seven Tips for Getting More Mileage Out of Your Gas Tank

With the price of gas continually on the rise, many people are looking for ways to help improve the miles per gallon that they are able to get out of a tank of gas. Here are seven of the top tips that you can practice that will help you get more bang out of your buck.

Pay attention to the speed limit- Not only is driving at the speed limit the responsible thing to do, but it will also help you to save money on gas as well. The miles per gallon you are able to get from a tank of gas drastically decreases at speeds over 60 mph. Slow down and do the speed limit, and you’ll be able to go further off of a tank of fuel.

Drive less aggressively-Aggressive driving lower the gas mileage your car gets by 33%. Rapid acceleration, speeding, and constant braking all contribute to aggressive driving. There is no reason to stomp on the gas pedal when the light turns green, nor is there any point to racing to a red light and stomping on the brake to stop. Drive sensibly and less aggressively and you will help increase your fuel mileage.

Proper good vehicle maintenance-Keeping your vehicle running at it’s best will greatly help to increase the mileage you get from a tank of fuel. Make routine visits to a certified mechanic to have your car tuned up and checked over to ensure that it stays running at it’s best, and you’ll have to top off the tank a lot less often.

Stop idling away fuel-Contrary to popular belief, your car burns a significant amount of fuel when idling. And as we all know, when our vehicle is sitting, it’s not getting any miles per gallon. Leaving your car idling results in nothing but wasted fuel. If you are going to be sitting for more than a minute or two, turn the car off and save your gas.

Monitor your tires-It has been proven that tires that are not properly maintained will reduce the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Routinely monitor your tires to ensure that they are inflated properly and correctly aligned. This will greatly help to increase the amount of fuel efficiency that your vehicle has.

Loose weight-Your belly isn’t the only thing that needs to beat the battle of the bulge. Excessive weight in your car can decrease the amount of miles per gallon you are able to get. Did you know that 100 extra pounds of weight in your vehicle can cause a 2% decrease in your miles per gallon? Keep your vehicle clear of all unnecessary items and you will increase how far you can go on a tank of gas.

Reduce air drag-If you’re not going on vacation, there is no reason to cart around that bulky cargo carrier on top of your vehicle. Nor is there any reason to have fancy flags or other items hanging from window or antennas. These items cause air drag, which decreases fuel efficiency.

Seven Design Considerations for a Green Data Centre

IT departments are under increasing scrutiny and pressure to deliver environmentally-sound solutions. Large data centres are one of the most significant energy consumers in an organisation’s IT infrastructure, so any measures that you can take to reduce this consumption (and therefore also carbon dioxide emissions) will have a positive impact on your organisation’s environmental footprint.

The construction and operation of a green data centre involve advanced technologies and strategies, for example

- Reducing the power consumption of the data centre

- Minimising the footprints of the buildings

- Maximising cooling efficiency

- Using low-emission building materials, carpets and paints

- Installing catalytic converters on backup generators

- Using alternative energy technologies such as photovoltaic electrical heat pumps and evaporative cooling

The consumption of energy is considered the dominant – and often the only – factor in defining whether or not a facility is green. IT executives therefore need to start investigating alternative ways of building energy-efficient data centres.

By following these seven simple steps, IT executives can come closer to achieving their vision of a green data centre:

Seven Simple Steps

1. Think green

Environmental concerns are front of mind throughout society today, and you can also take a ‘green’ attitude towards your data centre, both in terms of current state and also future planning. Also, many data centre vendors and service providers are providing green alternatives – factor these options in when negotiating new contracts and planning upgrades.

Incorporate the green vision in your planning – your future will be impacted by legislation, standards and market demands in this area.

2. Virtualise and consolidate

A virtualisation and consolidation project is often a step in the right direction towards green computing. Research indicates that a server often only utilises between 5 and 15% of its capacity to service one application. With appropriate analysis and consolidation, many of these low utilisation devices can be combined into a single physical server, consuming only a fraction of the power of the original devices and saving on costs, as well as taking a step towards a more environmentally-friendly data centre environment.

3. Design a best practice floor plan

Adopting an alternating hot aisle/cold aisle layout is optimal and can correct many cooling problems in a typical data centre. By implementing a hot/cold aisle layout, equipment is spared from having hot air recirculated and thereby eliminating risk of an outage through device failure. Also, by having a common hot aisle, you have the ability to contain areas where heat density is high, such as racks with blade servers, and deal with the heat in a specific manner. This allows for multiple heat rejection methods to be in use within one data centre.

4. Use appropriate technology

In taking a green approach to your data centre, your evaluation of products is no longer just a price versus performance comparison. It is important to incorporate the total costs of the environment into the calculation, which then also includes costs for energy consumption.

5. Take a green perspective on ILM

Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) is the optimum allocation of storage resources that support a business. Every element of information in an organisation has a useful lifespan, and this can range from a voice conversation to certain legal and medical records. By implementing an ILM strategy, you have the ability to create greater efficiencies in data storage, which in turn lead to greater efficiencies in elements such as power consumption.

6. Investigate liquid cooling

To meet the challenges of blade servers and high-density computing, more organisations are realising the need for effective cooling and heat management solutions. Many are welcoming liquid cooling systems into their infrastructures to achieve better cooling efficiency, while others may find it difficult to fathom pipes of running water snaking through the plenums of their data centres.

7. Utilize greener energy sources

Many energy utilities are now offering greener options for customers, with power from sustainable sources. For example, in the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has formed the Green Power Partnership, which encourages and assists organizations to buy green power and reduce their impact on the environment. Major economies in Asia have accepted the Kyoto Protocol to control carbon emission however only Japan has committed to a reduction by 2012. The awareness on social responsibility and opportunity to save operational cost has raised the bar on awareness and willingness to adopt a more green approach towards utilities.

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