"Environment: Feeling a bit smug about owning that hybrid? Better rein in that contempt for those who still drive primitive conventional cars. It seems that a Hummer is more ecologically friendly than a Prius."
Once again the IBD (Investor Business Daily) has some information that you just don’t see in the MSM (Mainstream Media) or a Al Gore cartoon and in fact it seems he forgot to mention this in his “Hollywood” appearance in front of Congress…
Turns out when you take everything into consideration those neat little Hybrid cars that you see zipping around town, with decals giving you a “Middle Green Finger”, are responsible for a considerable amount of pollution.
“The nickel for the Prius is mined in Sudbury, Ontario, and smelted at a plant nearby. Toyota buys 1,000 tons of nickel from the plant each year."
So far, so green? Maybe not. The landscape around the plant at the city's edge alarms environmentalists. Some eco-activists blame the bleak, lifeless countryside near the facility in part on its 1,250-foot smokestack that belches acid-rain-causing sulphur dioxide.”
Like when ordering out of the Sierra club magazine, “Don’t Forget the Shipping cost”
“But there's more. From the Sudbury plant, the smelted nickel is shipped to Europe, where it's refined in Wales. Next, it's sent to China, where it's manufactured in nickel foam. The nickel is then moved to Japan, where Prius batteries are made. But the long, fossil-fuel-burning journey doesn't end there.”
“After the batteries are placed in the Prius, some of the nickel is round-tripped back to North America while some is shipped to Europe in cars sold outside Japan.”
“Then there's the expected life span of the Prius: 100,000 miles, or a third of the Hummer's, says CNW. Toyota would have to go through the same 'build, sell, drive and dispose' process three times for three Priuses to provide the same amount of service provided by one H3”
http://ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=259455997533377
Ssgt. Herb Harman was present and spoke about his recent year long duty served in downtown Baghdad fighting the war on terrorism. During this time his squad had the responsibility of protecting the Iraqi Prime minister and his men were proud to be center stage in the efforts to establish a free, democratic, government in Iraq. He also spoke of how the mission is not completed and the importance of completing this work in the region. He also told me that it is likely that he will be called back to duty in Iraq and that nobody “looks forward” to going back into battle, but he and his men understand the importance of completing the mission and “Look forward” to being part of that completion.
Rhonda Winfield read a letter that she had presented to Cindy Sheehan to those gathered to show their support to the troops and the military personnel lost in this conflict. It was a response to Sheehan’s anti-war protests and to let her know that “Cindy does not speak for all”…
