A quick review of this past week's happenings in the blog world
This week's news once again highlighted the need to kick the oil habit. It's a broken record: Big Oil companies again reported enormous quarterly profits. And speaking of oil, many blogs covered that House Speaker John Boehner appeared to have warmed up to the idea of ending oil subsidies. Democrats and President Obama said: "We agree!" But Boehner's conciliatory message lasted about as long as the swipe of a debit card at a gas station pump. For more on gas prices and politics, try this.
Meanwhile, some energy researchers are looking into the future. The EIA believes U.S. carbon emissions will grow steadily and will not return to 2005 levels until 2027. And a new Lawrence Berkeley Lab report says China's carbon emissions could plateau by 2025-2030.
-- Arguments for and against a carbon tax.
-- While Cleveland has had more rainfall than it knows what to do with, Texas has endured one of the worst wildfire seasons in this country's history.
Sales of hybrid vehicles soared upwards by 33.9 percent in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010. Likewise, sales of diesel-engined vehicles shot up by 42.9 percent and sales of subcompact cars rose by 23.3 percent in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same period last year.
-- And lastly, our prayers are answered: the electric beer truck.
A Canadian brewery has electrified a 1958 Chevrolet Apache pickup for hauling kegs and cases without tailpipe emissions.
When Toronto company Steam Whistle expanded into British Columbia, they kept up the tradition of using vintage cars and trucks in their delivery fleet. We all know the greenest car is the one that’s already been built, but Steam Whistle’s local fleet manager wasn’t thrilled with the emissions controls on 50-year-old engines. So he assembled a team of EV conversion experts and got to work.
Soon, the Retro Electro hot-rod EV pickup was born.
-- Brian Foley
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