Global Warming, now Water Shortage

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Thats is what they are good for.


They use gas for speeds over something like 35 I think. I know Im wrong about the speed but they only use elec. for in city driving and highway is all gas. They need to make something better sooner.


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I'll buy one of these.
 

BrooklynJon

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The Prius Thermos

Someone claimed that the Prius has a thermos-bottle-like container in the engine compartment, and when you shut the thing down the hot oil is pumped into the thermos. When you restart, the engine won't run until the hot oil has been pumped back into it.

So THAT'S what the thermos is for. I've been using it for my coffee!

As far as diesels are concerned, some do get better mileage on the highway than my Prius (although my 48 mpg on that trip to Hilton Head wasn't too shabby). But the problem is that diesel engines give off a lot more pollutants than my Prius. It's only by considering carbon dioxide the only pollutant worth caring about that diesels begin to shine (environmentally speaking). Of course, from an urban public health perspective, carbon dioxide is just about the most innocuous thing that can come out of a tailpipe.
 

Engineer Ben

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I'm a mechanical engineer and was talking with a Civil guy over the weekend. The real deal is the question of:

1. Where is the water?
2. What quality is the water?

It may be the case that the net amount of H20 is basically constant. The problem is that taking water from, say, an aquifer is different than taking it from a lake or an ocean. If the pumping from an aquifer exceeds the rate of replenisment you will have a problem eventually. If water is far away from where it needs to be for people and it is expensive to transport and treat then you have a "shortage" even if there is a constant amount of water globally.

Global warming discussion aside, I think it is sort of obvious that one can only grow so much kentucky blue grass in the desert before you have a problem of some kind. I'm all for the small, practical obvious improvements in efficiency even though I'm against being paranoid or wasting large amounts of money.
 

Mikey

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The real deal is the question of:

1. Where is the water?
2. What quality is the water?

It may be the case that the net amount of H20 is basically constant. The problem is that taking water from, say, an aquifer is different than taking it from a lake or an ocean. If the pumping from an aquifer exceeds the rate of replenisment you will have a problem eventually. If water is far away from where it needs to be for people and it is expensive to transport and treat then you have a "shortage" even if there is a constant amount of water globally.

Global warming discussion aside, I think it is sort of obvious that one can only grow so much kentucky blue grass in the desert before you have a problem of some kind. I'm all for the small, practical obvious improvements in efficiency even though I'm against being paranoid or wasting large amounts of money.

Good observations. If the new administration wanted to implement a really beneficial, job-creating federal infrastructure project, build something I'll call the North American Water Management System. It seems to me there's plenty of water around, but it's often in the wrong place. This spring, for example, Fargo was under 43' of flood water, but Florida was in the middle of a continuing drought. During hurricane season, the tables might be turned. With enough pipes, pumps, tunnels and storage facilities, we could move water from where it's in surplus to where it's needed. If implemented, of course, it would make the Roman Aqueduct and the Interstate Highway System look like childrens' toys, and would cost a bundle, even in Democrat terms, to build and maintain.
 

Nate R

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Good observations. If the new administration wanted to implement a really beneficial, job-creating federal infrastructure project, build something I'll call the North American Water Management System. It seems to me there's plenty of water around, but it's often in the wrong place. This spring, for example, Fargo was under 43' of flood water, but Florida was in the middle of a continuing drought. During hurricane season, the tables might be turned. With enough pipes, pumps, tunnels and storage facilities, we could move water from where it's in surplus to where it's needed. If implemented, of course, it would make the Roman Aqueduct and the Interstate Highway System look like childrens' toys, and would cost a bundle, even in Democrat terms, to build and maintain.

And at some point it will be worth it. (And/Or desalinization will be cost effective.) The market will determine when.

Does that mean I waste my water? Nope. I water grass as little as necessary. (Usually only to get new seeds to grow.) Someday we'll probably laugh at the thought of having grass.
I left the flow restrictor in my showerhead. I have a 1.6 GPF toilet. It's far better than the 5 gallon ones of the past.

Watching the 3.5 gallon flush at my Mom's place seems like a ridiculous waste of water!

We're making lots of progress. Using a third of the water per flush than we did what, 30 years ago? And what is the increased cost to the consumer?

I wonder how much of that savings is being gobbled up by people w/ HUGE bathtubs and 10 GPM multiple head showers!? :eek:

When water REALLY matters, water utilities will start charging an INCREASING rate when your total volume rises. At that point, conservation will really kick in. Why should I pay more per gallon than the factory that uses 10K gallons/day for the same water?

IIRC, something like 60% of the potable water in the world gets used for irrigation. There's probably bigger gains there.
 

RoxanWright

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Yes, it's a very interesting program. It is somewhat biased, but it makes some important points, and highlights the other side of the argument that is usually suppressed for political reasons.
 

RoxanWright

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Yes, it's a very interesting program. It is somewhat biased, but it makes some important points, and highlights the other side of the argument that is usually suppressed for political reasons.
 

RoxanWright

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The Earth, is doing nothing different than what it had done for many many years, all on its own, without our help. If we can change climate, then, someone better come up with a cure for NHL.
 
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