Are you worried about your carbon footprint? On the surface it seems like such a simple question. In reality, it’s a fairly complex one. To keep it simple, I’ll say that yes I’m worried. In truth I don’t worry about much, and it would be more fair to say that keeping the overall carbon footprint of society in check is something we should pay attention to. I say society because I think that all the folks driving a Prius or whatever other hybrid RULE. What did I just say?!?! Yeah, they rule. I mean the more yuppy hipster eco-friendly folks there are out there driving hybrids or electric cars or little shitboxes that get 70mpg, the less I have to worry about my 15mpg junk ruining the world for our kids. LOL, I know, I can’t even write it with a straight face. LOL It’s true though!
Anyway, I think we surely should throw away less trash, and I think we should find new ways to power stuff. I think all these things because I want to be able to drive my dead dinosaur powered hot rods. Sure, I’ll run them on ethanol or methanol if we end up having to. Or I’ll drill for my own oil. Whatever, but the point is I want to be able to make that choice. I don’t think we’ll always have that choice if we don’t help keep the world we live in clean.
So, hot rodders…., Do you worry about your carbon footprint?
I’m worried that my “carbon footprint” is not big enough . . . .
I’m concerned with my carbon footprint in the same way I’m concerned with making sure my engines run as efficiently as possible.
If you worry about your carbon footprint, that implies you accept the premise of global warming. I think the science is definitely not settled and CO2 may not be a major issue. Do you think Al Gore worrys about his carbon footprint when flying on his private jet?
Like NRA members, enthusiasts have to politically defend their privilege to build and drive what they want. Thank god for the SEMA Action Network.
You comment that you would use ethanol if you had to. Why would you let someone else choose the fuel you want to use? Why burn a fuel that you have to use more of to cover the same distance compared to gasoline? Does the current drought and high corn prices mean anything?
This is an anecdote that I can not prove its veracity. Years ago, at CARB meetings there was a chart showing air pollution sources and how much each one contributed to the total. The SEMA rep asked how much the automotive aftermarket contributed, since it wasn’t listed. He got a non-answer answer. Next meeting, same question; same non-answer. After a while, the chart was removed. Guess the aftermarket didn’t contribute a lot.
Summed up, enthusiasts need to “cling” to their cars. Eco groups would make driving 15 mpg junk and car modifications illegal in a heartbeat if they could. Don’t think it can happen? Read the BS entry about what’s happening in Europe.
Worrying about my carbon footprint is a waste of time as long as Mexico, India, and China have no pollution laws.
That said, both of my cars were rescues. I saved them both from the crusher. I am a recycler. I am not buying a new car which materials from the steel to aluminum and plastics and rubber all came from the earth.
Dont go there ….we have the highest carbon tax in the world……because of our world beating burnouts!
No!
90% of hot rods are not daily drivers
The carbon foot print of just producing a prius is much greater then an average hot rod would make in it’s life
Im with arrow. restoring and using my old car will never overtake the carbon ‘cost’ in coal (or gas, etc..) electricity and other energies required to create ANY new car. That’s the bit that makes the whole carbon footprint thing a fake issue.
Nope, I’m just cheap. Add in that more oil is being found faster than it is being used so I’m not too concerned about running low. Further, suppose we start running our cars on something else, if no one is using dino juice, then none will drilled, refined transported and pumped.
I’m even less worried about climate change. Change is what climate does. It’s not and never has been stable. You want to deal with too hot and the planet turning into a jungle, or too cold and an ice age? Staying the same isn’t in the cards.
I never bought into this whole “carbon footprint” crap. Al Gore and his minions use more fuel and emissions in one trip than I do in a year. And just as Scott said, until third world countries clean up their emissions and pollutents, then why should I be worried. I’m more concerned about some Washington DC liberal taking my rights away and worsening the US economy.
Worried about my carbon footprint? Not really. Do I think it’s a good idea to be less wasteful in general and try not to poison our world as much? Yes. Do I think we should lessen our dependence on a non renewable resource that virtually every aspect of our daily lives depend on? Yes. I’m all for finding alternate fuel and energy sources. I think it’s a good idea to try and make sure the air we breathe and water we drink isn’t poisoning us. Recycling? Sure. We hot rodders and car guys have been doing it for a lot longer than it’s been fashionable.
Well said, Tedly!
I was at a meeting with some university tech guys, and one made the comment, ” you know, a Toyota Prius has a larger carbon footprint than an H2 Hummer”. So I asked about it. True, the little shitbox gets better fuel economy, but when the whole life cycle is taken into account, as it should be for “carbon footprinting” , it is more harmful to the earth than an H2 Hummer. That said, I don’t accept the premise that we are endangering the planet for driving our cars. Not at all. None of this “science”, (really a religiion to many of these morons) has not been proven. They are hypothesis, theory’s or wrose, “consensus”. All contrived to do what scientists (particularly at universities) do, which is get federal grant money for “research”.
Make your car run well, and clean, for you, no one else…
naw the wifes toyota ricer makes up for the double pumper on the ranchero and the turned up pump on the cummins dodge.
I dont believe in global warming!
I think I may just go outside and recycle a stack of tires with a match. When we came out of the ice age abut 12,000 years ago there was zero human involvement , neither was there during the midevil warming period. Carbon footprint is a bunch of bull crap. Time is money, money ie energy. Our old cars are mor eefficient than the new ones when you really run the numbers. $500 month payment? Nope, full coverage insurance? Nope, new manufacturing? Nope. Shiping componants from around the world? Nope
If anything hot rodders are more environmentally concious than the libs. How many of them can say they recycled tens of tons of iron, aluminum, copper and hundredes of barrels of oil? Damn few. Reused a car? Repurposed parts from one make into another rather then buying new parts? Even fewer. Its the lack of logic that dooms them and sadly sways the idiots who vote on emotion.
In fact i’m not really worrying. Every-freaking-body that bought a car NEW in the last 15-20 years and replaced it after a few years of use for say another new car and did that like two or three times has to worry a LOT more.
Anybody that conserves and uses old cars does in fact do mother nature a favor because this person doesn’t likely buy new cars.
The problem with new cars is that their extremely high energy consumption during production (just think of all the aluminum, high tensile steel sheets, tons of plastic parts, computers that contain all kind of hazardous materials) and lack of long time (like 15years plus) one-hand use takes a larger toll on general pollution than ONE car that’s been produced with significantly lower energy consumption 30 (or more) years ago.
In the time one enthusiast drives and keeps his old car, another “green thinking” person may go through two or three Priuses or other junk. Think about it 🙂
Carbon footprint? No. My consumption of resources and how much I spend on the “latest and greatest” other kind of BS? Absolutely. Currently, I’m using a mid 50’s Schwinn, ’95 G30, and ’99 Integra as regular transportation. I live, work, and drink within 10 miles of each other. I’m not trying to be “green” or save the world, I just don’t like to use more than I need, and I’ve been that way since birth. Helps bein’ raised on a shoestring budget and having a grandfather born in the depression and raised on a farm by parents of Scandinavian decent.
Being aware and respectful of the world around us used to be the way most people lived, unfortunately that changed about 60 years ago, and accelerated in the late 70’s. This has given us the world around us, for all the good and bad.
With that said, am I worried about the earth? No, it’s shaken off far worse that some cocky bi-pedal species bent on self-destruction.
As William said near the top, I love it when my engine is running well and clean! I don’t think being conscious of the environment means you have to accept the current research behind it, but I’m a farm kid, and I went into Vancouver, BC yesterday in rush hour and felt like dying. All I know is that it would suck if the whole world was smothered in that crap. I can’t preach about the various methods, and I love to have fun and go driving just because I feel like it, or put a big engine in my truck, but I don’t like to be wasteful by laziness; I try to bike to work, keep my engine in good shape, etc… So yeah, I “concern” myself with how I affect my world, but I don’t “worry” about it if you get what I’m saying…
I just put in a woop ass small block in my 56 Chevy. She is a tire smokin’ son of a bitch. That’s what I think….
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