Myth: Hybrid and electric vehicles are always
better for the environment.
Reality: If your electricity is generated from a coal
power plant, a 100 MPGe electric vehicle can actually be worse than a gasoline
car. Electric vehicles may not produce
any tailpipe emissions, but they are not truly "zero-emission" unless they get their
energy from a renewable source. Hybrid
cars usually only get better city mileage, while non-hybrid compact cars can rival
a hybrid's highway mileage. Hybrid SUVs
are better for the environment than conventional SUVs, but still behind small
Myth: You need to
warm up your car's engine.
Reality: Modern engines, in combination with lighter
weight oils (many cars now recommend 5W30 or 5W20) no longer need extended
idling periods. Warming your motor
excessively just wastes fuel. If it's
below 0oF consider a warm up period of 30 seconds, or longer if your
heater is necessary.
Myth: 100% recyclable means 100% recycled.
Reality: Recyclable only means that it can be recycled, it doesn't mean that
the product is made from recycled material.
To gain the benefits of using recyclable products, they need to be
recycled at the end of their useful life.
Myth: Wind and solar energy can power the entire country.
Reality: Aside from hydropower, renewables only power 4%
of the U.S. In recent years, their use
is on the rise but we're far from being able to eliminate our reliance on
coal-based electricity. Due to the
variable nature of the wind and sun, these generation methods are challenging
to integrate into our energy infrastructure in high volumes.
Myth: Paper is better
Reality: Paper can easily be recycled, but it takes one
quarter the energy to create a plastic bag.
If you're using plastic, return them to your grocer for recycling. Even better, take along a reusable fabric bag
or two on your next shopping trip.