27 Dec
2006
27 Dec
'06
3:57 a.m.
Gordon JC Pearce wrote:
Yes, but there's a point centred around the early
1990s when cars were
sophisticated enough to have relatively clean emissions, simple enough
to repair with ordinary tools, and not have things like airbags that are
of questionable use and really really horrible to try and dispose of.
I suspect that both Tony and Jos are right. Note that Jos said 'newer' car and
didn't place any kind of number on just *how* new :) I totally agree with you,
Gordon - the 'sweet spot' in terms of simplicity versus efficiency seemed to
be in the early 90s and anyone buying a car since then has probably been
making the problem worse rather than better.
The whole 'emissions at point of manufacture and disposal' does get
conveniently forgotten by the majority of people, though. I think there's
what, nine years of landfill left in the UK - after which existing sites will
be full and the law prohibits opening of any new ones. Yet there's virtually
nobody either trying to reuse the technology that we already have or making
new technology that's long-lived and easily repairable.
cheers
J.