Is there such a thing as a "green" car?

Today Grid Chicago attends a reception for the Hyundai Drive 4 Hope, highlighting the company's pediatric cancer research donations and showcasing the Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle by driving the car 4,500 miles across the country on potentially pollution-free hydrogen power:
http://gridchicago.com/2011/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-green-car/

I ponder the question: could a car like this really help solve the world's pollution woes or is it a distraction from the other big problems associated with widespread car ownership?

Keep moving forward,

John Greenfield

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jared on September 16, 2011 at 8:29pm

So what's the point? And how can selling hydrogen be profitable?

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on September 16, 2011 at 11:27pm

Solar power, windmills or generators that are powered from the movement of ocean waves all could generate electricity, which could either be stored or used to separate hydrogen from oxygen in water. Coal and natural gas, like petroleum, are finite resources which will eventually get used up, though I suppose we could begin to produce some amount of methane from our rotting trash in landfills. Or figure out how to recapture methane from cattle, which are terrific methane producers, from eating all that grass.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 17, 2011 at 2:36pm

Perhaps all these tiny cars that are currently marketed is a start in the right direction. Getting smaller, until they dissappear.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on September 17, 2011 at 2:53pm

Juan said:

Perhaps all these tiny cars that are currently marketed is a start in the right direction. Getting smaller, until they dissappear.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 17, 2011 at 3:31pm

This is the sort of car I would like to buy into if it had four wheels for those long rainy days when I am out running errands.

Jeff Schneider said:

This is the smallest car I know of:

http://www.amsterdamlogue.com/the-worlds-smallest-car.html

I've only seen it in Amsterdam.

Juan said:

Perhaps all these tiny cars that are currently marketed is a start in the right direction. Getting smaller, until they dissappear.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on March 23, 2012 at 10:31am

Now we've gotten into the debate: "Is car sharing green?"

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Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on March 23, 2012 at 11:01am

I realize they're going for some Green Thing Bright Future Friendly Whatever but damn Hyundai maybe "covered with child-sized bloody handprints" isn't the greatest approach