THOUGHTS ON GOING GREEN, over at GlennReynolds.com.
And here are some related thoughts from Rand Simberg.
UPDATE: More on hybrid cars, and inflated mileage claims therefor, here. That’s disappointing. Next they’ll tell me that robot lawn mowers don’t live up to the hype! Meanwhile, my former student Melissa Ashburn emails:
We recently purchased a turbo diesel jetta (TDI), slightly used, for about 1/2 the price of the hybrids, and we are getting better gas mileage than most hybrids. We average 50 mpg on the highway, and 38 in city. Plus, the new diesels are completely different than the old diesel engines – they are much cleaner and quieter. The turbo action really gives it pick up and quick responsiveness as well, unlike the old diesel engines which hesitate and seem to bog down when you try to accelerate quickly. We are extremely pleased with this Jetta and highly recommend that you check it out before buying a hybrid.
We test-drove one of those when the Insta-Wife was car-shopping several years ago, and I was quite impressed.