Cash clunkers program environment

Compare it to the energy levels of a college student who drinks caffeinated beverages all night cramming for an exam. The immediate stimulus is followed by the inevitable slump. Neither is the cash for clunkers initiative truly green. The Ford Expedition still has value as a used vehicle. It may not be shiny new, but it could continue to serve Jerry and Janny or another family for several more years.

Instead, the regulations require it to be completely stripped and destroyed within days. To measure the true carbon offset from this program, you would need to compare the increased gas efficiency of a new vehicle against the energy it takes to scrap old cars and build new ones.

So the small hybrid vehicles that Obama touts when praising this program are too small for them. They could probably help the environment more by just inflating their tires. As a result of this misguided program, the price for used cars will increase both unnecessarily and artificially. Many cars worth less than the offered bailout will be traded in to be scrapped. Charities will receive fewer automobiles as donations. The program seems to encourage new car ownership at the expense of the used car market.

The rationale behind it is neither economically nor environmentally sound. When considering the entire carbon footprint of this program, you will find that continuing to drive your current used car for as long as possible is one of the most green-friendly things you can do. On one hand, the price of scrap metal may go down, and the price of used parts may go up.

On the other, scrap yards may ignore the rules and salvage usable parts anyway. The more useless and wasteful the government rules, the more people learn to break them. While the realities of the miles per gallon savings and the implications for auto recyclers seem to be contrary to the overall goal of Cash for Clunkers, the program was not a resounding failure. You must be logged in to post a comment. Home About Blog Warranty Contact. Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply.

Learn about our editorial process. This story is part of Treehugger's news archive. Learn more about our news archiving process or read our latest news. Share Twitter Pinterest Email. Weatherization: Energy Efficiency Hits Home. Who Invented Solar Panels?

Discover the History of Solar Energy. Why Are National Parks Important? Environmental, Social, and Economic Benefits.

Green Revolution: History, Technologies, and Impact. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.