Great Lakes Echo (http://greatlakesecho.org/tag/cars/)
Michigan and nearby Great Lakes states might share road funding concerns, but the Mitten might not have access to the same solutions.
Michigan’s road funding is unique because of its comparatively low gas and diesel taxes, lower taxes for diesel than gas and an unusual funding formula that sends a disproportionate amount of money to rural areas.
You’ve probably seen the pictures of the Chinese smog problem, including shots from Shanghai or Beijing that show buildings disappearing in what appears to be a thick, brown, fog. There are a number of things that cause smog, but one of them is the increasing numbers of cars and that has implications for U. S. automakers like General Motors, which counts China as its biggest market.
How green is the 2014 North American International Auto Show? We’ll it’s not greenest.
By Thea Neal
Dec. 1, 2009
Salvaged cars aren’t the only ones producing dangerous byproducts. A simple spark at an accident can turn cars into environmental health hazards. Burning cars often emit dangerous toxic gases, said Bill Peters, owner of East Lansing Automotive Center. “So many toxins are released, especially cyanide gas.
By Vince Bond Jr.
Nov. 1, 2009
LANSING, Mich. – It’s tough to keep an old champ down. Even though the auto industry has seen better days, some analysts believe it’s too early to count out the region’s once-formidable economic backbone. Meanwhile, new data suggests there are still signs of life.
(ON) The Toronto Star – Tiny nano-crystals derived from forest-industry wood waste are added to car paint. They make the coating more resistant to scratches, chips and sunlight. Changing their alignment alters their colour, without toxic dyes or pigments. The technology, being developed in Ontario, is at least several years away. But it’s part of a new industry that promises jobs here and greener vehicles around the world.
(MI) Detroit Free Press – During a speech today in Detroit, retired U.S. Army General and former presidential candidate Wesley Clark cast the effort to develop electric vehicles as a critical national security need that is essential to help the United States reduce its dependence on foreign oil. The issue “is absolutely dead center in the bull’s-eye for national security,” Clark said during a three-day conference called “The Business of Plugging In,” which is being held at Motor City Casino in Detroit. More
(MI) The Detroit News – A push by corn-producing states and alternative fuel proponents to increase federal rules boosting the amount of ethanol mixed into gasoline is being fought by automakers because it would be costly and could damage engines. By Dec. 1, the Environmental Protection Agency must decide whether to approve a request to increase the amount of ethanol that can be mixed with most gasoline sold at pumps to as much as 15 percent. More
(MN) Minneapolis Star Tribune – Two green transit projects in Minnesota are among 43 nationwide receiving $100 million in funding from the Economic Recovery Act, the Obama administration announced Monday. About $1.1 million is going to the Metropolitan Council to replace diesel buses with gas hybrid electric buses in the Twin Cities area. More
(MI) Detroit Free Press – Car sharing lets drivers save cash while helping the environment.
Ten years ago, Jan Culbertson, an architect living in Ann Arbor, would have been the customer that BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Lexus took for granted. But she might not be in the future. Today she is a senior principal with A3C Collaborative Architecture and one of 1,400 Zipcar members in Ann Arbor. More