| Dear
EarthTalk: I'm familiar with the hybrid cars
now widely available, but what ever happened to the purely
electric cars that were around 10 years ago? --Peter
Zilly, Bellingham, WA
The main problem with the electric cars that reared their
heads briefly a decade ago was their ability to only go so
far on battery power. Charges lasted just 50 miles or so,
so you were in trouble if you needed to go farther or ran
out of juice somewhere in-between electric outlets. Hybrids,
on the other hand, which have side-by-side electric and gas
motors, never need to be plugged in and instead use the motions
of their gas-powered engines (as well as those of the car’s
wheels and brakes) to keep their batteries charged at all
times. And with a huge infrastructure of gas stations, refueling
is always as easy as pulling over to fill up.
Electric car advocates have long touted their alternative
vehicles as primarily short-distance commuter cars. At a 50-mile
range, most electric cars could make such short trips without
the need for recharging. One need only plug their vehicle
into an electric outlet in the garage overnight to charge
up the battery for the morning commute, and if needed then
plug it in at the office for the return trip later.
But most people want more from their cars than just the daily
commute--and gassing up takes minutes whereas re-charging
takes hours--so sufficient demand never materialized. Hybrids,
though they do use gasoline, are as versatile as conventional
cars--and the coming “plug-in hybrids” (covered
previously in this column) promise to substantially increase
efficiency, to perhaps 100 miles per gallon or more, by using
the electric motor exclusively for short runs and commutes
and the gas engine only for long trips.
Even though all-electric vehicles are not currently in vogue,
innovative engineers are busy working to improve them. Technological
advances in battery life and engine efficiency mean that electric
vehicles may be able to roam farther than ever before. According
to EVWorld.com, drivers looking to go electric will soon have
a few options:
California-based Tesla Motors will soon be accepting deposits
on orders for its Tesla Roadster, and plans its first deliveries
for 2007. Tesla claims its car can go 250 miles on a charge,
which can even be extended further through its “regenerative
braking” technology, similar to that which is employed
in the hybrids.
And Spokane, Washington’s Commuter Car Corporation is
taking orders for its Tango 600 (a kit you have to assemble)
and its Tango 100 and 200 models (fully assembled), with plans
to deliver by 2007. Actor George Clooney was Commuter Car’s
first customer. The Tango can only go 60-80 miles on a charge,
but boasts of its ability to go zero to 60 in four seconds
and attain a top speed of 150 miles per hour.
Elsewhere, California-based AC Propulsion is working with
Toyota on a Scion electric conversion, and Cleanova, based
in France, is developing an electric Renault Kangoo, a popular
European car.
One consideration to keep in mind about electric vehicles
is that, if your utility is a dirty coal-fired plant, tapping
that power could mean creating more pollution than driving
a gasoline powered car. But progress in renewable energies
may well solve that problem and help usher in a new era for
electric vehicles.
CONTACTS: EVWorld, www.evworld.com;
Tesla Motors, www.teslamotors.com;
Commuter Car Corporation, www.commutercars.com.
PHOTO
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
The
electric cars of a decade ago could only go 50 miles on a
charge and were therefore only useful for short trips and
work commutes. That may soon change.
Dear EarthTalk:
Are there any Amway-like multi-level marketing companies
that focus on environmentally friendly products? -- Dave
Miller, Fresno, CA
Back in the 1950s, Amway and a handful of other consumer products
companies first pioneered the concept of “multi-level
marketing” (MLM). In this business model, individuals
act as distributors, selling the company’s products
from home while also recruiting others to do the same. In
doing so, they earn commissions on both their own sales and
on the sales of those they recruit. In recent years, a number
of MLM companies have sprouted up with environmentally friendly
products as their focus.
The most well known of the crop is Shaklee, which has been
selling green-friendly nutrition, personal care and household
products since 1956, when research chemist Dr. Forrest Shaklee
started the company. Since then, perhaps in an effort to live
up to Dr. Shaklee's personal motto (“Follow the laws
of nature and you'll never go wrong”), the company has
wracked up a long list of eco-accomplishments. Back in 1960
it introduced the first mass marketed biodegradable cleaning
product, Basic-H, an all-natural formula that has since been
adopted as an official Earth Day product. More recently, Shaklee
became the first independently verified “climate neutral”
company in the world, offsetting its carbon dioxide emissions
with investments in various renewable energy projects. And
just this year, Shaklee embarked upon an ambitious campaign
to plant a million trees with the help of thousands of its
independent distributors.
Another big player in the green MLM field is Idaho-based Melaleuca,
which has been selling natural health care, personal care
and household products since 1985. The name Melaleuca is borrowed
from a plant that produces organic essential oils found in
many of the company’s products.
Meanwhile, Amazon Herb Company offers opportunities to sell
herbal remedies derived from rainforest plants. “Amazon
John” Easterling, who first discovered the healing power
of herbs when Shipibo Indians used them to treat him when
he fell ill during a visit to the Amazon rainforest, founded
the company in 1990. Another up-and-coming player is Krystal
Planet, which sells compact fluorescent light bulbs, solar
heaters, fuel additives and other energy saving products for
home, car and office.
If you’re looking to work with an MLM company, keep
in mind that just because a company has good green intentions
does not mean it is a good deal for you. According to Robert
FitzPatrick, who runs the Pyramid Scheme Alert newsletter,
less than one in a thousand MLM distributors makes a profit.
The bottom line is: Do your homework. As in any business,
there are reputable companies and there are bad apples. The
perceived opportunity of working independently may seem too
good to pass up, so get a solid idea about the work required
and the actual return likely before you quit your day job.
CONTACTS: Shaklee, www.shaklee.com;
Amazon Herb, www.amazonherb.com;
Krystal Planet, www.krystal-planet.com;
Melaleuca, www.melaleuca.com;
Pyramid Scheme Alert, www.pyramidschemealert.org.
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