| Dear
EarthTalk: I’ve suddenly been seeing
a lot of those tiny “Smart Cars” around. Who
makes them and what is their fuel efficiency? And I’m
all for fuel efficiency, but are these cars safe?
-- David Yu, Bend, OR
| |
The
EPA rates the Smart Car‚s fuel efficiency at
33 miles per gallon for city driving and 41 on the
highway. Three Smart Cars with bumpers to the curb
can fit in a single parallel parking spot.
© tatianes, courtesy Flickr |
Originally
the brainchild of Lebanese-born entrepreneur/inventor Nicolas
Hayek of Swatch watch fame, Smart Cars are designed to be
small, fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible and easy
to park—really the ultimate in-city vehicle. Back
in 1994, Hayek and Swatch signed on with Daimler-Benz (the
German maker of the venerable Mercedes line of cars) to
develop the unique vehicle; in fact, the company name Smart
is derived from a combination of the words Swatch, Mercedes
and the word “art.”
When
initial sales were slower than hoped for, Hayek and Swatch
pulled out of the venture, leaving Daimler-Benz full owner
(today Smart is part of Mercedes car division). Meanwhile,
rising oil prices have driven up demand for Smart vehicles,
and the company began selling them in the U.S. earlier this
year.
Measuring
just a hair over 8 feet long and less than five feet wide,
the company’s flagship “ForTwo” model
(named for its human carrying capacity) is about half the
size of a traditional car. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) rates the car’s fuel efficiency at 33
miles per gallon (mpg) for city driving and 41 mpg on the
highway (although actual drivers report slightly lower results).
Three ForTwos with bumpers to the curb can fit in a single
parallel parking spot.
And
with soaring gas prices, the cars have been selling like
hotcakes in the U.S. The company’s U.S. distributor
is working on importing an additional 15,000 cars before
the end of 2008, as its initial order of 25,000 vehicles
is almost depleted. Some four dozen Mercedes Benz dealers
across the country have long waiting lists for new Smart
vehicles, which sell for upwards of $12,000.
As
for safety, the ForTwo did well enough in crash tests by
the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
to earn the group’s highest rating—five stars—thanks
to the car’s steel racecar-style frame and liberal
use of high-tech front and side airbags. Despite such good
safety performance for such a tiny car, IIHS testers caution
that larger, heavier cars are inherently safer than smaller
ones.
Beyond
safety concerns, some analysts bemoan the ForTwo’s
price tag as unnecessarily high given what you get. The
cars are not known for their handling or acceleration, although
they can go 80 miles per hour if necessary. The website
Treehugger.com suggests that eco-conscious consumers might
do better spending their $12,000 on a conventional sub-compact
or compact car, many which get equivalent if not better
gas mileage not to mention likely faring better in a crash.
But
for those who need a great in-city car for short errands
and commutes, today’s ForTwo might be just the ticket.
Environmentalists are hoping Smart will release the higher
mileage diesel version of the ForTwo, which has been available
in Europe for several years, in the U.S. soon. And they
are keeping their fingers crossed for a hybrid version which
could give the hugely successful Toyota Prius—which
looks almost huge in comparison—a run for its money
in terms of fuel efficiency and savings at the pump.
CONTACTS:
Smart
USA; IIHS.
Dear
EarthTalk: There seems to be a large selection
of soy and other non-dairy milks out there today, even right
in the dairy sections of major supermarkets. Why should
I opt for soymilk over cow’s milk and how do I get
the calcium I would lose?
-- Barbara Conant, Tacoma, Washington
| |
Tasty
and healthy alternatives to cow‚s milk include
those made from soy, rice, almonds, oats -- and even
hemp.
© cafemama, courtesy Flickr |
There is a lot
of debate about whether or not cow’s milk is good—or
appropriate—for people at all. On the plus side, it
is a valuable source of protein, as well as calcium, necessary
to help build bones and keep them strong. Some researchers
believe that drinking cow’s milk reduces the risk
of kidney stones, colon cancer and other health problems.
But others counter that the saturated fats in cow’s
milk are big contributors to America’s weight problems,
let alone high cholesterol levels and artery blockage.
Famed pediatrician
Dr. Benjamin Spock, in the last edition of his best selling
“Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,”
argued that cow’s milk was for baby cows not human
children, suggesting that it may be a factor in childhood
onset diabetes and in kids’ respiratory and ear problems.
He encouraged mothers to give infants only human breast
milk and to consider soy and rice milk products for older
kids.
Chief among available
alternatives to cow’s milk is soymilk, which has about
the same amount of protein but much more fiber than cow’s
milk. In striking contrast with cow’s milk, soymilk
actually reduces the body’s cholesterol levels. It
also contains isoflavones, natural plant hormones that act
as antioxidants and have been linked to many human health
benefits including the easing of menopause symptoms, protection
against prostate problems, better bone health and even a
reduction in heart disease and cancer risks.
Many people assume
that soymilk has less calcium than cow’s milk, which
is true—in its pure form, soymilk has only a sixth
of the calcium of an equal amount of cow’s milk. But
producers address this problem by simply fortifying soymilks
with calcium to equal the amount in cow’s milk. And
studies have shown that most people’s bodies absorb
75 percent more calcium from soymilk than from cow’s
milk.
But while the
health benefits of soymilk are substantial, it may not be
for everyone. Dr. Joseph Mercola, who runs one of the most
highly trafficked natural health websites, warns that soymilk
can inhibit thyroid performance, so those with pre-existing
thyroid issues might want to avoid it. Also, some researchers
have shown that soymilk can inhibit the body’s absorption
of protein and minerals in some cases.
Other tasty and
healthy alternatives to cow’s milk include those made
from rice, almonds, oats—and even hemp. According
to the health and wellness website Sixwise.com, almond milk
is rich in magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, the
antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium and “may
be one of the more nutritious milk alternatives on the market.”
It is very low in calories and contains no cholesterol.
Rice milk, Sixwise reports, is mainly a source of carbohydrates,
and should not be considered a nutritional replacement for
cow’s milk, though it is “a useful replacement
for milk for taste and cooking purposes.”
Hemp milk, which
is made from the seeds of hemp plants but contains none
of the psychoactive ingredients in marijuana, can be a good
source of protein, calcium, omega fatty acids and other
vitamins and minerals. Another good alternative is oat milk,
which is high in fiber, free of cholesterol and lactose,
and contains vitamin E, folic acid, and other healthy elements
and minerals.
CONTACTS:
Dr. Joseph
Mercola; Sixwise. |
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