Why assume the vanagon is full and the prius is not in your calculations?  A
Prius can easily seat four, and on the highway gets 49-50 mpg (I just drove
to NY and back, averaged 49 - not full, unfortunately, but then I drive my
van alone too).  A full Prius vs. a full vanagon is 196 mpg vs. 96.  In my
van I'm comparing 49 with 18-ish - but then I couldn't live in my Prius!

A full bus (not a VW, a real bus) is much better, of course, but that's a
totally different product, since you have to want to go where the bus is
going.

Joy

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
:::Of Kenneth Wilford
:::Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 5:48 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: Global Warming My Vanagon?
:::
:::One other factor to consider is the amount of people you are carrying in
:::your van.  We typically carry 6 people.  Say your Vanagon gets 16 mpg.
:::16x6 would be 96.  If you owned a toyota prius, got 40 mpg and only
:::carted two people you are talking about 80.  So in that case the Vanagon
:::is being more efficient.  That is why Buses and Trains (not really fuel
:::efficient at all if you just look at mpg) are considered green ways to
:::travel because you split the crappy mpg between 50 people on a bus or
:::hundreds of people on a train.  So I say keep your van on the road.  And
:::when you pass someone in a hybrid just wave and say to yourself, "Nanny,
:::nanny, noo, noo, I am greener than you, you!"  I'm glad there isn't a law
:::against being immature (yet)!
:::
:::Ken Wilford
:::John 3:16
:::www.vanagain.com
:::
:::-------------- Original message --------------
:::From: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
:::
:::> When you do, be sure you include the cost of manufacturing all the
:::> parts of that new vehicle compared to the "already paid for
:::> carbonwise Vanagon," which can be said for all existing cars kept on
:::> the road to displace the creation of new ones...
:::>
:::> Jim
:::>
:::> On Mar 14, 2007, at 3:28 PM, Tom Buese wrote:
:::>
:::> > On Mar 14, 2007, at 1:51 PM, Joy Hecht wrote:
:::> >
:::> >> Haven't noticed any flaming but yours, Robert! I have no interest in
:::> >> starting a discussion about global warming here.
:::> >
:::> > Has anyone calculated the carbon footprint of our beloved vanagons &
:::> > compared it to a newer more energy efficient vehicle?
:::> >
:::> > Just curious,
:::> >
:::> > Tom B.-talking about overheating
:::> >
:::> >> If you want to show
:::> >> support, great. If not, fine. The events are the same weekend as
:::> >> Every
:::> >> Bus, which I don't want to miss just for a demonstration - hence
:::> >> the post
:::> >> here.
:::> >>
:::> >> As my mother would say, yes please or no thank you will do very
:::well.
:::> >>
:::> >>
:::> >> Joy
:::> >>
:::> >>
:::> >> :::-----Original Message-----
:::> >> :::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
:::> >> Behalf
:::> >> :::Of Robert Keezer
:::> >> :::Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 2:47 AM
:::> >> :::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::> >> :::Subject: Re: going to Everybus? Concerned about global warming?
:::> >> :::
:::> >> :::Jeff Lincoln wrote:
:::> >> :::
:::> >> :::"50 years ago smoking wasn't a health risk, but
:::> >> :::now we know it is."
:::> >> :::
:::> >> :::I have a 1952 Life Magazine with an article about
:::> >> :::how doctors were claiming cigarettes were the
:::> >> :::cause of cancer.
:::> >> :::
:::> >> :::As far as global warming goes this science is
:::> >> :::exactly why I am subscribed to the Vanagon list.
:::> >