Do you drive an SUV?

[Anonymous]

If you believe that the use of fossil fuels has caused/accelerated/contributed to climate change and drive an SUV, please help me understand how you reconcile your beliefs with your vehicle choice. I would genuinely like to know. I live in Bethesda and practically everybody I know drives an SUV. Yet I'm pretty sure that, if I asked, they would say they are very concerned about climate change and disappointed the US withdrew from the Kyoto protocol. Obviously I risk alienating friends and neighbors if I ask this directly as it could sound accusatory. Please only answer if you have an SUV and these beliefs.

[Anonymous]

I don't.

[Anonymous]

I have three kids and need to fit them and their car seats into a car. Yes, we could have done this with a large sedan, but we tend to keep our cars for a long time and wanted something that would grow with them. We got a SUV with third row seating. It gets terrible gas mileage compared to our old hatchback. We could have bought a hybrid in a similar model, but weren't able to find a used one in our price range when we needed it. And finally, a minivan doesn't get better gas mileage than our SUV.

There is now a plug in minivan, and hopefully there will be preowned ones available when we need a new car.

[Anonymous]

So, just to clarify, you mean you turn a blind eye?

[Anonymous]

I have an AWD Sienna. I have 3 kids. Where we live is not walkable. I like take vacations by plane.

I care about the environment. I do a lot of other things that are enviro conscious. But if you call me a selfish hypocrite I wouldn't have an argument.

[Anonymous]

Our family has 1 kid and we both (DH and I) drive SUVs. We like them. OP, thanks for not driving one and helping the environment. You are a much better person than we will ever be.

[Anonymous]

For 17:12, what other things do you do that are environmentally conscious?

[Anonymous]

For 17:15, actually I'm not helping the environment by not driving an SUV. I do drive a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For 17:15, actually I'm not helping the environment by not driving an SUV. I do drive a car.

I was being sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

I do, but I drive a Ford Escape Hybrid that gets 29-31 MPG. At the time I bought it (2006), it was the most fuel efficient car with it's carrying capacity. I'm getting set to replace it, but I love this car. It's saved me thousands of dollars in gas over the years vs like sized and like capacity vehicles I could have gotten.

[Anonymous]

There are so many more productive ways to be environmentally conscious like not flying in a plane, eating less or no meat, not over consuming/buying crap you don't need.

[Anonymous]

17:11 here responding to 17:12, I don't turn a blind eye, but I do drive a vehicle that pollutes too much. I made the decision with my eyes wide open and do feel guilt about it. I do live in a very walkable area and work commuting happens by Metro; I walk to the grocery, hardware store, pharmacy and library. I insulate my house, don't overheat or over-cool, and rarely fly. It doesn't justify or offset my car, but my car is just one component of my environmental footprint.

[Anonymous]

We have 3 kids and needed 3 rows if we want to carpool or bring home friends for play dates. Car trips in our sedan with 3 kids were... cramped.

Before kids we went 5 years without a car, 5 years with only one car, had terrapass , recycled, lived without a/c, a whole bunch of green things that probably were offset by one day of fraking.

Individual sacrifice only weakens demand making oil cheaper, which means it will be burned dirtier in low income regions. This is a worldwide problem only govts can solve.

We got an suv over minivan b/c our parking is small. We pay thru nose for short commutes — I drive 10 miles where most of my colleagues 40 miles.

But let’s be honest, by far the worst thing for environment we did was the 3rd kid. And no way do we regret that, we love our family of 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For 17:12, what other things do you do that are environmentally conscious?

I don't buy a lot of stuff. I don't use chemicals on my lawn. I eat a mostly plant based diet.

But I get that the 3 kids, big car in the suburbs, and travel by plane has way more of an impact.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I do. I really don't care what you think and I'm getting a newer, bigger one soon.