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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2009)
EDITORIAL 2 • The Southwest Portland Post EarthTalk: Full economic, environmental costs not factored into electric vehicles In April of 2009 the Southwest Port- land Post featured an editorial reply that gave a resounding “yes” [to a question about whether] electric cars are better at per cost per mile and for the environment overall. Although the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) did show a cost analysis of electrics approximating 75 cents per gallon this is not the full cost/environ- ment impact picture. As noted even oil refi neries use elec- tric power to run their plants while processing the bubbling crude. Each time a form of power is used to convert another type of power there is waste expended in the conversion. In this case charging vehicles directly would be a better environment/cost exchange. With regard to green house gas emissions what is often overlooked is that those projections are just that, projections. Often these reports do not capture other unforeseen variables such as the gas emissions of plastics which are greatly needed to reduce the weight ratio of electric vehicles. Now do not get me wrong, personally I am all for all electrics, but the display of a Tesla Roadster-- cost $98,000.00 base price-- is prohibitive to the average driver. The alternative such as a ZAP car although more affordable at around $12,000 is better priced, yet has limits of range and top speed that are better suited to gardening or meter maids. One possibility that appears to be overlooked is the Carver car. Current- ly this vehi- cle is used in Europe us- The Southwest Portland Post 7825SW36thAveSuite#203 ing a 650 c.c. Portland, OR 97219 motor with Fax: (866)727-5336 email: news@multnomahpost.com great results. Noting that 90 percent of all drivers/commuters drive alone, the Carver seats two. Talk has been to unveil a version that is all electric this year. What is disconcerting is that Con- gress is dragging its feet on United States safety standards even though the vehicle has passed more vigorous tests overseas. Perhaps if we could convince Con- gress collectively to expedite approval and sign a mutual manufacturing agreement with the design company we could retool our car manufacturers to make a vehicle that is more desirable to the average Joe. Or we could continue to bail out CEO’s that fly down to Washington in their private jets with the only plan of saving their companies by laying off thousands of workers. The choice is ours. Alexander Fontana May 2009 Consignment, resale, and thrift shops are not the same things I read your article (“Save money and recycle at Southwest Portland thrift shops,” by Polina Olsen, April 2009) regarding “thrift shops” in Southwest Portland. I found that what you were de- scribing and promoting were “resale shops” which buy merchandise out- right from owners and resell it and “consignment shops” which take items in to sell and then split the proceeds with the shop and the seller. A “thrift shop” is run by a non-profi t organiza- tion to raise money for a cause. For example: The Assistance League, of which I am a member, operates a thrift shop in Beaverton. All of our mer- chandise is donated to us. We, in turn, sell the merchandise and the proceeds go to the funding of Assistance League’s Children’s Dental Center and Operation School Bell®. Our dental center is open to any stu- dent in Portland Public Schools who receives free or reduced lunch and has no insurance for dental care. Opera- tion School Bell provides new clothes (winter jacket, 2 pairs of pants and tops, 5 sets of socks and underwear) to children living below the poverty level in Hillsboro. It is important to make the distinc- tion between the three different types of shops. Assistance League, Salva- tion Army, Goodwill, William Temple House are non-profi t organizations. We would love to have good donations to sell for our worthy causes. One good turn deserves another...your gift is a gift to someone less fortunate. We believe we can make a difference because we have. Allison Mudrick Southwest Shattuck Road Editor’s Note: EarthTalk, a syndicat- ed column which appears occasionally in The Post, featured a reader question regarding sustainability of electric/gas hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles. Editors at E Magazine provided the reply. well be … and well informed Bowman’s Hillsdale Pharmacy 6256 SW Capitol Hwy. 503-244-7582 • email: hdrx@pcez.com •Walk-In Adult Immunizations •Experienced Compounding Pharmacists 7825 SW 36th Ave Suite #203 Portland, OR 97219 Phone: (503) 244-6933; Fax: (866) 727-5336 general email: news@multnomahpost.com web address: www.multnomahpost.com www.mygnp.com Editor & Publisher: Don Snedecor Reporters/Writers: Kate Bennett, Polina Olsen, Lee Perlman, Allison Rupp Retail Advertising Manager: Harry Blythe Graphic Design: Leslie Baird Design Printing: Oregon Lithoprint © 2009 by The Southwest Portland Post. All rights reserved. The opinions of the artists and authors contained herein are not necessarily shared by the publisher. Deadline for news and advertising is generally the 15th of the month prior to publication. Please call for current deadline information. Advertising rates are available upon request. The Post has a circulation of 10,000 in Multnomah Village and the surrounding neighborhood business districts including Burlingame, Capitol Hill, Garden Home, Glen Cullen, Hillsdale, South Portland, Raleigh Hills, West Portland and Vermont Hills. The Post is published on or about the 1st of every month. Subscriptions are $14 per year. Back issues are $2.50 each when available. All major credit cards accepted. We Deliver! Mail subscriptions are available at at the following rates: One year (12 monthly issues) ................. $14 Two years (24 monthly issues) ............... $24 Three years (36 monthly issues) ............ $34 q This is a NEW subscription q This is an ADDRESS change Please send check or money order to: Southwest Portland Post, 7825 SW 36th Ave #203, Portland, OR 97219 Name Address City/State/Zip The Post is printed on recycled newsprint using soy-based inks. q This is a RENEWAL q This is a GIFT subscription
