Originally posted by Aristotle
One of the more interesting bits of information was related to hybrid cars and how the materials needed to create the hybrid batteries (specifically nickel) are exceptionally damaging to the environment - so much so that a hybrid may actually be more damaging to the environment than a gas guzzling SUV.
"Damaging to the environment" is such a vague term that it's hard to work with, but really the key here is to balance more-damaging construction with less petroleum-fuel usage and consequent less damage during its lifetime... which effectively means that a hybrid that sits idle in your garage is awful, but one that gets used constantly may be an improvement.

What I'd like to see, though, is whether or not these hybrid cars are viable for use as pure electric, on short trips. That is to say, can you just pop off to the shops without firing up the petrol engine, and does the car run efficiently when treated in this manner?

I remember when Dal was in school in Vermont and I experienced their version of recycling. You had to sort your garbage into 6-8 different categories. That was absolutely ridiculous and totally unsustainable. Systems like that don't work.
I agree, that is bad. There's only one thing worse than over-complex instructions, and that's when the recycling instructions change every year or so. Plastic bottles are marked with a recycling symbol and a number from 1 to 6? Fine! Lovely! This everyone can handle. Oh wait... only 1, 2, 3 are actually recyclable. Chuck the others in the bin. But hang on! Now we can handle 1, 2, 4, and 6. Sorry, types 3 and 5 have to go in the bin. Actually, on second thoughts, we CAN recycle type 3. Good way to confuse everyone and make sure nobody can be bothered recycling anything at all.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are growing in popularity. This is another simple change that will have significant environmental benefit as more and more people make the switch. It also happens to be a net financial gain for most people.
Agreed, they are excellent. Although, I'm now wondering if their time, hardly even started, is already ending - LEDs are taking over in portable torches, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're starting to become popular in light fixtures as well. They're small, reliable, efficient. Out here they don't exist in light fittings, but new traffic lights use LEDs exclusively, and some vehicles use LED tail lights.