Awake at the Wheel

From Science Daily

“Our research found that the particulate matter from diesel exhaust stimulated a ‘death pathway’ response that the body uses to dispose of damaged cells. This response caused the airway cells to fuse together and die.

“We saw hardly any cell death after treatment with biodiesel particulates.”

Associate Professor Ackland said that the results of the study provide support for calls to move towards replacing petrol and diesel with cleaner biofuels.

“It is clear that breathing in diesel fumes is going to have a far more detrimental effect on our health than biodiesel. Given the level of cell death we have found, diesel exhaust could be the cause of respiratory disorders such as asthma and could even be implicated in cancer,” she said

 Arizona Daily Star reports:

Dr. Andrew Weil — the world-famous physician who works to heal our bodies as naturally as possible — is now doing his part to try to heal a polluted planet.
While the rest of us belch toxic crap out of our cars at three-plus dollars a gallon, Weil can hardly believe how well this bio thing really works. So well that he wants to form a co-op and offer this golden moonshine to any and all takers in Tucson. “I’ve always written and taught that it’s very difficult to be healthy in an unhealthy world,” said Weil, explaining why he’s gone into the backyard brewing business.

A pioneer at combining mainstream medicine with alternative therapies, Weil founded the integrative medicine program at the University of Arizona and has written numerous best-sellers on the topic.

“We have to be very immediately concerned about finding solutions for the toxic effects the combustion engine has on human health,” he said.

Fight! Japan vs. Germany! Honda may ditch hybrid Accord for diesel v6 model (via AutoBlogGreen):

And don’t expect the Germans to share the diesel market with anyone if they can help it. Bernd Gottschalk, head of the Germany car industry association VDA, said at the Detroit auto show, “The goal can only be to make life as difficult as possible for the Japanese.”

DTF: New Year Ushers In New Era Of Clean Diesel Trucks
New 90% Cleaner Trucks Set to Roll Off Assembly Lines

GCC: BLUETEC Partners Show New T2B5 Diesels at Detroit Show

Audi unveils two Q7s (via Diesel Blog)

Mercedes-Benz Continues to Promote Bluetec Diesel with the GL420 (Via Diesel Blog)

DTF: DaimlerChrysler AG’s Mercedes unit touted its commitment to clean diesel on Sunday, showing off a concept Vision GL420 Bluetec and saying it would dramatically increase its lineup of diesel vehicles next year.

Jeep TrailHawk concept, and 2008 ready diesel Grand Voyager

Nothin runs like a Deere (on biodiesel)

VW promises a full line of diesels in 2008, and BMWwill offer upscale models. What does this mean for biodiesel? Read:

The Emerging Biodiesel Driver Demographic

The Great Biodiesel Surplus of 2007

Biodiesel Driver Jon Crawford skiing. Photo: Mike K/Propel Biofuels

Pruning the biodiesel hype tree: We all feel for Mr Willie Nelson, he is indeed a true biodiesel supporter. Earth Biofuels comes under intense scrutiny from Forbes and Motley Fool. Propel welcomes this shake out. Opportunity attracts both the corrupt and the true: Restoring Eden: Inconvenient Christians - Evangelical Youth Climate Initiative

Our new Congess gets right to work on day one.

VW Polo: 60 MPG and lower CO2 emissions than Prius.

Auto Execs see the future

Texas and ARB: please put the biodiesel NOx issue to bed by understanding the most current science vs old, poorly done, EPA studies. Biodiesel does not increase NOx vs petro diesel, and the impact of NOx as emission of concern is up for considerable debate. Meanwhile, the petro-diesel emissions of particulate matter, sulfur, aromatic toxins, and CO2 remain.

Scientists’ Report Documents ExxonMobil’s Tobacco-like Disinformation Campaign on Global Warming Science

Oldie but a goodie: Oil Safari

Never Forget

Seattle GreenDrinks Next Tues, see ya there!

From Green Car Congress

Clif Bar & Co., a manufacturer of all-natural and organic energy and nutrition foods and drinks, has launched a Cool Commute program for its employees.

The Cool Commute incentive program pays $5,000 to employees who switch to biodiesel (B100) cars for their commutes. In addition to a cash incentive for biodiesel, Clif Bar also will pay $5,000 to its people who buy a hybrid vehicle.

I expect we’ll see much more of this going forward. I remember our sales team shunned by MSFT, back in 2004, when Propel went to them with an offer to install a b99 pump on campus. Now that Google is on the biodiesel bandwagon as well, maybe the tide is changing.

From Edmund’s Inside Line:

If that sounds like Toyota will integrate a diesel engine into its Synergy hybrid drivetrain, you are right, according to Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America. “… eventually we will have hybrids on diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, the whole gamut.” he said.

The previously opposed hybrid-versus-diesel camps seem to realize that combining the technologies is the fastest route to fuel-efficient vehicles with existing technologies and fuels. Detroit’s Big Three demonstrated this with their concept cars developed under the Partnership for the Next Generation of Vehicles program under the Clinton administration. All three companies produced diesel-electric hybrids in pursuit of an 80 mpg family sedan. A Prius with a diesel engine would closely resemble those concept vehicles, both in appearance and fuel economy.

Al Gore’s climate crisis movie is now out on DVD, so you can NetFlix it the comfort of your own home. Al appeared on Jay Leno last night and joked that the DVD included extra scenes, including “hot glacier on glacier action.”

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