Sound the Alarms! Treehugger Bought an SUV
May 20, 2008 · Print This Article
Treehugger, we really hate to do this. We love you like family. You have always been the eco-conscious big brother that helped us make the right decisions. But your justification for purchasing an SUV – and it’s not even a hybrid SUV – just doesn’t seem to jive. We’re sorry to give you a big fat ECO FAIL for that, bro.
Treehugger’s Mark Ontush (MJO) is based in Boston, has a family of three and telecommutes. His wife rides the bus to work. When his car, used primarily to pick up large purchases and haul visiting family around, gave out on him, he went into the dealership with the intention of getting a hybrid or Smart Car and came out with a Honda CRV. The reasoning is mostly based around, er, moving dishwashers.
From Treehugger:
Having space in a car is a funny thing - you don’t need it all the time, but when you need it, there aren’t a lot of options; you aren’t going to get a dishwasher into a Prius, or transport your extended family around when you are all together and going somewhere. So then you are into renting trucks and vans for these types of situations - which we did for years - and these rentals can really add up.
The other big item was safety. We realized that SUVs are often overrated in this regard, but the fact was that the SUV felt safer. I don’t know why this is exactly; you are up a little higher, it is heavier; you sort of feel that if you get hit, mass will be on your side. Again, this is one of those ‘probably never need it but nice to have things’; environmentally, it’s a luxury item. But the effect is pretty powerful and swayed our decision.
A commenter points out a previous Treehugger article, “SUV’s not safer for Kids”, in response. Other commenters wonder how much stuff MJO is buying every year that he needs to rent vans and trucks to the tune of $1500 total to bring it all home. And, uh, can’t your family ride the bus like everyone else? Tell them it’s part of the city experience!
Treehugger commenters can certainly be an ornery bunch, so it’s not surprising that this post got an SUV-load of scathing comments, but most of them had good points.
Sometimes I’m amazed that the rest of the world can manage to raise families without SUVs, the way they’re talked about in the States. – Ross
This does not sound like good enough justification. I’ve heard this before from my ‘green’ friends — who’s wives ultimately pushed the decision to an SUV.
[there was a wife involved, yes mjo]
When all else fails, blame it on the wife, right? My husband likes to pull that sometimes, too. It takes two, baby!
I generally agree with making the decision that’s right for you at the time, and certainly none of us are saints – but imagine if everyone in America reasoned this way. The fact that Mr. Ontush lives in Boston and not a suburb makes it even worse, since convenient, efficient mass transit abounds. We’re trying to get even suburban people to give up the SUVs, MJO, so when ‘green’ city people do it, it don’t look too good.
Link [Treehugger]
Related Posts:
Eco Fail: Hybrid SUVs Just Aren’t SellingJet Sharing: For Celebrities Who Don’t Want to Try Too Hard
The Internet Saves 10 Watts of Energy for Every Watt it Uses
Tom Brady Rewards Charitable Linemen with Gas Guzzling SUVs
Treehugger Commenters Have No Sense of Humor: Must be Nipple Chaffage
![PetLvr - [The Blog]](http://s3.amazonaws.com/PerfAds_Images/2_26_1214086206_banner_PetLvr_125x125.jpg)
what’s the word for when you think it’s evil, except when you do it?
Oh, yeah, HYPOCRISY.
Buying a vehicle for two fringe use cases and the FEELING that you’re safer is idiotic. When you are part of a site like treehugger, it’s that much worse.
*string of expletives*
In fact… I miss the “JERKASS” Category.
“We realized that SUVs are often overrated in this regard, but the fact was that the SUV felt safer”
Putting the safety of your family ahead of environmental concerns doesn’t make you a bad person. Buying an SUV because you think it’s safer makes you either stupid or ignorant, from this sentence I have to guess stupid. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Good article on SUV safety, and why people fall for it:
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
You’re actively endangering your family by buying an SUV. Think about that.
Every time a huge, ugly SUV drives down my little street I throw up a little in my mouth.
I’m suprised he publicized this - someone must’ve been blackmailing him. Strike first.
Roy, I just tagged it “Jerkass”, just for you buddy.
Awesome.
Alternate Headline: The Aristocrats!
Just in case we haven’t gave the jerkass enough shit. I thought I’d bring up this juicy quote: “and these rentals can really add up.” Well lets do the math here a 2008 CR-V gets 27MPG highway the Prius which doesn’t fit a washer and dryer gets 45MPG thats a difference of 18MPG. According to wikianswers the average American drives 15,000 miles per year. Thats something like 833 gallons saved by the Prius and at $4.00 per gallon (which can only go up) Thats an average savings of $3,333.33 per year on gas. So he’s telling me that he spends more than 3 grand on car rentals per year? At a hundred bucks a day thats still over a month worth of renting a SUV. Give me a break!
“Felt safer”
Even if SUVs were safer for their occupants (they arguably are not), the fact is that they make the road considerably less safe for others.
If he had waited until October, he could have bought a Jetta TDI Sportwagen. Expected mid 40s city, over 50 highway, 50 State emissions, room for a dishwasher, exceptional safety ratings. And BONUS, you can run it on biodiesel!
A great read about SUV’s and the “feeling” of safety: http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
Although, another link shows the CR-V is actually very safe for an SUV: http://eetd.lbl.gov/EA/teepa/pdf/LBLFOS2004.pdf
By trir htch y fckng cfggt
[@Bob Saget-You've been disemvoweled. Please come again.- Publisher]
Who cares what sort of vehicle it is. Question is: How much does he use it?
@Johnny Wallace
From the link, he says about 6000 miles a year.
Assuming city driving, that’s about 180 extra gallons of gas or ~3500 lbs of CO2
I was riding to work today and I passed a Hummer and I was just thinking, WTF! Who would want that car right now? It’s totally a F-U car. It is F-U to the whole world.
You just want to drag the person out and beat them until they turn blue - or green.
[...] that’s right: if you’re worried about carrying around, say, a dishwasher, you no longer have to buy an SUV; you can just buy a scooter with a hole in it. Keeping balance [...]