• Friday, November 20, 2009 Latest Update: 4:41PM
Michael Kanellos | December 31, 2008 at 9:23 AM 2 Comments

California to Require Green Ratings on Cars

There’s a new sticker to look at when you buy a car in California.

Starting tomorrow, new cars in the state will come with a sticker that provides information on the car’s environmental impact. There is a smog score and a global warming score (all based on a one to ten scale) which rate how much methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, etc. will be emitted by the car. Per the scale, ten is the best, five is average. The California Air Resources Board also has a consumer Website with more information. The new sticker applies only to 2009 models and later, not to any year end closeouts you might be interested in buying.

Some places go farther. Finland, for instance, charges much higher taxes on SUVs than economy cars. Policy makers in the U.S. have debated imposing these. It’s not too big a stretch to imagine these kind of taxes will come to the states.

The Air Resources Board also recently enacted a series of regulations that will require big-rig truckers to add filters to their trucks to reduce diesel emissions.

Comments [2]

  • sherry 12/31/08 3:43 PM

    What a good idea!  With all the billions in stimulus checks and bailouts why does our nation not see the need to bail us out of our energy crisis? Invest in revamping America and utilizing alternative/renewable sources of energy more! The high cost of fuel this past year did a number on our economy and society. We will reel from the ripple effects for years to come. Just as we all do the happy dance around the lower prices at the pumps OPEC cut production again and wont stop until they reach their desired 80-100 per barrel again. I just read a fascinating book by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents a gallon to charge and drive an electric car. The electricity to charge the car could come from solar or wind generated electricity. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and suv’s instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. Why not invest in America’s energy independence, creatE cheap clean electricity, new badly needed green collar jobs and lessen our dependence on foreign fossil fuels all in one fell swoop?

    Reply

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