Whats better for the environment, a scooter or a car?
Dear Cecil: A coworker who considers herself “green” rides a scooter to work, confident she’s leaving a smaller carbon footprint than us slugs who drive cars. But her ride has a two-stroke engine. I recall hearing that running a lawn mower for 30 minutes pollutes more than commuting all week in a car. What’s the deal, Cecil? Which pollutes more per mile, a 15-MPG SUV or a 75-MPG oil-burning Vespa? — Richard Chuttke, Westmont, Illinois Cecil replies: Two separate questions here, bud: (1) Which vehicle pollutes more? (2) Which leaves a smaller carbon footprint? You get a different answer depending on which one you ask. The serious vehicle pollutants these days are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and unburned hydrocarbons. (Sulfur and lead emissions, once problematic, are now largely a thing of the past.) Here are the federal standards for four wheels versus two: Cars and light-duty trucks (including SUVs). Maximum CO emissions: 7.5 pounds per thousand miles. Unburned hydroca
