Why Going Green Costs Too Much

So we and by "we" I mean my wife, myself and my family have been doing our share to fight global warming and climate change. I am sure many of you are snickering and making off the cuff comments about what I might do to help out. However the reality is that we have our own composing machines, we use LED's in our home for general lighting (where permissible--general lighting solutions based on LED technologies are still WAY FAR BEHIND that of the old Edison bulb in terms of quality of light and abilities to dim etc.) and we have had a hybrid SUV for several years.

I love the hybrid SUV. Toyota Hybrid Highlander. It gets over 28 mpg on the highway, runs on batteries half the time my wife uses it to drive through town and greatly reduces the CO2 emissions from its tail pipes. That being said, the care was expensive as all hell, and it is a Toyota. I am not talking about Mercedes, or a Lexus SUV, but Toyota was able to jam it to the consumer with their battery technology and they also are the only hybrid with a third row for all the kids and all their shit.

The car a few years ago was running in the high $40,000's. Fast forward a few years later, the lease is up and the dealers are now looking for more than $55,000 for a version that has in dash navigation and satellite radio. MORE THAN $55,000.00!!!! FOR A FRIGGING SUV!!!! The non hybrid goes for a mid $30k price tag.

So what the F gives? You want to be green, you try to do your part and the system is still there to jam it right where the sun doesn't shine. Well F that.

I told my tree hugging wife that we are going with style and functionality at a reasonable price. If that means killing some polar bears because our emissions melt the remaining pieces of polar ice, well screw it! We are not dropping an extra $20k for a stupid battery pack in our car trunk any longer.

When will the world governments figure this out? Plenty of people want to do the right thing but would like to do so in a fair and rewarding system. Nope. Screw you American, we at Toyota will take every last cent from your American wallet. Well isn't that a nice kick in the teeth.

Our response? Hybrids that get 20 mpg on the highway. I mean come on. Are you F'n kidding me? 20mpg and you slap a "hybrid" label on it and you expect that to matter? Yes, I understand that there will be green house gas reductions from the technology. However, let me go back to my point here...20 mpg???? JOKE. That is the American response and it is totally pathetic. Take a look at the stats below, which highlight my complete frustration.

So in conclusion let me say I soon will be styling in the cool comfort of a high end NON hybrid ride. F that. I will take the extra $20k, save half and put the difference into something that will make me smile every time I get in.

Thanks Detroit. Thanks President Obama. Thanks Japan.

You all suck.

--The Angry Trader