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Mind you, this particular SUV doesn’t have four-wheel drive. That probably makes sense, what with Florida having an average annual snowfall of next-to-nil and a high point of 345 feet above sea level. The fact is, Joe’s only driving the behemoth for contrast, the way Ringling Brothers would pose the World’s Tallest Man next to your average shortie just to give the gawkers a sense of scale. Step right up! The point in this case, however, is not so much physical size as it is appetite. The Yukon is a thirsty beast, averaging a meager 14 miles per gallon, whereas the Prius, Darden’s car, gets 45 mpg, or more than three times the mileage. From there, the math is simple: In terms of dollars, Joe should expect to spend about three times more than Darden on this trip; and, more importantly, in terms of emissions, he’ll spew more than three times as much CO2, the principal greenhouse gas and primary culprit in global warming. Of course, no one will see that. Unless it’s called to their attention, all people will see is one huge car. A kind of über-car. A rolling monument to car-ness. Folks need to look beyond that image, however –- Americans especially -– and see the larger implications of the SUV-craze. Our country is the leading producer of carbon dioxide, followed by China, Russia, and Japan. Who’s fifth? Would you guess America’s cars? You’re starting to get the picture. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The technology is already here to begin changing things -- and not a moment too soon. All cars, even SUVs, can get better mileage. By implementing higher mileage standards for cars and trucks, we would not only save money and oil, but also slow global warming and help clean the air. Given all that, only one question remains: Why not get started?
The Tale of the Tailpipe A Side by Side Comparison
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Joe is driving what they call a “full-size” SUV on this trip. A GMC Yukon, to be precise -- nearly six thousand pounds of Detroit muscle, enough passenger space to pick up eight hitchhikers and still have room for dogs and gear. Of course, he’ll need nearly 20 feet of curb space to parallel park the sucker, and roughly a city block to pull a U-turn in, but hey who cares when you’ve got all that power? 
