Archive for the ‘Element’ Category

Are dogs worse for the environment than SUVs?

You'll find a number of sources trumpeting the widely publicized results from New Zealand researchers, concluding that yes, dogs are worse for the planet than SUVs. But don't kick out the hound quite yet and head for the Hummer dealership; according to the Seattle-based Sightline Institute, the research is very flawed in many respects.

Robert and Brenda Vale, of Victoria University in Wellington, have claimed that a mid-size dog has a larger eco-footprint than a large luxury SUV (in their calculations, a Toyota Land Cruiser V-8).

They argue that a medium-size dog consumes 90 grams of meat and...

Think that the design of the Volkswagen New Beetle is more hideous than iconic?

Apparently you're not alone. Business Week has posted its "Fifty Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years," including a number of models present and past, and the New Beetle is just one of the newer and still-produced models on the list. Others include the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Honda Element, Hummer H2, Jeep Compass, Nissan Cube, and Toyota Prius.

They're particularly tough on the Escalade, sounding more like SUV-haters than design critics: "The perfect car design if fuel, practicality, maneuverability, and class mean nothing...

Thanks to its easy-clean cargo floor and tall, versatile layout, the Honda Element has been a longtime favorite for dog owners. Yet the number of official pet-friendly accessories for the Element, along with most other popular dog-haulers, has been surprisingly limited, leaving families to search for aftermarket solutions—or simply improvise.

Finally, Honda is taking full advantage of the Honda Element's…ehem…pawtential for 2010, with a so-called Dog Friendly pet accommodation system.

The centerpiece of the new Dog Friendly Element is a soft-sided car kennel designed by automotive safety supplier Takata and made of seatbelt-grade vinyl...