It’s not just the government that’s raving about this car either. Car and Driver Magazine praised the technology, cost, and power of the all wheel drive model, as did the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Edmunds.com, one of the most reputable automobile reviewers in the world, went so far as to compare the RDX to a sports sedan, calling it “quick” and “nimble.” For those drivers who love the reliability of an SUV but hate the bulkiness of driving one, this is quite obviously the perfect choice. If you want to drive a responsible car that still allows for a little bit of fun, the 2010 Acura RDX is for you.

Of course, the agility of this car does not mean that it lacks in safety. In fact, the 2010 Acura RDX scored an impressive 9.9, an almost perfect score, in safety ratings. The car comes standard with anti lock brakes, Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, frontal airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, front outboard seat curtain airbags, rear outboard seat curtain airbags, the coveted rearview camera, and high intensity discharge headlights. Perhaps it was all of these awesome features that caused it to receive five stars (the highest possible rating) in the government’s frontal crash tests and side crash tests. This high rating also helps if you are looking for a good deal on a car insurance quote comparison. It even got a four star rating on rollover tests, which is quite high for an SUV. The insurance industry also gave it a score of “good” in frontal offset crash tests, side impact crash tests, and rear crash tests, which often equals lower insurance rates for drivers.

You’ll also be hard pressed to find a car with better gas mileage or with better overall ratings. Scores were high in most testing areas. The car received an 7.6 or “good” in interior design and a 7.0 or “good” in reliability. These are very high for SUVs, which tend to score low in both design and reliability areas. There has never been a better time to purchase such an affordable dependable car than now.

UPDATE: After a sincere attempt to transcribe last evening’s Green Government debate, I have decided to not proceed because certain parts of the debate were inaudible on my digital recorder. It would be unfair to post a transcript in which the comments of certain candidates are not accurately recorded. My apologies. I will, however, soon have access to a link where people can watch the full video of the debate.

In the meantime, I will post here the four questions I asked and candidates have the opportunity, if they choose, to respond more clearly and concisely on this blog. Their responses can be sent to tyler@cleanbreak.ca and will be posted soon after they are received. (NOTE: Sarah Thomson has replied. Read below for her comments.)

Question #1: What are the top three environmental issues facing the city today and how do you plan to address them?

Question #2: Building on past efforts, how can a major municipality like Toronto do a better job of reducing its greenhouse-gas emissions?

Question #3: Can the green economy be a future economic engine for Toronto? If so, in which areas should Toronto focus its efforts and how would you, as mayor, support emerging green businesses?

Question #4: Where does each candidate stand on the use of energy-from-waste technologies, both as a way to manage municipal waste and generate electricity for the city?

Here are some links to coverage of last evening’s event — the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and the National Post (and here).

Also, check out Toronto Star columnist Catherine Porter’s account of the evening on Twitter.

If you attended the debate, I welcome your comments. Who won? Which particular responses stood out?

To read candidate answers received so far click for more…

Reply from mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson

Question 1: Top 3 environmental issues are

1. Transit – build an expanded subway system. Surface transit adds to congestion which creates more pollution. Expanding our subway through 4 funding models : Rush hour road tolls on the DVP and Gardiner Expressway; Win back the provincial funding with popularity of subway expansion plan; work with developers to help pay partial cost on subway stations; and create a subway bond to help pay for expansion quickly.

2. Achieving 70% waste diversion – through green bin program in apartments. Greenlane landfill will last for next 100 years if we are able to get Toronto to divert 70% of our waste.

3. Green Economy: Buying green, supporting locally green production, and talent. We must stimulate a green economy in Toronto. Toronto needs to take advantage of the great reputation we have and use the buying power of the city to support local green businesses.

Question 2: What can the City of Toronto do to further reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and encourage business to reduce their emissions?

 

I have 3 initiatives

Time shifting: I will bring large employers together to create options for employees – shifting start times or creating satellite offices. Time shifting processes can include the accelerated development of at-home knowledge workers, time differentials for arriving and departing employees, and the creation of work centres in high-priority neighbourhoods outside the city’s core.

My administration will encourage alternative energy solutions for businesses. My administration will work with Toronto Hydro to create a financing program that will enable businesses and residents to install solar rooftop systems.

Hybrid Taxi’s: We must change the bylaws in Toronto to allow taxi’s to buy smaller hybrid vehicles. Currently taxi’s have a 5 year lifespan. If we extend the lifespan for hybrid taxis to 7 years Cab Companies will buy into the program

Question 3: Can the “green economy” be a future economic engine for Toronto? If so, in which areas should Toronto focus its efforts and how would you, as mayor, support emerging green businesses?

 

Yes, Toronto can use its large buying power to help local green businesses. We have lost a lot of manufacturing from Toronto, and green product manufacturing could be a way to create more jobs and give more stability to our economy.

Toronto can offer tax reductions to local green manufacturers who set up in high priority neighbourhoods in our city. I have called for use of local green building products and local talent in city projects wherever possible.

I have called for the opening up of green options to encourage energy savings through white roofs, solar roofs and green roofs. The current bylaw requires green roof on any new development, it is not bad in concept but does narrow the focus to only one form of green technology. We must open up options for white, solar and other energy saving techniques as this could restrict green production in Toronto.

Question 4: Where does each candidate stand on the use of energy-from-waste technologies, both as a way to manage municipal waste and generate electricity for the city?

 

I believe that we must be open to the use of energy from waste technologies. This does not always include incineration and I do not want to fall into that limited view. There are companies based here in Ontario like EWS with technologies like the reverse polymerization process that uses high-energy microwaves to break down materials to their chemical components. Sault Ste. Marie is installing a tire reclamation plant that will be using this new technology and I believe that Toronto should be open to new technologies like this.

My administration will unlock the doors of our city and invite our innovators, our entrepreneurs, and our creative people back into the role of guiding our city forward. We must be open to new technologies, to innovation and entrepreneurs with proven solutions.

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Still waiting for Ford, Smitherman, Pantalone and Rossi to reply…

The installation was seamless with a boom truck arriving to unload the 19-dock station across the street from the Crystal City Metrorail station. Each modular unit was unloaded by the boom operator, while staff shuffled the units into place on the sidewalk. The units were then pushed together and wiring was finished, along with placing the solar panel on top.

Lots of passersby stopped to ask what was going on. Is it a big bike rack? Where are the bikes? How do I join?

Staff in neighboring buildings, people on their way to lunch, and students on their way to class stopped by. Many shared their love of cycling and look forward to using Capital Bikeshare once it’s running in late September.

All in all, it was a good day, but hot. It was a Code Red day due to the poor air quality. It’s ironic because bike-sharing is one of the tools in the toolbox that will combat climate change in the D.C. region and improve air quality.

UPDATE: It’s official! Capital Bikeshare is set to launch September 20. More details to come in future posts.

Moderated by Plug In America’s (http://www.pluginamerica.org) VP, Paul Scott, who is also President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California, “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” presents:

** Paul Wilbur, President and CEO, Aptera (http://www.aptera.com)
** K. Forest Beanum, VP of Public Affairs & Communications, CODA Automotive (http://www.codaautomotive.com)
** Richard Steinberg, Manager, Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America, LLC (http://www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE)
** Eric Shieh, Account Executive, Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com)
** Mike Sullivan, Owner and President, LAcarGUY (http://www.lacarguy.com/green)

This distinguished group of professionals–representing the cycle of invention to delivery and consumer use–will address the value proposition of these businesses and California’s leading role in the sector’s growth. “We will explain why this technology will improve our environment, strengthen our economy and increase our national security,” states Paul Scott, VP, Plug In America. “With the new era of electric vehicles mere months away, this is information vital to anyone who cares about these issues,” Scott added. Specific topics may include:

** Why is the timing for electric vehicles more ideal now than when “Who Killed the Electric Car” was released in 2006? What has changed? Or has it?
** What are the sustainable aspects of the vehicle industry vs. other forms of mobility, especially in Los Angeles?
** What are the economic implications of millions of Californians switching from 60% foreign oil to 100% domestic renewable electricity?
** What do national security experts say about the need to switch from oil to electricity as the energy source for our transportation fleet?
** What plug-in vehicles are available today and what will be available in the near future?
** How many charging stations are there, and how many are really needed?
** What companies are opening electric vehicle showrooms in L.A.?
** How important is the L.A. market as a model for electric vehicle adoption?
** What are the predictions for the future of electric vehicle adoption? What will be future trends?

“On behalf of the SBCLA board, I am thrilled to welcome such a strong representation of this vibrant, rapidly-expanding industry to the Valcucine showroom,” said Laura Berland-Shane, member of the SBCLA board of directors, and business development manager of Alternative Energy at SIEMENS Industry. “We anticipate a lively discourse that will inform and hopefully inspire creative thinking and planning in light of the current electric vehicle renaissance. We are particularly excited to note that many of the companies we will hear from are California-based.”

Event Registration
Advance registration is required to attend SBCLA’s “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” panel discussion and drive-a-thon. To RSVP, please visit http://www.sustainablebc.org.

General admission price of $25 includes:
** Admission to “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” mixer and panel discussion.
** Electric Vehicle driving demo, first come first served.
** Tour of Valcucine’s showroom featuring sustainable kitchen furnishings.
** Light refreshments

Event Sponsors:
The event is sponsored by Stonefield Josephson, Inc. LAcarGUY, Valcucine, “Dom,” Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss, Summa Marketing Communications, New Belgium Brewing, Evenson Design Group and dubroWorks Public Relations/Marketing/ Project Management.

Media Attendance and Interview Requests
Attendance of “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” is also open to accredited print, online, and broadcast journalists who register with SBCLA in advance. To register, media members should contact Program Director Molly Lavik by phone at (310) 488-4401, or by e-mail at molly.lavik@sustainablebc.org. In addition, Berland-Shane and all panelists and moderator are most likely available for media interviews before and after the event. To schedule an interview, please contact Lavik.

Driving Directions and Parking Information
“Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” will be held at Valcucine, located at 9030 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and South Wetherly Drive. Attendees may park with payment in the lot situated at 140 South Doheny Drive until the lot is full, or on the street in available metered spaces.

About the Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles
The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA) is a non-profit organization acting as a professional networking and education forum for California businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services, and processes. The Council’s goal is to assist members with improving their profits, enhancing their communities, and protecting the environment through the education of business professionals about the opportunities represented by technologies and management philosophies that reduce negative and unsustainable ecological impacts. For more information, please visit http://www.sustainablebc.org.