Toyota’s Camry: Drive carefully! (Flickr/ASurroca)

If the Toyota recall and “stop sale” order is confusing you, you’re not alone. The sudden acceleration problem is something you probably have never experienced and most likely never will. But you need to be aware of it, and be ready to respond — because if it happens you’ll have nanoseconds to make decisions. Here’s what you need to know:

What did Toyota do?

Shortly before it suspended sales of eight very popular models, Toyota issued a massive recall of 2.3 million vehicles whose gas pedals may get stuck or become slow to return. It then followed up with another 1.09 million more. The cars affected by the first of those two recalls are all Toyotas (no Lexuses or Scions): RAV4, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Avalon, Highlander, Tundra and Sequoia. Check dates, because it’s not all years. Most recently, Toyota added the Venza and the Pontiac Vibe.

Late last year, Toyota was forced to recall 4.2 million cars for a related problem–gas pedals that can get fouled by the floormats. Affected there are the Prius, Tacoma, Avalon, Lexus ES350, IS250 and IS350, Camry and Tundra. Yes, there is some overlap in these recalls.

Toyota says new gas pedals are on the way to replace the “sticky” ones. On Thursday, Toyota said it was extending the recall to Europe, though an assessment of which models are affected is still going on. With Europe added, there are now nine million cars likely to be recalled. It’s unclear how long the U.S. sales suspension will last. Two House committees are holding hearings on the issue.

Here’s a Toyota FAQ page on the issue.

What do I do if sudden acceleration happens to me?

Hundreds of drivers report their cars suddenly taking off on them, and there’s no clear pattern — some are at stop signs, others cruising on the highway. Here’s one way it played out: “The car accelerated without driver input on two separate occasions. The last event resulted in smashing through the plate-glass window of a travel agency, injuring one employee. The car ended up totally in the agency, halted by an interior wall.”

It can occur anytime, anywhere; the important thing is to be prepared. The natural response is to hit the brakes, and that is indeed the right idea — but it’s important to maintain firm, even pressure and to not pump them, because, as Consumer Reports points out, that can lead to a catastrophic failure just when you need the brakes most. (Pumping the pedal when the engine’s racing will cause the brakes to lose the vacuum that sustains them.)

Shifting into neutral is another really useful tactic and, if you can, take a moment to practice that maneuver in a parking lot. Neutral should be one notch up from drive, but not all of today’s automatic transmissions (some with manual-shifting functions) are set up that way.

Finally, you’ll be tempted to turn off the engine, but don’t do it until you’re safely parked. Shutting off (a challenge on some cars with pushbutton start) will disable power steering and brakes — again, when they’re needed most.

Is sudden acceleration a problem only for Toyotas? What causes it?

It would be a mistake to see this problem as limited to one company. For one thing, CTS Corp., the Indiana-based company that made the pedal assemblies in the recalled Toyotas, also supplies a host of other manufacturers, including Ford (which recalled Transit Classic trucks in China for that reason), Honda and Nissan.

The Obama administration has announced billions of dollars in support for developing a smart grid, and now we’re starting to see some of that investment work on the ground. New York’s Con Edison has recently received $45 million in smart grid stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The ultimate goal, of course, is a nationwide (and international) grid that is more efficient and stable, and one that facilitates conservation and integration with renewable energy and electronic devices.

The money Con Edison received will help fund smart grid research, including work on distribution monitoring devices, electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation, energy storage, consumer systems, and a command and control network. Con Edison had previously received $136 million to deploy some smart grid technology. The utility is working with other parties on the project, including the New York City Economic Development Corp., Boeing, Columbia University, Viridity Energy, the Prosser Group, CALM Energy and Rudin Management Co.

The head of the industry’s Edison Electric Institute, Thomas Kuhn, recently addressed a group of journalists in NYC about the smart grid (and URTH Guy was there!). “A smart grid will allow quicker service restoration after outages, it will enable new technologies, it will help the environment, it will facilitate plug-in hybrid vehicles, it will reduce our dependence on oil, and it will lead to smarter rates,” Kuhn said. One of the benefits will be that utilities will no longer have to hire “meter men,” which “won’t have to worry about dodging people’s dogs to read meters,” added Kuhn. Electricity usage will be monitored from afar, and in fact consumers should be able to view their own data in real time, making their own budgeting and energy decisions much better. But don’t worry too much about the meter men, there will be many new jobs in building out and servicing the smart grid, so utility payrolls won’t necessarily shrink, at least for the foreseeable future (although eventually a smaller workforce could mean cheaper rates for consumers).

The Obama administration has announced billions of dollars in support for developing a smart grid, and now we’re starting to see some of that investment work on the ground. New York’s Con Edison has recently received $45 million in smart grid stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The ultimate goal, of course, is a nationwide (and international) grid that is more efficient and stable, and one that facilitates conservation and integration with renewable energy and electronic devices.

The money Con Edison received will help fund smart grid research, including work on distribution monitoring devices, electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation, energy storage, consumer systems, and a command and control network. Con Edison had previously received $136 million to deploy some smart grid technology. The utility is working with other parties on the project, including the New York City Economic Development Corp., Boeing, Columbia University, Viridity Energy, the Prosser Group, CALM Energy and Rudin Management Co.

The head of the industry’s Edison Electric Institute, Thomas Kuhn, recently addressed a group of journalists in NYC about the smart grid (and URTH Guy was there!). “A smart grid will allow quicker service restoration after outages, it will enable new technologies, it will help the environment, it will facilitate plug-in hybrid vehicles, it will reduce our dependence on oil, and it will lead to smarter rates,” Kuhn said. One of the benefits will be that utilities will no longer have to hire “meter men,” which “won’t have to worry about dodging people’s dogs to read meters,” added Kuhn. Electricity usage will be monitored from afar, and in fact consumers should be able to view their own data in real time, making their own budgeting and energy decisions much better. But don’t worry too much about the meter men, there will be many new jobs in building out and servicing the smart grid, so utility payrolls won’t necessarily shrink, at least for the foreseeable future (although eventually a smaller workforce could mean cheaper rates for consumers).

Two New York Times articles published earlier this month illustrate the highs and lows of land protection right now. One, “Preservation Groups Find Bargains in Housing Bust,” described how plummeting real estate prices have provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for land-conservation organizations to protect irreplaceable natural treasures once destined for sprawling development. From Idaho to Florida and Virginia to Oregon, groups have preserved fields and forests, marshland and ocean waterfronts that as little as a year ago were slated for massive housing projects. Many of these scenic wonders now will be turned into parks.

That’s the high. The low, “New Year but No Relief for Strapped States,” noted the challenges many state governments face to rein in skyrocketing deficits. Actually, the earlier article hinted at this dilemma’s environmental implications: dedicated funds for protecting land and creating new parks already have been a casualty of fiscal belt-tightening in statehouses from Olympia to Albany – just when they could do the most good. With red ink continuing to rise, even more drastic cuts are likely. There’s a trickle-down effect, too. With less state support, county and municipal governments are being forced to slash their own budgets, so land preservation and parks often take another hit on the local level….

Two New York Times articles published earlier this month illustrate the highs and lows of land protection right now. One, “Preservation Groups Find Bargains in Housing Bust,” described how plummeting real estate prices have provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for land-conservation organizations to protect irreplaceable natural treasures once destined for sprawling development. From Idaho to Florida and Virginia to Oregon, groups have preserved fields and forests, marshland and ocean waterfronts that as little as a year ago were slated for massive housing projects. Many of these scenic wonders now will be turned into parks.

That’s the high. The low, “New Year but No Relief for Strapped States,” noted the challenges many state governments face to rein in skyrocketing deficits. Actually, the earlier article hinted at this dilemma’s environmental implications: dedicated funds for protecting land and creating new parks already have been a casualty of fiscal belt-tightening in statehouses from Olympia to Albany – just when they could do the most good. With red ink continuing to rise, even more drastic cuts are likely. There’s a trickle-down effect, too. With less state support, county and municipal governments are being forced to slash their own budgets, so land preservation and parks often take another hit on the local level….

Toyota’s Corolla: With the Camry, 650,000 were sold in the U.S. last year. (NightRPStar/Flickr photo)

Toyota is facing every manufacturer’s nightmare scenario this week, as its “sudden acceleration” problem escalated into a shutdown of eight popular product lines, affecting 57% of the company’s models (including the ultra-popular Camry and Corolla). I’ve been following this situation closely for The Daily Green, and it’s clearly been building to this kind of drastic solution.

The problem is that many, many people have reported that their cars (definitely not all Toyotas) just suddenly take off with the pedal to the metal. There are hundreds if not thousands of such cases in recent years (many that ended in fatalities), and it is defying a quick fix.

I’ve done my own research into this problem, including fielding emails and calls from many people who’ve lived through this horrifying experience. Here’s one such email:

I have a 2008 Camry LE, bought brand new in November 2007. I experienced unintended acceleration on my way to work, on Thursday January 24, 2009 riding in rush hour traffic on a major highway. The car started accelerating on it’s own and forcing the brake pedal down and pumping it wouldn’t stop it. After about 5 minutes it settled down and went at regular speed.

And another:

I own a 2005 Toyota Tacoma. It is my daily driver and my husband drives it on occasion. We have both experienced the truck surge in RPMs while sitting at a stoplight. The truck feels like it wants to take off on its own. We both responded with pressing harder on the brakes.

But I have also heard from drivers of Acuras, Fords and even old Volkswagen Rabbits. It’s clear that this is a problem with a variety of causes, including floormats fouling gas pedals, sticky pedal assemblies, balky throttle cables (in older cars), and more. And it’s industry-wide, not restricted to Toyota.

Toyota’s Corolla: With the Camry, 650,000 were sold in the U.S. last year. (NightRPStar/Flickr photo)

Toyota is facing every manufacturer’s nightmare scenario this week, as its “sudden acceleration” problem escalated into a shutdown of eight popular product lines, affecting 57% of the company’s models (including the ultra-popular Camry and Corolla). I’ve been following this situation closely for The Daily Green, and it’s clearly been building to this kind of drastic solution.

The problem is that many, many people have reported that their cars (definitely not all Toyotas) just suddenly take off with the pedal to the metal. There are hundreds if not thousands of such cases in recent years (many that ended in fatalities), and it is defying a quick fix.

I’ve done my own research into this problem, including fielding emails and calls from many people who’ve lived through this horrifying experience. Here’s one such email:

I have a 2008 Camry LE, bought brand new in November 2007. I experienced unintended acceleration on my way to work, on Thursday January 24, 2009 riding in rush hour traffic on a major highway. The car started accelerating on it’s own and forcing the brake pedal down and pumping it wouldn’t stop it. After about 5 minutes it settled down and went at regular speed.

And another:

I own a 2005 Toyota Tacoma. It is my daily driver and my husband drives it on occasion. We have both experienced the truck surge in RPMs while sitting at a stoplight. The truck feels like it wants to take off on its own. We both responded with pressing harder on the brakes.

But I have also heard from drivers of Acuras, Fords and even old Volkswagen Rabbits. It’s clear that this is a problem with a variety of causes, including floormats fouling gas pedals, sticky pedal assemblies, balky throttle cables (in older cars), and more. And it’s industry-wide, not restricted to Toyota.

I hadn’t heard of the author Raj Patel before (no offense, but that name has to be the Indian equivalent of John Smith in the West), but his latest book sounds interesting: The Value of Nothing. Patel is likely to take some ribbing, especially from close-minded detractors, since he isn’t giving it away for free, he’s selling it (for exactly $14 apparently, according to his video, though one can already pick up used copies for less now).

That being said, Patel makes some thought-provoking observations. The British-born journalist, academic and activist has a great hook in describing the fun he had with a price gun (a la Dexter’s Laboratory) when he was a kid banging around his parents’ convenience store. Patel has lived in the U.S. and Africa, and is best known for his 2008 book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Patel has a Ph.D. from Cornell in Development Sociology and formerly worked at the World Bank, World Trade Organization and the United Nations. He then turned against his former employers, and has criticized their policies through writing and activism, claiming to have been tear-gassed on four continents as a result (he was even at the 1999 “Battle for Seattle”).

Patel has been advocating for the world’s poor for years, and argues that we need better accounting systems for the well-being of our societies than just GDP, accounting that takes into consideration environmental quality and community health as well as jobs and exports. His arguments are not dissimilar to Annie Leonard’s in the “Story of Stuff,” or Barbara Ehrenreich’s work, including her new book Bright-Sided.

Patel is likely to be attacked as anti-capitalist by detractors, but hopefully people will give serious thought to the issues he raises. It’s good to take a step back from our consumer culture and question if the institutions we have are really working for people and the planet.

I hadn’t heard of the author Raj Patel before (no offense, but that name has to be the Indian equivalent of John Smith in the West), but his latest book sounds interesting: The Value of Nothing. Patel is likely to take some ribbing, especially from close-minded detractors, since he isn’t giving it away for free, he’s selling it (for exactly $14 apparently, according to his video, though one can already pick up used copies for less now).

That being said, Patel makes some thought-provoking observations. The British-born journalist, academic and activist has a great hook in describing the fun he had with a price gun (a la Dexter’s Laboratory) when he was a kid banging around his parents’ convenience store. Patel has lived in the U.S. and Africa, and is best known for his 2008 book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Patel has a Ph.D. from Cornell in Development Sociology and formerly worked at the World Bank, World Trade Organization and the United Nations. He then turned against his former employers, and has criticized their policies through writing and activism, claiming to have been tear-gassed on four continents as a result (he was even at the 1999 “Battle for Seattle”).

Patel has been advocating for the world’s poor for years, and argues that we need better accounting systems for the well-being of our societies than just GDP, accounting that takes into consideration environmental quality and community health as well as jobs and exports. His arguments are not dissimilar to Annie Leonard’s in the “Story of Stuff,” or Barbara Ehrenreich’s work, including her new book Bright-Sided.

Patel is likely to be attacked as anti-capitalist by detractors, but hopefully people will give serious thought to the issues he raises. It’s good to take a step back from our consumer culture and question if the institutions we have are really working for people and the planet.

Filed under: Home

method laundry demo from People Against Dirty on Vimeo.

In this, the latest installment of my ongoing pursuit of green laundry bliss, I present the new Method Laundry Detergent.

To those familiar with the Method brand of eco-friendly and beautifully packaged home and personal care cleaning products, this is more of the same good stuff. A plant-based formula, 95% natural and renewable ingredients, biodegradable and non-toxic.

The big news is that their new laundry product has an ultra-concentrated formula, which has several green benefits.

It takes less energy to produce, it creates less waste, and it comes in a much smaller package that uses 36% less plastic that your usual supermarket fare. Naturally, the bottle is made from 50% recycled plastic — this is Method we’re talking about here.

Now the big question: Does it pass the “Fussy Husband Who Likes The Laundry Done His Way” test? And the answer is yes, indeed, with flying colors!

Here are the things that Chief, a.k.a. Mr. Cat Lincoln, likes about the sample of Method Laundry Fresh Air that Method sent us to try:

1. The pump detergent delivery system. The worst thing about those big jugs with their measuring cup tops is the inevitable river of blue, soapy sludge that accumulates down the side of the bottle. With the Method stuff I didn’t notice a single drip.
2. The concentrated formula. This allows you to get a couple dozen loads out of a little 10 ounce bottle, perfect for the urban laundry lumper schlepping a duffel bag full of dirty clothes to the local laundromat.
3. It works. I run a warehouse for a living. I get dirty. The Method detergent got my soot and grease-stained work jeans and shirts looking and smelling clean.

To his review, I’ll add that I liked the scent a lot. And not that it should matter, but the packaging is really appealing. I have to admit that I would probably buy this because of the cool bottle. Lucky for me (and other design fiends out there) it’s a pretty and smart and earth-friendly choice!

Method Makes Laundry Eco-Friendly originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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