FUEL WASTED, ENVIRONMENT DAMAGED

The multiple trailer rig known as a road train is a common sight on the roads of rural Australia. With one truck – called a prime mover in Australia – pulling very heavy loads, road trains are very efficient users of fuel. Over the weekend a new road train world record was set by 70 year-old Queensland truckie John Atkinson at the wheel of a 600-hp Mack Titan prime mover attached to a 120 trailer, 1,300 ton load that stretched back 1.7km. Quite a show of fuel use efficiency even though the fuel used in the record attempt was wasted pulling a load that travelled only 100 meters. But, the fuel gulped by the Mack Titan is only a small part of the fuel wastage story:

"There were helicopters in the sky and cars everywhere and this is probably the biggest thing that ever happened to Clifton."

More than 5000 truck drivers descended on the small town to lend their expertise and trailers.

"We had truckies and tourists from every state and territory and even some from New Zealand," Mr Richards said.

Apparently a good time was had by all and funds raised by the stunt will go to the Vanessa Memorial Cancer Fund. So, overall, it sounds like fuel well wasted. But, and I'm just guessing here, I'll bet lefties are unimpressed.

The UK also has a fuel wastage story worth noting, this one a result of unintended consequences:

As campaigners cheer a total smoking ban, there are fears sending smokers outside will lead to a huge increase in greenhouse gas-emitting patio heaters.

Labour MP Stephen Pound said when he visited Ireland recently - where a smoking ban is already in force - pub gardens were "covered" in the heaters.

Britain's greenhouse gas emissions are already up by 380,000 tonnes a year due to such devices, it is claimed.

This problem should be self-limiting: keep using those greenhouse gas emitting patio heaters and the climate will get warmer, making the further use of the heaters unnecessary. Unless, that is, global warming causes global cooling. Hey, if we're going to reach that zero emissions goal, we're going to have to extinguish all the greenhouse gas emitting life on Earth anyway, so we might as well get with the program.