[Hugh R]

Actually, it was the tree huggers who got us great gas mileage and horsepower. Remember when you changed spark plugs every 5-10,000 miles?

I worked in the air pollution control business, first as a regulator, then as a consultant for about 20 years. The problem with the free market system when it comes to pollution is that it is indeed free to you, but not me. You can belch out pollutants out of your car without paying for it (absence regulation) and it costs you nothing, but it cost me (society) in health problems. Same thing with water pollution, except it flows downhill. Tree huggers have their place for sure. People lose sight of the fact that they have, in most places clean air and water because the "tree huggers" pushed for it decades ago.

Its the reason I won't take the cat off my Targa, even though I'd get improved performance, and I could put it back at smog check time.