nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com
  • HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.orgOP
    25·
    3 months ago

    To be clear, electric vehicles are not a silver bullet. In cities, bikes are often the better option. However, they do save carbon, and as such, they are one of the many puzzle pieces of the big puzzle that humanity needs to put together in order to survive as a civilization. There will be no single solution because it is such a devilish complex and widely ramified problem. For a matter of survival, we need to grasp every puzzle piece we can.

    Also, emissions from cars are a surprisingly large proportion of individual emissions - much larger than many people are aware of. They are like 120 Grams per kilometer per person. If you drive a combustion car to a supermarket nearby to get a pizza, the CO2 cost of the travel there will likely be higher than that of the food.

    Edit: typo

    • Killercat103@slrpnk.net
      10·
      3 months ago

      Not to mention that cars seem to be one of the largest sources of microplastic. Me personally am hoping for a lot more infrastructure built to suit walking, biking and taking the train. Imagine free public transit that properly covers the city, is free and goes frequently enough you dont even need to worry when you arrive at the stop. Its real convenient and has much much less emissions.

      • HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.orgOP
        1·
        3 months ago

        I am not so sure about that one. If your pizza has a 80 gram ham topping, and you drive four miles and back, I’d guess it is still the car use which weights heavier. Even if avoiding meat is better, of course.

        Ultimately, one has to do the math. Carbon reduction is essentially a quantitative endeavour, and many outcomes when one actually measures and counts are counter-intuitive. For example, ship and truck transport of food over large distances can cost far less carbon than your car trip to the supermarket.

  • tornavish@lemmy.cafeEnglish
    122·
    3 months ago

    It’s funny how five years ago you couldn’t even get an EV because Of supply chain issues. People were paying well more than they were worth.

    These wildly fluctuating prices should really be turning off consumers

  • Dharma Curious (he/him)@slrpnk.net
    91·
    3 months ago

    I wish I lived somewhere that I did not have to have a vehicle to get around, but if I have to have a car, I’d love to have an EV. I’m a poor motherfucker, and I cannot wait for the day when I can get a cheap used EV that’s at least comparable to shitty used ice vehicles I drive that leave me sitting on the side of the road

      • Dharma Curious (he/him)@slrpnk.net
        5·
        3 months ago

        I agree with the sentiment, but that’s not a feasible option where I live. Even behind the ridiculous distances between work, groceries, and home, there are no bike lanes or even sidewalks anywhere near those locations. It’s all curvy and quite busy back roads and mountains.

        • quick_snail@feddit.nl
          21·
          3 months ago

          Its illegal to ride on sidewalks, and bike lanes are usually more dangerous to cyclists.

          Wear a bright yellow construction jacket. Use a helmet mirror. Take the lane.

          • Dharma Curious (he/him)@slrpnk.net
            4·
            3 months ago

            Yeah… I’m a big proponent. I grew up in a city where biking wasn’t standard, but could be done. I biked a lot back then. But when I say it is definitively unsafe here, I mean it. It would be a death sentence to try to bike here outside of the local state park

  • Kushan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    3 months ago

    Well picked up our used EV about 2 years ago and it has been great for us. Saved a fortune in petrol.

    • noodles@slrpnk.net
      3·
      3 months ago

      I doubt it, but they’re also not worse than any equivalent year gas car I’ve heard of