Car giants 'give false hopes of electric or hydrogen cars'

Car companies are raising false hopes of emission-free motoring in order to continue profiting from large, fuel-hungry vehicles, according to a recent study from Oxford University.

The study, edited by Sir David King, the UK government's former chief scientific adviser, says that cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells are not expected to be available widely until after 2050 because of the high cost of the platinum in their catalysts. Battery-powered vehicles will also remain a niche product because of their limited battery life.

The report accuses car manufacturers of exaggerating the potential for switching to hydrogen or battery-powered vehicles in the next decade. It urges government to impose higher taxes of large inefficient vehicle use, and to reinvest the proceeds into better public transport and encourage walking and cycling.

The future for low-carbon transport

15 January 2009

The best way of cutting emissions from road transport is to reduce the size and weight of conventional cars, a major Smith School report says.

The School’s Future of Mobility Roadmap, which assesses the potential for low-carbon transport on land, by air and sea, calls for large, inefficient vehicles to be taxed and the proceeds used to improve public transport and encourage cycling and walking.

Dr Oliver Inderwildi, the lead author of the study, tells The Times today that electric and hydrogen vehicles are likely to remain niche products for many years because of limited battery life and the high cost of platinum, which is needed for the catalysts in hydrogen fuelled cars.

Better technology could significantly cut emissions from aircraft and shipping but incentives and regulation will be needed to encourage users to switch to low-carbon forms of transport, however.

The study assesses a wide range of options for reducing emissions from transport. It says that algae-based biofuels could significantly cut transport emissions in the future but that existing biofuels are limited because of land shortages and food security concerns.

Even so, reducing the carbon footprint of cars and replacing domestic flights with high speed rail could still produce “drastic emissions savings."

“There is ample opportunity for emissions reductions by further improvements of currently available technology combined with a change in user habits."

Benefits would include increased mobility, reduced air pollution and the easing of congestion. “Improving our transport systems would reap many environmental benefits, while green technologies could create jobs in underdeveloped areas.

“Previous revolutions such as the transformation of our communication system in the 1990s have had a tremendous impact on economic growth."

The study warns, however, that action must be taken immediately to have any impact on climate change because of the long lifetime of transport fleets and subsequent delays in technological impact.

“Many technological options are already available and, in combination with infrastructure investments, [will] support the economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide other long-term benefits."

Yet another reason for free public transport

Many serious Health issues in industrial countries can be directly attributed to airborne pollution. Sydney has its fair share of pollution due to the contribution from transport. Making public transport free would reduce these dangerous pollutants to such a degree that its effect on the health system and long term savings can only be estimated.

NOx is mainly made up of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. These are primary pollutants emitted when fossil fuels are burnt, i.e. fuel in motor vehicles, coal in industry.

VOCs mainly come from unburnt petrol and diesel from motor vehicle exhaust, fuel vapours from petrol stations and petrochemical industries, vapours from paints, aerosols and solvents used in commercial and domestic activities, as well as natural emissions from vegetation and fires.

PM10 is particle pollution. It occurs when tiny airborne particles are formed in the atmosphere and, without any wind to scatter them, they reach high concentrations and affect visibility. These particles are generally less than 50 micrometers (µm). You’d think these microscopic particles were too small to do much damage. Unfortunately, size is their strength. Fine particles are light and tend to stay floating in the air for days or weeks until they’re removed by rain. During this time they can travel remarkable distances from their source and affect air quality right across a region. Larger, heavier particles stay in the air for a shorter time before being deposited locally, sometimes soiling or damaging materials, but certainly adding to the grimy look of some built-up areas.

It is time for free public transport.

Adam Butler

(information in this post is taken from the NSW Government website “Let’s Clear the Air“)

New Scientist report

Earthquakes caused by global warming

Photo from Radio Telegin en Haiti

FAR from being the benign figure of mythology, Mother Earth is short-tempered and volatile. So sensitive in fact, that even slight changes in weather and climate can rip the planet's crust apart, unleashing the furious might of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides.New Scientist

World Social Forum: call for free public transport

"There would be advantages to free public transport in huge cities.."

Economist & professor, Ladislau Dowbor from the Catholic University of Sao Paulo, addressed the 2010 World Social Forum in Brazil this week, with a presentation entitled 'Another kind of economics is possible.'

Among the raft of democratic reforms he proposed, he told the conference that "..there would be advantages ... to free public transport in huge cities like Sao Paulo, whose residents spend an average of two hours and 43 minutes a day in traffic, at terrible cost to everyone in terms of quality of life and pollution."

[The World Social Forum was set up 10 years ago as a counter to the World Economic Forum.]

www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50149

Do you feel crowded?

Do you feel crowded?

What is a good transit system?

What is a good transit system?

1.A Good Transit System has Frequent and Convenient Transportation for all.

2.A Good Transit System Helps Strengthen the Community.

3.A Good Transit System Helps Encourages People to Leave Vehicles at Home and Help out our Environment.

4.A Good Transit System Helps Individual's become More Physically Fit.

5.A Good Transit System Helps Reduce Traffic Grid Lock.

6A Good Transit System Helps Reduce the COST and NEED for PARATRANSIT.

7.A Good Transit System Helps Reduce Road Construction.

8.A Good Transit System has Free Public Transit.

9.A Good Transit System works on Barrier Free, Benches and Shelters.

10.A Good Transit System Treats their Employees with Respect.

from Catmeow Transit - Salt Lake City

George Monbiot on Copenhagen bickering

George Monbiot on Copenhagen bickering

...Even before this new farce began it was beginning to look as if it might be too late to prevent two or more degrees of global warming. The nation states, pursuing their own interests, have each been passing the parcel of responsibility since they decided to take action in 1992. We have now lost 17 precious years, possibly the only years in which climate breakdown could have been prevented. This has not happened by accident: it is the result of a systematic campaign of sabotage by certain states, driven and promoted by the energy industries. This idiocy has been aided and abetted by the nations characterised, until now, as the good guys: those that have made firm commitments, only to invalidate them with loopholes, false accounting and outsourcing. In all cases immediate self-interest has trumped the long-term welfare of humankind. Corporate profits and political expediency have proved more urgent considerations than either the natural world or human civilisation. Our political systems are incapable of discharging the main function of government: to protect us from each other....Guardian via CommonDreams

All buses are free in Cache Valley, Utah

Cache Valley

In the Cache Valley Region, Utah, all buses are free.

This is why they have free public transport according to the Cache Valley Transit District:

Contents [hide] 1 Convenience 2 Maintain Ridership 3 Alleviate Fear 4 Keep Operating Costs Low

[edit] Convenience

If any fare were added, a significant amount of time would need to be added to the current schedule to accommodate people depositing fares. The addition of a fare reduces CVTD’s ability to provide convenient and timely service.

[edit] Maintain Ridership

Research conducted by independent transportation consultants indicate that CVTD’s ridership could drop considerably if fares were added. If ridership dropped it could place hundreds of vehicles on our already congested roads.

[edit] Alleviate Fear

There are various reason people may be uncomfortable with riding the bus—getting lost, riding with people they do not know or missing the bus. The addition of fare would add to the list, causing more questions like "what is the fare," "do I need exact change," or "what if I don’t have cash?" Being fare-free keeps it simple and increases ridership.

[edit] Keep Operating Costs Low

The cost to install infrastructure for fares would be between $400,000 and $500,000. Significant additional ongoing costs would be incurred such as fare box maintenance, counting of fares, training and collection of fares by an armored car service.

Read more

Public transit - an essential public service

Farefreenz recent contribution to a discussion comparing overseas fare structures which featured on transportblog.co.nz

Hey …let’s also look at the system in Hasselt, Belgium, where there are no fares! And no more traffic gridlock!
Public transport should be regarded as an essential public service and be fare-free – a relatively simple way to help reduce traffic congestion and pollution big time in these days of global warming.
Fares only contribute a portion of the cost, but cost an enormous amount to collect. Why bother? There are other ways to pay for public transport – for starters the millions of dollars currently being spent on building more and more roads (which we all know will be clogged up in no time), could be diverted to urgently upgrade Auckland’s public transport. A vast integrated network of modern low-emission buses and electric trains could be rapidly moving people about, with no delays as passengers get on and off without having to fumble for change or cards.
If we are really serious about getting people out of cars and on to public transport, making it fare-free and frequent is the way to go.

Check out views and articles on: farefreenz.blogspot.com

EU - Let us shift from expensive cars to free public bus or train

EU - Let us shift from expensive cars to free public bus or train

The advantages of free public transit are enormous and extremely beneficial for all citizens of the European Union:

• Drastic decrease in emission of exhaust gases
• Less noise
• Less traffic jams
• Better traffic safety
• Enormous savings in energy and raw materials
• Creation of new jobs
• Ascent of efficient economical development
• Considerably lower public and personal expenses
• Empowering of social justice
• Higher cultural dialogue
• Creation of friendlier urban environment

Read more at Ecohumanworld