The ECO-DEMIC that civilisation must find a cure for is Mad Cars Disease. 200,000 of these over-powered but under-used machines are churned out of the worlds factories EVERY DAY. But, because on average they are only driven for less than one hour a day, they spend most of their lives idle in car parks, contaminating the environment in every imaginable way – even visually, when they are lined up on roadsides as far as the eye can see.
Al Gore concluded his 2007 documentary with a list of “10 things you can do to help save the environment”, one of which was “use your car less”. This is laughable advice when the average car sits idle for 96% of its life. To be consistent with his own films message, he should have said “you must give up your cars..!”. The reason he didn’t of course is that neither he, nor anyone else, has an alternative.
We will never be able to solve our environmental problems whilst our cities, our economies, and our entire culture revolves around mass car ownership. Even eco-warriors like George Monbiot (“Heat”) seem to believe we cannot do without them. Nobody seems to believe that our comfortable lifestyles would be greatly enhanced in a car-free environment.
Hybrid and electric and driverless cars – here and here – will only marginally reduce motor vehicle pollution. Electric vehicles may not emit carbon (as long as we keep ignoring the manufacturing process) but carbon is just one of many vehicle emissions. Electric vehicles will produce piles of expired batteries, tyre dust, oil leaks, acid leaks, burning brake and clutch linings releasing highly toxic fumes, plastic, and many other bits and pieces falling off as they age and deteriorate.
Instead of waffling on about “improving public transport”, eco-warriors should focus their energies into solving the problem of how to live a comfortable life without cars.
Oasis-Cities is that solution.
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