Cars are the among worst inventions of all time

Was going to post my own rant, but this guy summarises it nicely:

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142043

If we care so much about the environment, why not ban cars entirely, and have a good network of public transport? It works in many European cities. People in rural areas need cars you say? Move them to cities. Trains are prone to union action? They don't need human drivers any more.

Ever since the invention of the car, population density in cities in the West has decreased. Infrastructure built for cars reduced space for human habitation and services in cities. A thousand people making the same journey in cars spews out more pollution, and takes up more space, than the same number of people in buses, or trains.

At the moment we are targeting industry with emission cuts, at huge cost to society, but we could instead ban cars; imagine the fall in emissions.

Electric cars are not a saviour; most electricity is not renewable; if it were, then it would be expensive or from nuclear sources.

What if we don't actually care that much about the environment?

I can have my own opinions as long as they don't clash with yours? Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

I can have my own opinions as long as they don't clash with yours? Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

Then I hope you are contributing towards humanity's colony in the Alpha Centauri system

Then I hope you are contributing towards humanity's colony in the Alpha Centauri system

Thats the thing, we were all brought up to be consumers, and care about what happens in the now. If anyone actually believes the government cares about preserving the planet for those who will live after them, over keeping their popularity needs to realise they don't care about anything that wont affect them and they would rather die in power and with money, than lose it in a bid to do good....

What for? Earth and humanity both have to end some time.

People in rural areas need cars you say? Move them to cities. Trains are prone to union action? They don't need human drivers any more.

Yes, import all food produce by plane, that won't harm our carbon footprint at all

Yes, import all food produce by plane, that won't harm our carbon footprint at all

it is inevitable that everything will do some harm to the environment, but what's so wrong with cutting a massive chunk out of our overall damage

I have posted a rant about our degenerate consumerist society in the past

Future of humanity >> latest consumer goods


If you want to destroy the environment, thus robbing future generations of humanity of a planet, then at least help create a new future on a new colony. It is not up to you to decide that humanity must end, just because you cannot see the point in prolonging it yet.

Was going to post my own rant, but this guy summarises it nicely:

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142043

If we care so much about the environment, why not ban cars entirely, and have a good network of public transport? It works in many European cities. People in rural areas need cars you say? Move them to cities. Trains are prone to union action? They don't need human drivers any more.

Ever since the invention of the car, population density in cities in the West has decreased. Infrastructure built for cars reduced space for human habitation and services in cities. A thousand people making the same journey in cars spews out more pollution, and takes up more space, than the same number of people in buses, or trains.

At the moment we are targeting industry with emission cuts, at huge cost to society, but we could instead ban cars; imagine the fall in emissions.

Electric cars are not a saviour; most electricity is not renewable; if it were, then it would be expensive or from nuclear sources.

For the reasons listed in that post, cars are a blight. I wouldn't go as far as banning them, but I wish we would move away from our slavish dependency on them. Regarding the deaths they cause or the environmental damage, people claim to care but ultimate don't. Unfortunately modern consumer culture is built upon the principle that we can ignore any cost we don't personally have to pay for. So people are happy to pollute away and reluctant to take personal responsibility like giving up their car.

Not really, unless you live in the middle of nowhere, since trains are considerably faster than cars.

And that entire water+nutrient irrigation system runs on solar power?

For the reasons listed in that post, cars are a blight. I wouldn't go as far as banning them, but I wish we would move away from our slavish dependency on them. Regarding the deaths they cause or the environmental damage, people claim to care but ultimate don't. Unfortunately modern consumer culture is built upon the principle that we can ignore any cost we don't personally have to pay for. So people are happy to pollute away and reluctant to take personal responsibility like giving up their car.

If you want to destroy the environment, thus robbing future generations of humanity of a planet, then at least help create a new future on a new colony. It is not up to you to decide that humanity must end, just because you cannot see the point in prolonging it yet.

well to be fair, if we hadn't covered the land with concrete, we'd have good soil and space to grow food....