How Can Technology Protect the Environment? It Doesn't, Really
By Buddy F. Evans
No matter how "green" some industries like the automobile industry, still promote technology that does more harm than good and little to protect the environment The answer to how we can use technology to protect the environment is hard to find when you're looking in the wrong place. Of the countless tech-laden ways to curb the degree to which we are littering the environment with things like car exhaust, one solution might be closer and greener than you think. And it's about as low-tech as it gets. Instead of thinking about technology advancements to protect the environment like hybrid green cars, we might want to think about using less technology! Those things at the end of your legs?
They might just one of the most efficient, cheapest ways to sustainable living. Along with the obvious - walking - your feet can push on a pair of pedals and get you around town on your bicycle with greater ease and benefit than fighting traffic. The citizenry of Planet Earth is now being forced to look at our home as a two-way exchange - we give to and take from Mother Nature - rather than treating our natural resources as a never-ending supply to power our progress. And technology, while it may help to reduce how much we take from nature, will never be as successful as shedding some of our most detrimental human habits. So, as the planet celebrates another Earth Day, let's touch on some facts and information that changes the focus from "how technology can help save the environment" to "how we can use what we have to get where we should be?"
Benefits of Riding a Bike and the Looming Average Cost of a Car The days of ignoring the many benefits of riding a bicycle are over. With the extremely high average annual cost of owning a car, it makes sense not only to commute by bike if you can, but to consider replacing your car with a bicycle all together. Just remember to make sure you protect your investment and prevent bicycle theft when you can while you are protecting the environment, too.
Best Cities in the US for Living without a Car We'll give you a hint, one of top cities for carless living starts with a "new" and ends with a "york." Living in a large metropolitan area like New York will make it much easier to maintain a mobile lifestyle without a car. Access to mass transportation is a key feature in making this possible. According to WalkScore, a group that promotes walkable neighborhoods, while 83% percent of Americans live in metropolitan areas, only 5 percent live within walking distance of decent public transit. Committing to living without a car is definitely one way to go about using new technology in public transportation to stop littering the environment. Options regarding commuter railroads, public bus routes, subways, and streetcars or trolleys can make or break an individual's decision to live car free.
America's Most Walkable Cities There are a surprising number of cities in the U.S. considered to be quite walkable. We might all think of New York, Boston and Washington off the top of our heads. But did you know that large parts of Denver are walkable? WalkScore has a website completely dedicated to finding and promoting "Walkable Places to Live". They ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. On top of that, they have a list of 138 "Walker's Paradises." Twenty-two cities have at least one and therefore fall under our list of America's Most Walkable Cities. New York leads the pack with 38, including Tribeca, Little Italy, Soho, Chinatown, Midtown and Murray Hill.
Is Your Car Killing You?? Air Pollution & Heath Risks Between the effects of global warming, particle pollutants and lack of health benefits in driving -Yes, your car is killing you! Just a glance at a how cars impact our world could turn the most the stubborn skeptic. One U.S. car consumes about 600 gallons of gas each year and emits over 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. How about this one - American automobile emissions account for more than 45 percent of the world's automotive carbon dioxide emissions each year, even though the U.S. has only 5% of the world's population perfectly exhibiting a case where technology in one country is NOT protecting the environment in the world. Bottom line: Save a life; sell your car! So, as industries world-wide struggle with the notion of going green and countless new technologies are consumed by the environment vs. economic growth argument, our over-reliance on automobiles is a continuing threat to the health of the planet and to ourselves. And maybe as more and more people consider the question of "how does technology protect the environment?", they will find that perhaps their feet might offer the best guidance. Putting an end to littering the environment with our various pollutants might naturally follow.
Buddy Evans is the Vice President of Big Bucks Auto�, one of the largest and most reputable used car buyers in the Tri State Area. Buddy has authored several automotive articles and Big Bucks Auto� eNewsletters about various topics related to the automotive industry. Visit Buddy and his team at Big Bucks Auto� to Get a Free Quote and learn how you can sell your car for cash. Discover why so many people choose Big Bucks Auto�, instead of going through the hassles of selling privately, or the pain of getting undercompensated on a trade-in.
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