THE AIR WE BREATHE (you thought second hand smoke was dangerous ?)
When discussing electric cars I am often questioned with statements like “my car is pretty new” and “it gets great gas mileage” or “there is all the embodied energy in it (like your coffee pot).” I appreciate the sentiment and logic of those opinions but I think an important point is being missed. It is a difficult topic and I have thought long and hard about an appropriate response. Here are some facts I discovered.
The first was in our EV 101 class in April when our facilitator, Dennis Fortin revealed just how heavy those invisible gases are. I was shocked to learn that every litre of gasoline, when burned, produces 2.3 Kilograms of Green House Gases. But a litre of gas only weighs .75 of a kilogram, so how could that possibly work? The answer lies in pretty complicated (for me) chemistry and it is explained in great detail in a Natural Resources Canada booklet (https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/oee/pdf/transportation/fuel-efficient-technologies/autosmart_factsheet_6_e.pdf). From a study the EV Group conducted, the average EV driver drives about 9,600 km/year. Assuming their previous car was a pretty fuel efficient Honda Civic Sedan (combined fuel economy rating is 7.1L per 100 km), they now avoid the use of about 682 litres of gasoline. That fuel would weigh about 512 kg, but would create 1,570 kg of GHG’s (exceeding the weight of the Honda - every year). Yikes !
The second was reported in The Guardian and was related to how long the damaging gases stay in the air (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jan/16/greenhouse-gases-remain-air). The four principal greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and the halocarbons or CFCs (gases containing fluorine, chlorine and bromine). These gases can remain in the atmosphere for different amounts of time, from months to thousands of years, and affect the climate on very different timescales. For example, between 65% and 80% of CO2 released into the air dissolves into the ocean over a period of 20–200 years. In other words, your car’s emissions could be contributing to the acidification of the ocean in your grandchildren’s time. But consider the connection between automotive gases, lung disease (especially youth asthma) and early onset Dementia. This topic was covered in detail on an episode of CBC - The Nature of Things (https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/something-in-the-air). Really, car exhaust is not good stuff for anybody, and especially for our kids.
The third was pointed out by my friend, John Holmes. The astonishing volume of poisonous gases that are produced. A 2 litre engine idling at 1,000 rpm produces 2,000 litres of exhaust per minute. It would fill up an average garage in about 30 minutes. How many minutes do you spend driving in a year ?
On June 18, 2019 the House of Commons passed a non-binding motion to declare a national climate emergency in Canada, also declared by the Islands Trust and CRD. They did that because we simply do not have the luxury to wait for the ideal time for our existing cars to drive down that last mile. We have to stop creating GHG emissions today.
Bottom Line: Using your vehicle till it naturally dies, while admirable and appears on the surface pretty well thought out, unfortunately causes a disproportionate amount of damage. A choice to switch to EV (or plug-in hybrid) immediately reduces your personal emissions and contributes to the reduction of those from the oil Industry. Your action has wide ranging ramifications.
Next month my topic will include current available models. I encourage your respectful comments. I can be reached at [email protected]
Want to join a great volunteer organization ? Is your EV not in our database? Please approach me - Jim Standen, Team Lead, Totally Fun EV Group, Salt Spring Island.
Jim Standen,
Team Lead,
EV Group,
Salt Spring Island
When discussing electric cars I am often questioned with statements like “my car is pretty new” and “it gets great gas mileage” or “there is all the embodied energy in it (like your coffee pot).” I appreciate the sentiment and logic of those opinions but I think an important point is being missed. It is a difficult topic and I have thought long and hard about an appropriate response. Here are some facts I discovered.
The first was in our EV 101 class in April when our facilitator, Dennis Fortin revealed just how heavy those invisible gases are. I was shocked to learn that every litre of gasoline, when burned, produces 2.3 Kilograms of Green House Gases. But a litre of gas only weighs .75 of a kilogram, so how could that possibly work? The answer lies in pretty complicated (for me) chemistry and it is explained in great detail in a Natural Resources Canada booklet (https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/oee/pdf/transportation/fuel-efficient-technologies/autosmart_factsheet_6_e.pdf). From a study the EV Group conducted, the average EV driver drives about 9,600 km/year. Assuming their previous car was a pretty fuel efficient Honda Civic Sedan (combined fuel economy rating is 7.1L per 100 km), they now avoid the use of about 682 litres of gasoline. That fuel would weigh about 512 kg, but would create 1,570 kg of GHG’s (exceeding the weight of the Honda - every year). Yikes !
The second was reported in The Guardian and was related to how long the damaging gases stay in the air (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jan/16/greenhouse-gases-remain-air). The four principal greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and the halocarbons or CFCs (gases containing fluorine, chlorine and bromine). These gases can remain in the atmosphere for different amounts of time, from months to thousands of years, and affect the climate on very different timescales. For example, between 65% and 80% of CO2 released into the air dissolves into the ocean over a period of 20–200 years. In other words, your car’s emissions could be contributing to the acidification of the ocean in your grandchildren’s time. But consider the connection between automotive gases, lung disease (especially youth asthma) and early onset Dementia. This topic was covered in detail on an episode of CBC - The Nature of Things (https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/something-in-the-air). Really, car exhaust is not good stuff for anybody, and especially for our kids.
The third was pointed out by my friend, John Holmes. The astonishing volume of poisonous gases that are produced. A 2 litre engine idling at 1,000 rpm produces 2,000 litres of exhaust per minute. It would fill up an average garage in about 30 minutes. How many minutes do you spend driving in a year ?
On June 18, 2019 the House of Commons passed a non-binding motion to declare a national climate emergency in Canada, also declared by the Islands Trust and CRD. They did that because we simply do not have the luxury to wait for the ideal time for our existing cars to drive down that last mile. We have to stop creating GHG emissions today.
Bottom Line: Using your vehicle till it naturally dies, while admirable and appears on the surface pretty well thought out, unfortunately causes a disproportionate amount of damage. A choice to switch to EV (or plug-in hybrid) immediately reduces your personal emissions and contributes to the reduction of those from the oil Industry. Your action has wide ranging ramifications.
Next month my topic will include current available models. I encourage your respectful comments. I can be reached at [email protected]
Want to join a great volunteer organization ? Is your EV not in our database? Please approach me - Jim Standen, Team Lead, Totally Fun EV Group, Salt Spring Island.
Jim Standen,
Team Lead,
EV Group,
Salt Spring Island