this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2024
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Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities (theconversation.com)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Globally, only one in 50 new cars were fully electric in 2020, and one in 14 in the UK. Sounds impressive, but even if all new cars were electric now, it would still take 15-20 years to replace the world’s fossil fuel car fleet.

The emission savings from replacing all those internal combustion engines with zero-carbon alternatives will not feed in fast enough to make the necessary difference in the time we can spare: the next five years. Tackling the climate and air pollution crises requires curbing all motorised transport, particularly private cars, as quickly as possible. Focusing solely on electric vehicles is slowing down the race to zero emissions.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Yes, biking 37km each way is pretty extreme. However, if you haven't already, I'd suggest questioning whether you should be making some changes in your life. Using rough calculations for a fairly efficient & economical car ($0.25CAD/km for gas, maintenance, and depreciation), your commute is costing you $18.50CAD/day (more if you drive an SUV/Truck)! That means if you could move closer to work so you could bike, you could pay an additional $350/mo in housing and still be ahead. Or, you could look for a new job that pays $4,600/year less net (probably ~$6,500/year gross) and be ahead. And if you could give up your car completely, those numbers could more than double!!

It's possible after reviewing the numbers, you'll conclude that it's not worth it to make any changes in your life, and that's fine! Work in agricultural and other rural industries is important. It's just that so many people aren't even ware how much their 20min commute costs them, let alone what it costs their local government (roads aren't cheap) or the environment in general.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I live with my mom. I cannot afford rent in the town that I work in, and the two other nearby towns require a car just the same as the one I'm in now.

I cannot afford to move. When my mother dies I will likely become homeless.

Once again, the problem boils down to the billionaires not paying people enough.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I agree that our capitalist society sucks. Your only choice is work within it or die.

You answered one of the questions and almost certainly no rent + $350 < rent. You didn’t answer the other question and I see from another comment, you make $40K/year. Where I am in Ontario, that’s not much more than minimum wage ($16.55/h×7.5h/d×251d/year≃$31K/year). I’d highly recommend reviewing whether your pay and job satisfaction is worth what you spend on your commute!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No, the commute and car ownership is literally cheaper than paying the extra rent.

My mom only charges me $500/month, last I looked rent for places that aren't even comparable to what I have now were about $1500/month, and my car is costing me about $250/month. That's a difference of $750/month, and my quality of life is way better.

What you're suggesting is completely unreasonable for me.

However I admit that my comment about homelessness is likely wrong on further analysis. But it remains to be seen what happens with the housing market in the intervening years.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think you misunderstood my comment. I was agreeing with you. If you're staying with family, that's almost certainly financially better than getting your own place. What I was saying is that you didn't answer the second option: What if you got a job closer to home? You don't have to answer it here, but I'd just recommend reviewing it by yourself.

If you make $40K/year, your 37km commute probably costs you ~15% of your net income. Getting a slightly worse paying job within biking distance of your current home could leave more money in your pocket.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I see, I did misunderstand.

Unfortunately being in a small town means there are limited options, and most of them I've used already. Some I could go back to. But really this is about the best I've found.

The real option is to start a business, but I'm enjoying life more than I ever have at the moment, and I don't want to give that up and go back to working all the time. I probably will eventually, because I hate working for people who I think are stupider than I am.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 11 months ago

You want me to live in neighboring city with all those twatheads, druggies, richers, shitty schools and terrible drivers? No thank you! - Anyone, anywhere lol.