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AUTOMOTIVE_GUILT


                                        July 1, 2006

  When you're thinking
  about air pollution,
  don't obsess about          Many people who feel
  transportation.             trapped in cars seem
                              to also feel a deep      These people are
                              guilt about the          suckers for ideas
                              poison spewing out the   like "electric
  When you're thinking        tail pipe, and because   vehicles".
  about transportation,       they feel direct
  don't obsess about          responsibilty for it,       Half of the
  air pollution.              to their credit, they       electricity
                              want to find ways to        in the US
    I'm a big advocate        make it go away.            is generated
    of busses & trains                                    by coal: it's
    and bikes & walking.                                  incredibly
                                                          dirty.
    These have the                  Thesis: if you
    potential to                    look at the             If your electric
    reduce air pollution,           breakdowns, per         socket is coal
    but that isn't                  quantity of             in disguise, it's
    their only advantage,           energy or per           cleaner to burn
    and it may not be               quantity of             gasoline.
    their biggest                   pollution,
    advantage.                      transportation
                                    is not the
                                    biggest
                                    problem.          On the other hand,
                                                      if you break down
                                    ((Look            transportation further,
                                    for               private cars will
                                    numbers           be a large chunk of it.
                                    on
                                    that.))              Possibly a
                                                         "disproportionate
                                                         share" of it.

                                                            (but
                                                            proportional
                                                            to what?).


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