OK. So we all know that Global Warming is here (well, not all of us). And we all know that selfish, polluting car drivers are a significant part of the problem. So we should all give up our cars and take public transport say the environmentalist because it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
But will it? The Truth About Cars - Public transport be damned refutes this commonly accepted belief. The rapid improvement in fuel efficiency and reduction in emissions of modern cars coupled with a total lack of improvement in public transport technology means that in many cases the most fuel efficient method of transport, and therefore the most environmentally friendly, may be by private car (accepting that many people have to travel too far to walk or cycle).
The article is US centric but many of the principles will apply to the UK and Europe.
Hmm. That's certainly a good argument to improve public transport technology, but not to just dismiss it and drive a car.
It may also be worth noting that the authors are part of the automobile industry - they mightn't be deliberately biased, but just come from a worldview where the car is king.
Equally, the environmentalists are coming from a worldview where the car is the root of all evil. Somewhere in the middle is the solution. However, in a debate where one party presents an extreme view, unless the other party presents a view from the other extreme there's no hope of meeting in a reasonable middle ground.
