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This is How Plastic Pollution Causes Climate Change

From bags caught in the hedgerows to plastic bottles floating in the ocean, the signs are everywhere that plastic pollution is at its peak. We know plastic pollution is a problem, but we won’t discuss how it contributes to climate change.

Plastic waste surrounds us in the air we breathe, in the water we drink, and in food like fish. Reducing plastic pollution can save our ocean, animals, and climate.

How Plastic Pollution Causes Climate Change

1. Extraction and Production

Nearly all synthesized plastic we use today derives from fossil fuels consisting of natural gas, crude oil or coal. It simply means the material used to make plastic is extracted from Earth by gas, oil drilling or mining. These activities contribute to climate change; however, it’s just the first step towards plastic pollution. Once these materials extract, they are transported to different industries where different plastics are made, and the process is called polymerization or polycondensation. Once this stage finalizes, the products are turned into plastic products.

2. Consumption

We consume plastic in the form of different products we purchase. The idea is to use less plastic to save our oceans, but that’s not the case when the consumption rate of plastic is high. We think if we dispose of plastic in the bin, it suddenly goes away, but that’s not possible. It creates a more significant problem, and this is just the beginning of plastic pollution.

3. End of life

When plastic is not disposed of in a controlled manner, the discarded plastic waste generates GHG emissions when exposed to air and water. GHG emissions are greenhouse gasses with high amounts of CO2, which can harm the environment. There are many ways to reduce plastic pollution, which can result in putting an end to manufacturing plastic.

4. Recycling and Closing the Loop

One of the ways to reduce plastic waste is to recycle the existing plastic. Recycling would reduce the use of plastic waste and will help save world from plastic pollution. It is also essential to work towards building a plastic pollution solution, ensuring that any plastic waste generated can be reused again. Another set of ideas to reduce plastic waste is to turn plastic into plastic feedstocks that can be used in industries to make new plastic. It’s just one of the many ways to reduce plastic pollution.

5. Ocean Plastic Pollution Solutions

Microplastic is the little pieces of plastic that enter the ocean. Unfortunately, our marine life is most affected by mistakenly consuming plastic as food. So how are seas contributing to climate change? Well, Oceans are known as carbon sinks. A carbon sink is something that absorbs more carbon than it produces. Ocean takes up half of humans’ carbon dioxide and stores it at the bottom of the ocean. Algae uses CO2 for fuel and is consumed by marine life, which then turns into organic carbon. Microplastic interferes with the process as less carbon is stored at the bottom of the sea instead of being released into the atmosphere.

How to Stop Plastic Pollution

There are tips to reduce plastic waste but we need to understand the fact that plastic pollution is not going anywhere anytime soon. The increasing demand for plastic is making it difficult for us to reduce plastic waste.

One of the solution of plastic pollution is to reduce the use of single – use of plastic. That means not using any plastic cups, straws or any shopping bags.
Another way of reducing plastic pollution is to participate in ocean cleanup programs arranged by different organizations.
One of the simplest ways is to recycle your waste so that companies would sort them out accordingly.

Plastic pollution is a severe problem, and we must reduce plastic waste to take care of Earth. Plastic waste is harming the environment and affecting marine life, which can be harmful to us as we consume them indirectly as a source of food. So, it’s a cycle where one factor affects the other, and to break the process, we must end plastic consumption.

Pros and Cons of Innovation for Sustainability

“Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” By Gro Harlem Brundtland

Sustainability, in simple terms, is to avoid any depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance. Innovation for sustainability is to innovate certain technologies to help maintain an environmental balance of the Earth. We can even say innovation of sustainability in green technologies.

Green technologies is an umbrella term for sustainability innovation that contributes to lowering our negative impact on the environment while sustaining our natural resources.

Although innovative sustainability solutions are relatively young at our current point, they will become quite important soon. There are pros and cons of innovation for sustainability; you must consider how there can be cons for sustainability as it’s there to help us. Let’s find that out in detail.

Pros of Innovation for Sustainability

1. Energy Saving

Sustainability innovation, if used by the industries, can limit energy by half. One of the main reasons why sustaining innovation was first invented is to save energy. For instance, by producing more energy-efficient products, we have to use less energy in our daily lives. Saved energy can reduce our global energy consumption, which in return saves a lot of natural resources.

2. Reduce Air Pollution

Electric cars are one of the sustaining innovation examples. Electric cars are an innovation for sustainability that serves the purpose of transportation and massively reduces air pollution. Conventional vehicles emit harmful gasses daily, contributing to air pollution. One of the biggest enemies of air pollution is aircraft which are figuring out how to slow down their emissions of harmful gasses.

3. Reduce Plastic Pollution

We all know plastic pollution has no solution, and we should avoid it to improve our ecological footprint. Green technologies or innovative sustainability solutions can help you solve this issue when different companies step in to take matters into their own hands. Brands can make more sustainable clothing; industries can make eco-friendly packaging, or individuals can recycle their waste accordingly to reduce plastic pollution.

Related article: Top Sustainable Outdoor Apparel

4. May Allow us to Feed more People on a Global Scale

Sustainability innovation may allow us to feed more people on a global scale. Since our world population is growing at an alarming rate, we have to produce a significant amount of food for them and resources. Innovative sustainability ideas will help us achieve that goal when we find alternatives and do not deplete our resources—for example, using biochar as a fertilizer instead of using harmful chemicals affecting our livestock and crops.

Related article: Biochar for Sustainable Soil

Cons of Innovation for Sustainability

1. High R&D Cost

Innovative sustainability solutions can be a little heavy on the pocket because the manufacturing cost jumps high. Another problem with environmental technology is that it’s new, and plenty of $$$ is spent on its research and development. Thus, companies have to spend large amounts of money upfront, which may discourage them and slow down the growth of sustainability innovation.

2. High Implementing Cost

Only the development is not costly, but implementing innovative sustainability solutions can also add a specific cost to the manufacturers. E.g. companies wanting to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, the equipment and the work needed will cost plenty of money and might take years to implement.

3. Sustainability Innovation is Not in Demand

The innovation for sustainability is new to the market, and these promising technologies are required in the future. The technologies are still relatively immature since the pressure on the industries is not high enough in many countries. The reason for not having high pressure is that most the demand of green technologies is still in the developing stage, so that puts production in a slow process.

4. Lack of Knowledge of the General Public

One of the cons of innovation for sustainability is the lack of knowledge of the general public. Many people are still not aware of the environmental problems as they are not visible on a daily basis. Therefore, people might not understand why they should use green technology and are unwilling to pay for the products.

Innovative and sustainable thinking go hand and hand as sustainability innovations need more awareness as they can help us save our ecological footprint. Everything has pros and cons, so why work towards the cons to help make the earth a better place to live in.

The Pros and Cons of Ecotourism

Do you love spending time outside in nature, the mountains, the riverside, or the open air parks? If you are nodding yes to the question, then ecotourism is the proper vacation.

Ecotourism is currently getting attention as more people want to spend time in nature rather than being in the city. Spending a few days or weeks with your loved ones around the nature without sacrificing your comfort is a dream come true for most people.

Is Ecotourism Good or Bad?

Ecotourism is a new trend that’s been emerging over the years. But there are many positives and negatives of ecotourism. It is divided into three categories and mainly appeals to people who want to live a healthy life away from city.

Increases scientific knowledge about nature and its environment. It’s about the people who wish to study nature and research its aspects, are more attracted to ecotourism.
People stay close to nature for therapeutic purposes to improve their mental health. Nature heals, so it’s advised for patients to spend some time outdoors away from city life.
People who help natural resources to preserve them by planting trees, wastewater clean-up or recultivating soil.

There are a few demerits of tourism, such as polluting the environment for their comfort, disturbing the animals’ natural habitat or exploiting ecotourism by gathering a crowd at one place. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of eco-tourism.

Pros of Ecotourism

Spending more time in remote areas is one of the positives of tourism. People are choosing remote natural places to relax with their families rather than travelling to a country to see the hustle and bustle of city life. So, what are some of the pros of ecotourism?

1. Ecotourism Can Help Protect the Environment

One of the main aspects of ecotourism is that it helps to protect the environment and the animals. Ecotourism focuses on preserving the foral and the fauna, which can be important to maintain a natural environment for the wildlife. While in other forms of tourism, the natural environment gets exposed to tourists resulting in pollution of the ecosystem.

2. Ecotourism Can Give You a Good Feeling

Recreation away from the busy streets of the city is something we all crave for. Ecotourism is an outdoor vacation with your family and friends without disturbing the ecosystem and is something one should look forward to. It gives you a good feeling to enjoy the natural environment in peacetime with your loved ones.

3. People Will Learn to Improve Their Ecological Footprint

We often ask how can ecotourism benefit the environment? Many people are unaware of how to behave in an eco-friendly way; thus, ecotourism allows them to see for themselves. People learn about environmental problems and might try to solve them once they experience it themselves in real-time.

Cons of Ecotourism

There are a few demerits of tourism like it disturbs local wildlife, can lead to littering, or people can find the location attractive enough to bring more tourists. As some people love the outdoors, others don’t cooperate reasonably with nature and tend to disturb the environment.

1. May Disturb Local Wildlife

Ecotourism tries to keep a minimum environmental impact so that local wildlife is not affected, imagine being in a place that humans have never touched it. Then suddenly, when people arrive, local wildlife may not know how to deal with the situation and may get disturbed.

2. Ecotourism Can Lead to Pollution

It’s disappointing to see that ecotourism is leading to pollution. One of the cons of ecotourism is that eco-tourists sometimes dispose of their trash into the environment. In turn, the natural environment may turn into a garbage dump, and the natural charm of ecotourism is wholly lost.

3. People Can Turn the Place into Attraction

Some ecotourism places can become public and become attractions for larger crowds. It’s pretty easy to upload a video of a nice place online, attracting more visitors to explore the area with their friends and family.

Conclusion of Ecotourism

To summarize, ecotourism is a beneficial interaction between people and nature. People can enjoy nature with their families and friends while spending their vacation in the environment. The only concern is that ecotourism can disturb wildlife and pollute the environment. Other than that, ecotourism should be explored on a deeper level to understand the importance of conserving the environment.

Electric Cars Address Diesel Emissions: Pros and Cons

Electric cars are the future and a new concept to the world. Electric cars are the game changer technology to reduce pollution by 80% as they work entirely on electricity.

Some companies have based their model on hybrid cars that work on both electric and gas. All we need is an electric car charging stations on the roads and making electric car concepts more practical for the public to invest in.

Another concept of Active – Intercooler AIC® is contributing to the automotive industry to address diesel emissions. An Active – Intercooler is a mechanical device to cool down fluids and gasses after compression. It is used as air-to-air and the water cooler for an automobile’s turbocharged and supercharged internal engine combustion. Getting the air temperatures down raises the air density in the combustion chamber, offering the ability to significantly increase engine power output by squeezing air and fuel in the same volume of space.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of electric vehicles.

Pros Of Electric Cars

Fully electric cars are very feasible if you think about it. They save a lot of money on gas, reduce emissions, and are low-maintenance electric cars.

1. Electric Cars Don't Require Gas

The name itself is self-explanatory that electric cars run entirely on electricity. This means you don’t have to refuel gas again, which can save a lot of money. There are electric car charging stations at convenient spots to charge the car when needed. So, how are hybrid cars different from electric cars? Hybrid cars can change between electric and petrol, while electric cars run only on battery. If people can install solar panels and charge their electric cars before going out, it will save a lot of money and effort to go to the gas station and wait in long lines.

2. Electric Cars Can Reduce Emissions

Emission reduction is one of the main reasons electric cars first came into the world. They rely on rechargeable batteries that do not release heavy emissions into the atmosphere. The alternative to charging electric cars would be taking them to the charging station or installing solar panels. Either way, one of the biggest pros of electric cars is that there are no emissions.

3. Electric Cars are High Performance and Low Maintenance

All electric cars are high-performance vehicles that are quiet and smooth but have less maintenance than combustion engines. One of the pros of electric cars is that there is no need to lubricate the machine as it is electrically powered; there is no need to check oiling or anything else. Since it doesn’t heat up or shut down as gas-powered cars do, you don’t have to worry about sending your car for service to a gas station.

4. Safe To Drive

Fully electric cars undergo fitness checks before they are ready to be on the road. In case of any accident on the road, the airbags would pop up, and the electricity supply would be cut off from the battery, preventing any severe injuries, and the car won’t blow up as fuel or gas cars do. The drive is safer than a gas-powered car.

Cons Of Electric Cars

Although the evidence proves many pros of electric cars, we must be aware of certain disadvantages before deciding.

1. Not Enough Recharging Stations

Electric car charging stations are still in the development phase and are not available everywhere. It is best just to explore the city with a range as there is a high chance you can be stuck anywhere with an empty battery. If you decide to go on a drive with a family, keep in mind that if your electric car runs out of charge, there might not be a station to refuel.

2. Longer Recharging Time

One of the most prominent disadvantages of electric cars is that it takes about 4-6 hours or even a day to be fully recharged, while on the other hand, it takes less than five minutes to refuel your car. Some kits are available to cut off charging time, but that will be an additional investment. So plan accordingly before going out.

3. Electricity Is Not Cheap

Electric cars may efficiently run on electricity only, but they can reflect poorly on your electricity bill. Solar panels are an alternate solution to your problem, but that would also be an additional cost. Since they run on batteries, it’s a hassle to replace them after 3 to 5 years which overall makes electric cars more expensive than fuel. It is wise to think twice before purchasing an electric car.

Summing Everything Up

Electric cars are very efficient in pollution and emissions, but they can be heavy on the pocket. The world is still exploring electric cars, which makes them very new to the industry, so there are specific electric cars’ pros and cons that we need to keep in mind before making a decision.

Solar Energy as a Way to Reduce Environmental Damage

Solar energy and power plants don’t emit greenhouse gasses or pollute the air. When solar energy replaces or lessens the usage of other energy sources with more significant environmental impacts, it can have an indirectly positive effect on the environment. However, the development and application of solar energy technologies are not without environmental concerns.

One of the ways we can use solar energy to reduce environmental damage is to use solar panels installation as the primary energy source. Solar energy has many benefits, which have little to no environmental impact.

Environmental Impact of Solar Energy

Solar energy generates power from the sun’s rays, which is a renewable resource. Non-renewable fossil fuels, mined from the earth and used to produce energy, have been replaced by solar energy. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum are examples of fossil fuels that will not be used again once they have been consumed. This process is rapidly depleting our natural resources. Fossil fuels harm the environment and don’t have the advantages of renewable energy.

What Are the Benefits of Using Solar Panels?

1. Reduction in Electricity Bill

One of the main benefits of using solar energy is reducing electricity bills. Generating your electricity means you will be using less of the electricity provided by the country. This will effectively reduce your electricity bill, and you can make money by selling the unused electricity you have generated back to the grid.

2. Environmental Impact

Solar energy has the most negligible negative impact on the environment compared to any other energy source. It does not produce greenhouse gasses and does not pollute the water. It does not create any noise, which is one of the benefits of using solar energy.

3. Solar Energy is Applicable Everywhere

As long as we have sunshine, solar energy can be applicable everywhere. Even in remote areas, you can use solar energy as the primary power source. It can be used to power up houses with the help of solar panels. One of the environmental impacts of solar power is using solar panels as the primary energy source.

4. Lower Carbon Emission

6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere each year, resulting from burning fossil fuels, 1.38 billion of which are produced in the United States alone.

One of the significant producers of carbon dioxide in the nation is the electric power industry. In 2020, the American electric generation industry released 1.448 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The most significant contributors to those emissions were coal and natural gas. Lower emissions are the advantages of solar energy.

A solar panels advantages are that the manufacturing process emits less carbon dioxide than 15% of what coal burning would. Solar energy doesn’t emit any carbon after construction. The quantity of carbon released into the environment would be drastically reduced if we switched to solar power for our electricity. Thus, solar panel installation is considered an advantage to the environment.

Negative Environmental Impact of Solar Panels

1. Energy Demand

To produce solar energy, a sizable amount of energy is needed upfront. Energy-intensive industries, including mining, manufacturing, and transportation, are all involved. To create a single solar module, quartz must be processed, cleaned, and made with other parts that may come from other sources (aluminium, copper, etc.). High heat is needed to heat the quartz during the processing stage. Manufacturing involves the exact blending of several materials to get high efficiency panels. All of this consists of a lot of initial effort. Traditional fuels, like gas or coal, are commonly mined, cleaned, and processed on a massive scale before being burned in a single place. It is one of the negative environmental impact of solar energy.

2. Recycling

What occurs when solar panels malfunction or are turned off? Although recycling solar panels is not presently a significant problem, it will be over the next few decades when solar panels need to be replaced. Solar panels can currently be disposed of with other types of common e-waste. Issues relating to recycling are more likely to arise in nations without reliable e-waste disposal methods.

Conclusion

Although solar energy is not ideal, it has a net positive influence on the environment and the economy. Yes, mining and manufacturing solar panels take a tremendous amount of energy, and chemicals are utilized in the production process. However, despite the statistics, these two indisputable facts do not translate into a net negative impact on solar panels. It is safe to say that using a solar panel to reduce environmental damage is a safer way to go ahead.

Human Overpopulation and Its Impact on the Environment

Human overpopulation refers to the idea that it is increasing at a fast pace to be sustained by its resources and environment. For most of human history, population size has remained relatively stable. However, technological innovation and industrialization have increased the availability and reliability of energy, food, water, and medical supplies. This has led to the problem of overpopulation, occurred long ago, but its effects are getting prolonged as we go ahead in time.

As a result, the world’s population continues to overgrow, with dramatic overpopulation environmental issue impacting global climate and ecosystems. We need technological and social innovations to help the world’s people adapt and mitigate climate and environmental change.

Causes of Overpopulation

● Increase in Life Expectancy

Advancements in science and the discovery of new technologies to combat life threatening diseases have nearly doubled life expectancy from the pre-modern age of 30 years. Now the average person is approaching his 70-year old age. It is one of the reasons why there are overpopulation problems. But that is not the only reason for population growth.

● Decrease in Infant Mortality Rate

A major (and perhaps most obvious) cause of population growth is the imbalance of births and deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infant mortality rates are declining globally, from 8.8 million in 1990 to 4.1 million in 2017, causing overpopulation problems worldwide.

According to the 2013 Child and Infant Mortality report, the world has made significant progress in reducing infant mortality. The effects of human overpopulation have multiplied due to the drastic decline in infant mortality.

● Lack of Education

Overpopulation effects are most commonly found to be more common in underdeveloped countries compared to developed ones. The world’s population is multiplying, especially in developing countries, due to a lack of adequate education on preventive measures.

In developing countries, people know few precautions to avoid pregnancy. As a result, it turned out that the family had so many children that they could not afford to feed them. It also leads to lower living standards. Governments often have failed to raise awareness and education about the problem of overpopulation and how to reduce it. If people were informed about the overpopulation effects, they could start taking preventive measures.

How Does Overpopulation Affect the Environment

● Depletion of Natural Resources

It is not surprising that large amounts of resources are used to meet the needs of a vast population. It is a fact in economics that resources are finite and conditions are infinite. As the population grows, so does the strain on natural resources.

Some natural resources, such as air, sunlight, and water, are abundant in nature, while others are scarce, such as fossil fuels, coal, and minerals. Due to the effects of human overpopulation and excessive demand for this limited amount of resources, sooner or later, it will indeed be depleted.

● Loss of Freshwater

Overpopulation and a constant need for industrial products are causing fresh water to be lost to rivers and oceans. Factories dump all their waste into rivers and lakes, resulting in a loss of freshwater. Water pollution is not limited to sources of industrial waste. Domestic water sources due to overpopulation
also contribute significantly to pollution and freshwater loss in the aquatic environment.

● Deforestation

The human overpopulation effects made it impossible for humans to build and live in houses, making it difficult for the particular animals to move from one place to another across forests. The decision was made to clear the forests entirely to build a farm and increase the agricultural capacity.

The downside of deforestation isn’t just cutting down the trees that provide fresh oxygen. Unfortunately, it also means that wild animals lose their homes as their natural habitats have been conquered by humans and turned into roads, houses or farms.

Overpopulation Solutions

Overpopulation environmental issue is not an overnight problem and cannot be solved in a day. Controlling overpopulation is a long-term process and requires a lot of planning. Our governments play a significant role in maintaining and finding overpopulation solutions.

It is the government’s responsibility to raise public awareness regarding;

Family planning
Education for women
Reduction in poverty
Incentive to people

Conclusion

Overpopulation effects and degraded environments pose many questions for us and even our very existence. One of the questions that hit us hard is, “Are we ready for the sixth extinction?” Are we doing justice to the environment? Are we giving nature what it deserves? How long can the planet withstand the burden of our exploitation?

All of these questions are still unanswered. As fellow citizens of the planet, we must control the problem of overpopulation for the next generation (only if they can see the environment the same way we do) and exercise our utmost discretion to prevent further deterioration of the environment.

Are Trains More Eco Friendly Than Cars?

There’s no doubt that cars are a staple in our society. They’re a necessary part of many people’s lives, whether commuting to work or taking the kids to school. But with the rising concerns about climate change and the environment, people are starting to rethink their reliance on trains vs. cars.

Trains have been around for centuries and are one of the world’s most popular modes of transportation. In recent years, there’s been a resurgence in interest in train travel as people look for more eco-friendly and sustainable options. But are trains more efficient than cars?

Let’s find out more in this blog.

Trains vs Cars:

If we talk about what to choose between trains vs cars. For this, we have to keep a lot of things in mind. If we discuss trains in various aspects; as we already said that we are familiar with trains for a long time. Trains are much safer than cars due to constant speed and minimal stops. And trains are contributing a lot to make a better and sustainable environment, including lowest carbon emissions of all transportation means except for the bicycles. In European countries trains are almost fully electrified, even some of the highly developed countries are planning to shift towards the idea of using biofuels. This will definitely open new gates of progression for rail transportation.

On the other hand, if we discuss cars, this mode of transportation has always been an easy and faster one. You just want to go out to the newly opened cafe in your neighborhood or you have to attend a kitty party at your friend’s house whatever the concern is. Just take your car out of the garage and enjoy the journey. But wait before enjoying it, have you considered that you are among the major sources of carbon emissions while driving your car. Yes, you heard it right. Unfortunately, cars including other road traffic are contributing around 80% of total carbon emissions. Which is quite shocking and sad at the same time. Because cars are the leading way of transportation all over the world.

To make a positive impact certain car manufacturer jumped in and introduced the idea of electrical cars like we all heard about TESLA and a lot of others are working to bring the most sustainable cars to the world. But this idea of becoming a global mission would take time.

So, by observing certain circumstances regarding trains vs cars, if we have to choose, are trains more eco-friendly than cars? Answer must be yes, but let’s find out why?

Why Are Trains More Eco-friendly Than Cars?

Emissions from traveling are a significant cause of a high carbon footprint on the environment. Numerous factors can influence these emissions, including location, weather, number of attendees, and others. Two of the most common sources of traveling need to be compared are trains vs cars.

Rail transport is more eco-friendly than cars. Greenhouse gas emissions per km on railway transport are 80% less than on cars. In some countries, only 3% of all gas emissions come from trains. Cycling And walking are the only methods that are more eco-friendly than trains. There are many reasons why travel by train is way safer than any other means.

1. Trains are Eco Friendly

In various ways, taking the train is a way more sustainable and eco-friendly way of transportation than cars. Trains use 30% less energy per passenger mile than cars and planes. Around the world, train operators are constantly working on ways to make traveling by train highly sustainable.

Taking the train is always the greenest option since it produces less noise and consumes less energy.

2. Trains are Greener

Almost 80% of trains in developed countries run on electric traction. Usually, any country’s electricity mix (the combination of primary energies used to produce electricity) is low in carbon; rail transport emits far less CO2 than equivalent road or air travel.

Rail is responsible for less than 1% of transport-related emissions, while only 10% of passengers and goods are transported by train.

3. Steady Process

Trains have steadily reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in recent years while using more renewable energy sources. The battery-powered, hybrid, and hydrogen trains contribute to further decarbonizing rail transport. Rail network adaptations are necessary due to these alternatives.

4. Strong link in multimodal transport

There is no doubt that rail plays a key role in end-to-end sustainable mobility by connecting regional and international centers by transferring between different modes of transportation.

5. Less air pollution

Compared to cars, the railways are less polluting to the environment. Rail transport is the cleanest method, far ahead of road transport which is responsible for almost 90% of all the air pollution caused by road traffic.

The Benefits of Using Trains

So, let’s talk about the benefits of the railway and why we consider it the best way to travel worldwide.

Not just regarding being eco-friendly, trains have a lot of other benefits than cars. Let’s have a look at those:

1. Cheaper

As many people know, car travel sometimes may sound quite expensive compared to the train. Taking the train can cut down the costs by a lot. If you take a night train, you cut down on your travel and accommodation expenses.

2. No Turbulence

One of the best reasons on this list is probably this point. While taking the train, you don’t have to live through any horrible turbulence as compared to traveling via car. The train goes from point A to point B at a smooth speed making the journey much more relaxing.

3. Scenery

While traveling by car, you might be surrounded by magical landscapes but can’t fully enjoy them because you also need to pay attention to the road. With the train, you can walk around and take the best picture possible of your surroundings.

4. More space

Seats in trains are the kinds of seat planes used to have 50 years ago. Luckily you can still experience them. Unlike air or car travel, you have more space, and you can easily walk around to stretch your legs.

5. Turns transport into an Experience

Taking the train is an experience unlike any other mode of transportation. You see routes that you sometimes wouldn’t have seen any other way while relaxing the whole journey.

Trains are a Key Part of Sustainable Transportation

As the cleanest and greenest high-volume transport, rail has an essential role in creating sustainable lifestyles and economies. While representing 8% of global passenger and freight transport activity (in passenger km/tonne-km), railway represents only 2% of the transport sector emissions. Global GreenHouse gas emissions from transport continue to rise, accounting for 14% of all emissions in 2018. Rail is bucking this trend and has been the only mode to reduce its emissions, down by 2% between 2000 and 2018. Transport demand is expected to double at the same time we must decarbonize before 2050. Today’s challenges can only be met with rail as the backbone of a seamlessly connected sustainable mobility system. Rail is a central pillar of transformative climate action in transport. It is the fastest and most cost-efficient way to decarbonize people’s daily mobility and logistics chains.

How can we make trains even more eco-friendly?

There have been a lot of discussions recently about making more eco-friendly trains. This is a worthwhile goal. There are a few ways to make trains more eco-friendly; let’s discuss those.

One way to make trains more eco-friendly is to use cleaner energy sources to power them. For example, trains can be powered by electricity.

Another option is to use biofuels, which are made from plant materials and can be less polluting than traditional fossil fuels.

We can also make eco-friendly trains by making them more efficient. This can be done by improving the design of the trains so that they use less energy or by using new technologies that make them better working while consuming few resources.

Conclusion

In conclusion, what we found after knowing about trains vs cars; is that trains are a more eco-friendly option than cars. They emit fewer greenhouse gasses and other pollutants and use less energy overall. Additionally, trains have the potential to be powered by renewable energy sources, further reducing their environmental impact. Switching to trains for long-distance travel can help reduce our individual and collective carbon footprints.

How Much Co2 Does a Car Emit Per Year?

As we all know that co2 emissions have been among the significant sources of changing the climate and leading to hazardous environmental effects. We all know that most vehicles produce dangerous carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect and air pollution are making society worse to live in, leading to a rise in average temperature everywhere in the globe. Because of these two factors, we must observe the carbon dioxide released by cars. As co2 emissions have been problematic to us, AIC Technology can help us in this regard to decreasing these emissions.

Have you ever been curious about the amount of carbon dioxide gas emissions from cars or whether or not electric cars are more environmentally friendly? If you want deep insights into the average co2 emissions per car per year and general car pollution facts, then you are at the right place. In this blog, we are going to tell you about how much co2 does a car emit per year? And how we can avoid it. So, let’s start.

What are vehicle emissions, and how are they calculated?

Many cities are trying to make a clean and sustainable future for their citizens. But we all know that achieving this goal will take much work. It will take a lot of effort to do so, especially in reducing CO2 emissions because it is the main reason for adverse effects on the environment and the health of humans.

Malaysia is also no different; if we talk about Kuala Lumpur. A city striving for sustainability by 2030 has a growing problem with air pollution due to idle traffic because of an over-reliance on cars and its geographical location in the Klang Valley.

Based on the latest data from Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL), 25,094,052 million tonnes of CO2 were released into Kuala Lumpur air in 2017. In the transport sector alone, 56% of the annual CO2 emissions come from 14 million tonnes (or 14 million tons a year), of which 99.4% come from on-road transportation. The fossil fuel vehicles in Kuala Lumpur produce 444 kg of CO2 per second. Nevertheless, these numbers and the invisible nature of these emissions tell us only so much. The combustion of fossil fuels to power all these journeys is a significant contributor to global warming and environmental pollution.

Carbon footprint calculations are more complex than just adding the number of gas gallons used. The less weight an automobile has, the less gas it will use when driving.

It would help if you keep these in mind:

Automobiles with high levels of carbon dioxide emissions
Emissions have been produced during the process of making diesel and gasoline in the past.
Fuel combustion-related emissions, where applicable.
Emissions are caused by the vehicle’s production processes and components.
Consequently, irrespective of the kind of vehicle, the carbon footprint of cars has never been zero, especially in an electric automobile.

Facts about Carbon dioxide emission

The European Union has set a goal of reducing transportation-related emissions of greenhouse gasses by 90% from 1990 levels by 2050. Following the European Green Deal, it aims to cut CO2 emissions and become climate neutral by 2050. As per a study by the European Environment Agency, nearly a quarter of the EU’s total CO2 emissions in 2019 came from transportation, the majority of which (71.7%) came from road traffic.

Global Emissions of Carbon Dioxide

The transportation sector is accountable for about one-quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, the European Union (EU) asserts that the use of automobiles is responsible for one-fifth of the bloc’s carbon dioxide from cars and that it’s the only sector for whom the emissions are growing.

Consequently, there are movements both in the United States and worldwide to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles. As an illustration, the United Kingdom and European Union have set a goal for 2021 of bringing the average CO2 emissions of all newly manufactured cars down to 95 grams per kilometer. It marks a 40% drop in automotive emissions from the average of 158.7g/km in 2007, which reached in 2007.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, carbon dioxide emissions from car travel account for more than a quarter of the total emissions from the country. They plan to reduce new vehicles’ pollutants by 6 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gasses around 2025.

Emissions of Various Types of Carbon Dioxide from New Vehicles

Thanks to recent technological advancements:

A new car has about twenty per cent fewer emissions than a typical vehicle on the road nowadays. This disparity was due to older vehicles’ inefficiency. In 2015, the average vehicle on the road emitted 153 g/km of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but a brand-new car only emitted 121.4 g/km.
Compared to classic autos, AFVs (Alternative Fuel Vehicles) such as hybrids create around forty per cent less carbon monoxide.
In addition, diesel automobiles create 20% less pollution than gasoline-powered ones.

Vehicles contribute a considerable percentage of environmental impact.

The transportation industry is responsible for around twenty per cent of all emissions in the EU.

The amount of carbon dioxide released from passenger transportation varies greatly depending on the mode of transport employed. Automobiles driven by private individuals are responsible for 61 per cent of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union (EU).

In 2018, the average occupancy rate in Europe was slightly over 1.6 people per car. Increasing it via car sharing or converting to public transportation, bicycling, or walking might help reduce emissions.

Does the operation of an electric car result in fewer emissions than the operation of a gas-powered vehicle?

Alternate fuels and improvements to a vehicle’s fuel economy are feasible solutions for reducing the CO2 produced by automobiles. In 2019, diesel was used by 67% of cars in Europe, while gasoline was utilized by 25% of vehicles.

However, electric cars are gaining more and more popularity, and it is anticipated that by the year 2020, electric vehicles will represent 11% of all newly registered passenger vehicles.

Since 2017, electric car sales (including both battery EVs and plug-in PHEVs) have surged, and it is anticipated that they will increase twice by the year 2020 when the current CO2 rules take into force.

When 2020 rolled around, electric vehicles mainly composed 2.3% of the total number of new registration vans.

The total quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by a vehicle includes the CO2 produced while driving and the CO2 made during manufacture and disposal.

The production of electric automobiles and their final disposal has become less environmentally friendly than cars powered by internal combustion engines. The pollution level produced by electric vehicles is proportional to the method by which the electricity is produced.

Nevertheless, when the average energy mix in Europe is considered, it has been shown that electric cars are currently more ecologically benign than gasoline-powered automobiles. Electric cars may become even more damaging to the environment as some of their power comes from renewable sources. It is because the European Union aims to make batteries more environmentally friendly.

How can you lower your car's carbon dioxide output?

Even if your automobile has a low official emissions rating, you and your car will benefit from treducing CO2 output. Improved performance, fuel efficiency, and less impact on the natural world are all possible benefits.

The following are some of the most crucial things you can do to lower your car's CO2 emissions:

Replace standard gas with premium;
It’s a good idea to clean the gasoline tank periodically;
Alter the oil;
Swap out the filter;
Maintain proper tire pressure with regular checks;
You should turn off the air conditioner when it’s not needed;
Eliminate luggage racks unless required;
You shouldn’t leave the car running idly; turn it off whenever possible.
Avoid accelerating too rapidly or wildly, and drive with caution instead.

Conclusion

How much CO2 does a car emit? It is expected that after reading this blog, you will get familiar enough with the average co2 emissions per car in a year. It would be exciting to see whether the drop in pollutants will continue in the upcoming years once the targets for 2021 have been established. It is because the drive for efficiency and new industrial processes will continue.

Furthermore, unless people limit their use of vehicles, any decreases in carbon emissions may be exceeded by the rise in car usage (a 7% increase between 2000 and 2015). It is the case unless individuals choose to reduce their use of automobiles. Smart electric cars are often seen as the mobility of the future because of their potential to reduce air pollution in urban areas. Intelligent and interconnected, they adapt to our way of life while satisfying emerging societal and ecological demands.

Diesel vs Gasoline: Everything You Need to Know

If you are planning to buy a new car or have already bought one, you must have thought: “Which is better, if we have to choose among; Diesel vs Gas engine”? You might have also noticed the difference between these two while stopping at a gas station. Diesel vs gas engines work on the same principle of converting chemical energy into mechanical energy. Then the mechanical energy causes the piston to move up and down in the cylinder. That ultimately helps to create a rotary motion which turns the car’s wheels in the forward direction. Diesel and gas engines combine to convert fuel into energy through small explosions or combustion. However, they do have some critical differences as well. If you want to have a better fuel economy of a vehicle’s engine, for both diesel or gasoline, check out our AIC (Active Inter Cooling) technology.

In this blog, we’ll explain the similarities and differences between diesel vs gas engines and also explain the pros and cons of both for your car.

Diesel vs Gas Engine

Now we know that diesel and gasoline work on the same principle, which causes the movement of cars. The difference between diesel and gas lies in the combustion process.

1. Diesel Engines

Diesel engines follow a system called combustion-ignited injection. Like gasoline engines, they don’t work on a simple spark required for ignition; it must be vaporized at first. Then it goes to the engine’s combustion chamber, where it ignites at a high temperature. Then, the temperature of the combustion chamber is raised because of already compressed air. As the piston starts to compress the air, it gets hotter due to increased pressure. Then that hot air gets mixed with already vaporized diesel, and then the process of combustion begins. Some engines may require a glow plug to raise the temperature.

Diesel engines have a higher compression ratio, making them more efficient than gas engines. That means they produce more energy as compared to gas engines.

2. Gasoline engines

Gas engine working is all based on the spark-fired combustion process. This engine mixes fuel with air, and the piston comps the mixture. A spark plug is required to create a spark which causes the combustion(explosion) process. After the explosion, the piston starts to move again with the crankshaft, which ultimately results in the wheel’s moving.

Fuel Efficiency of Diesel vs Gas Engine

Diesel and Gas engines work on the same principle; their functioning and productivity differ. Suppose we talk about the fuel efficiency of both engines. Diesel vehicles are at the top of the list because of their thicker density, low rpm, and higher compression ratio. Even we can enhance the fuel economy of both engines by using AIC technology and many other eco-friendly solutions offered by kineflux.

Because of the higher density of diesel, it takes time to evaporate. Besides, it has a higher energy density, meaning 20% more energy is produced compared to gasoline engines in the same amount. Diesel engines have the same amount of power as gas but comparatively at a lower RPM. That will ultimately cause a rise in compression ratio, directly proportional to thermal efficiency. Fuel will burn better at a higher temperature. Consequently, more rich explosions and more energy will be released.

In contrast, a gasoline engine cannot achieve the same compression ratio as a diesel engine. This would result in engine-damaging uncontrolled explosions if excess heat ignited the fuel. As a result, gas engines have a low compression ratio, which results in less efficient combustion. Fuel economy is also affected by how each engine type is used. Often, big rigs with diesel engines travel on highways. Almost all drivers in the city use gasoline engines. Fuel is burned up more quickly when you stop and go. That is the main reason why gasoline is causing more land pollution.

Diesel vs Gas Price

According to data from almost 161 countries, gasoline is more costly than diesel in 84% of all countries. Diesel is around 9.84% less expensive than gasoline, and that is because of the difference in rates between these two in many countries.

The price of gasoline and diesel fuel is primarily influenced by the cost of crude oil, which is the source of both powers. The fuel price also reflects refining costs, taxes, and distribution and marketing costs. These factors influence the rates of both in the market.

Pro and Cons of Diesel vs Gas

Diesel Engines

Advantages

Diesel engines can deliver high thermal efficiency with almost 30% fuel economy.
It allows fuel to exhibit high energy content per volumetric unit for better performance.
Diesel engines are free from sparks; therefore, can work in an extended manner without consistent tune-ups
Luckily, diesel is less volatile, so the vapors are less explosive than gasoline. So, the chances of vehicles catching fire are much reduced.
Modern diesel engines are being designed to emit very low Carbon emissions.
They are suited to operate continuously at high loads for a long time.

Disadvantages

Diesel engines are said to be more expensive than gasoline engines, and even their heavy-duty parts are more costly than gasoline engines.
Indeed, modern diesel engines are not as noisy as the previous ones, but they are still noisier compared to gasoline engines.
Diesel engines have limited speed; they can’t go beyond a certain range.
Fuel dilution can be a big concern in the case of diesel engines because these engines aren’t suited for long periods of idling and stop-and-go driving.

Gasoline Engines

Advantages

One of the most significant advantages of a gasoline engine is that it is less expensive than diesel engines.
They do have better pick-up and very easy acceleration. And that’s the biggest reason racing cars have gasoline engines to go fast.
Gasoline engines do have the ability to work better at high engine speeds.
Service and maintenance costs for gasoline engines are much lower than for diesel engines.
Even on high accelerations, gasoline engines are said to be comparatively less noisy.

Disadvantages

Gasoline engines have very low fuel efficiency as compared to diesel engines.
Due to the decline in performance and efficiency of gasoline engines with time, they don’t have good resale values.
Because of high volatility, gasoline engines can easily catch fire, which is not good news.
Gasoline engine lifespans are said to be much shorter than diesel engines.

Conclusion

We explained both diesel engine vs gas engines in detail, including their advantages and disadvantages. Both are said to be important to us based on our choices. Try to choose carefully which engine type would be best for you among diesel vs gas engines. Always be smart! Remember to plan what you require and what you don’t.

What is a Typical Fuel-saving Add on Device?

Many related products in the automotive market claim to increase gas mileage in your vehicle. But like anything you buy, only a handful of the product claims come true. It’s when gas prices are getting higher with time; vehicle owners are on the lookout for well-priced fuel savers that really work and would help them to save a good amount of money, just like AIC technology is doing.

Many fuel saving devices claim to get more mileage from every gallon of gasoline. Fuel saving devices improve fuel efficiency by attaching to an engine component or in the inner combustion system. The devices come in different sizes and claim to reduce fuel consumption significantly. In this blog, we have compiled a list of some fuel saving devices to find out whether the fuel savers really work or not.

What Is a Fuel Saving Device?

Fuel savers for diesel and petrol vehicles work almost in the same manner. Here are some of the most available fuel saving devices; however, each type of fuel saving device is set to target a different part of the engine.

HYDROGEN GENERATORS

Hydrogen generators produce hydrogen from water, which is directly delivered to your car engine. This system is based on electricity which helps to split the hydrogen atoms into water molecules. This method is called electrolysis and is performed in a hydrogen generator. Overall, this method offers more power and better mileage to your vehicle.

FUEL IONIZERS

Fuel ionizers are placed between the injector and the fuel pump. This fuel-saver device helps to create an iconic field which evaporates in your car’s fuel and makes it very easy to burn in the engine. While on the other hand, the fuel injectors in the latest vehicles are already finely tuned, turning the fuel into an ultrafine mist in the combustion chamber.

ENGINE IONIZERS

Engine ionizers are linked to the engine beside the spark plug wires or the car’s distributor. In addition, this device also performs the same function as a fuel ionizer, just nearer to the point of ignition than the fuel line. So, maintaining your vehicle is one of the finest modes to save car fuel. But you need to be extra cautious because these fuel savers can cause fire hazards or spark in case if it is not appropriately attached.

FUEL AND OIL ADDITIVES

In the automotive market, you can easily find fuel and oil additives and pure them directly into the fuel tank or into the oil pan. These additives improve the engine’s performance, reduce wear and increase power.

FUEL CATALYSTS

Catalysts for fuel aren’t devices but pieces of metal that you can place directly in the fuel tank. In addition to improving fuel efficiency, these devices claim to remove harmful bacteria. During a catalyst reaction, the metals in power remove all impurities, making them more efficient energy carriers.

IGNITION DEVICES

During the cylinder cycle, ignition fuel saving devices improve the amount of fuel burned by special spark plugs. In some ways, the device claims to burn fuel faster or hotter. The computerized engine control and its components are designed to do this only if your car’s engine isn’t experiencing significant problems.

INJECTORS (E.G., WATER, FUEL VAPOR)

Some fuel saving devices in the market focus on injecting a beneficial substance into the fuel line, such as water and fuel vapor.

FUEL VAPOR INJECTORS

A fuel vapor injector converts fuel into vapors before reaching the engine, which allows the fuel to burn more efficiently. However, adding extra fuel vapors can lead to an imbalance in the fuel-to-air ratio. It is also possible that poorly installed fuel vapor injectors can affect engine performance since the car computer will adjust to compensate for the imbalance.

WATER VAPOR INJECTORS

There is a mixture of water and alcohol in the solution of the water vapor injector. Then the mixture is injected into the air intake and maintains proper fuel ignition. Additionally, water injectors prevent misfiring, detonation, and other engine problems.

How Much Do Fuel Saving Devices Cost?

Usually, fuel saving devices range from a few bucks to many thousand dollars. And some of these fuel saving devices make huge claims regarding improving a vehicle’s performance and fuel efficiency. If they work as they claim to, most likely, they would be paying for themselves in a few months for the average user.

Do Fuel Saver Devices Work?

We don’t want to be the bearer of bad news for you, but let us tell you that fuel-saver devices cannot increase your vehicle fuel efficiency by 300%, as most companies claim to do. Some fuel saving devices even can decrease the vehicle’s horsepower and reduce the fuel efficiency of a car in some instances. None of the devices delivers such highly expected results.

Now you know why auto manufacturers aren’t installing these devices on their cars before they roll them out of their factories.

Fuel-Efficient Driving Techniques

Besides fuel saving devices, we bring fuel-efficient driving techniques to save you a lot. Fuel-efficient driving can save you a bunch of dollars every year, improve road safety, and prevent wear on your car. Adopt these five fuel-efficient driving tips to decrease your car’s fuel consumption and also carbon monoxide emissions and carbon footprint by up to at least 25%

1. Accelerate in a better way

The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you are going to consume. You can use less fuel in cities by gently accelerating your car’s pedal. To become more fuel efficient, it’s better to take five seconds to accelerate your vehicle up to 20 km per hour from any stop. Just imagine an open cup of coffee straight into your dashboard. Just follow the tip if you don’t want it to happen.

2. Slow and Steady

When you go fast, you consume more fuel, which can cost you more money than you need to. Many tests have shown that changing your speed up and down between 75 and 85 km per hour every 18 secs can increase your fuel consumption by 20%

It’s always better to use cruise control while highway driving, where conditions permit you. Remember that sometimes little variations in speed can be good when gravity does the work. Where traffic patterns allow you to drop rate while travelling uphill, you can regain momentum as you roll downhill.

3.Anticipate traffic

Always pay attention to the road while driving to see what is coming up on the road. Always keep a comfortable distance between your car and the one in front of you. Keep an eye on the pedestrians and other vehicles and what they are doing, and imagine what they’ll do next. So, to be cautious, you can keep your acceleration as steady as possible to consume little fuel, which is safe too

4.Don't Go High

Always follow the speed limit and save most of your fuel! Most vehicles are energy efficient when they travel between 50 km to 80 km per hour. Above this speed zone, vehicles will consume more fuel as they increase their speed.

For example, at 120 km per hour, a vehicle uses about 20% more fuel than it uses at 100 km per hour. On a 25-km trip, this speed and fuel consumption spike would cut just two minutes from your travel time.

5. Don’t Leave the Car Idling

Many drivers leave their cars idle when stuck in a traffic jam or running a quick errand. A vehicle may not move while idling, but it does consume some fuel for as long as the engine stays on. Adopt a 60 seconds rule to avoid this wastage. Switch off the engine if you are stationary for more than 60 seconds, other than in traffic jams. This can save you from wasting fuel and overheating your car engine more often.

Conclusion

In this blog, we explained the fuel savers that really work. Now you have enough information about the types of fuel saving devices. Each device might have some effects and improve your vehicle’s fuel economy. However, it is better to opt for some proper fuel-efficient driving techniques to save money in the long run.