Plumer, B. (2022, January 10). U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bounced Back Sharply in 2021. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/10/climate/emissions-pandemic-rebound.html

This article explores the pandemic’s effect on transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and how we are seeing a sharp increase in carbon as we return to our normal state of affairs. The article states that transportation saw a 10 percent increase in emissions in 2021 after a 15 percent decline in 2020, which can be attributed to a rise in diesel-fueled trucks carrying goods to consumers and higher levels of freight traffic. Passenger travel in cars and airplanes has been slower to recover. The uncertainty around new variants disrupted travel plans and kept many people at home, so we are not completely back to previous levels. The article also discusses Biden’s auspicious carbon emission goal and discerns whether his supporting policies are enough to get us to net zero emissions by 2050. 

The article’s emphasis on sustainability and the general premise of weighing options based on scientific fact to determine the most sustainable policies associates it with environmental science. I believe the article did a good job of succinctly describing the pandemic’s effect on greenhouse gas emissions and explaining why it was unsustainable. I also enjoyed their fiscal and social analysis of Biden’s Build Back Better bill, as they did not solely focus on the environmental effect but proffered a holistic analysis of all its ramifications. 

Reducing Your Transportation Footprint. (2021, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.c2es.org/content/reducing-your-transportation-footprint/

This article delineated the most common transportation methods, their impact on the environment, and ways to improve them. It begins with passenger cars which contribute half of the carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. transportation sector, and the average vehicle creates roughly 6 to 9 tons of CO2 each year. However, a 30-mpg car will save approximately $3,000 in fuel costs compared with a 20-mpg car per year. This study shows many cost-effective, eco-friendly petroleum options, whereas electric vehicles are traditionally more expensive. Thus, there are feasible ways to reduce your footprint without massive lifestyle changes quickly. Furthermore, optimal driving techniques can also help you cut emissions and save money in a gasoline-powered car. The article also stipulates that individuals can save more than $9,738 per year by taking public transportation instead of driving. Moreover, this mode can lead to substantial environmental benefits. If your commute is a 20-mile round trip, the switch to public transit could lower your carbon footprint by 4,800 pounds annually. By taking direct flights and packing lightly, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint for aviation. The article states, “if all passengers packed one less pair of shoes or roughly two lbs/1kg, the aircraft’s fuel savings would be the same as taking 10,500 cars off the road for an entire year. “

This article relates to environmental science because it explores environmentally friendly transportation methods. It describes the emissions levels for different modes of transportation and strategies to reduce them. I enjoyed this article because of the preponderance of evidence provided throughout the piece. It continually provided statistics and numbers to substantiate its claims on costs and carbon emissions. I also like how they broke down the major transportation components and analyzed them separately so as to not get too muddled.

Person, & Ella Foley Gannon, L. M. (2022, January 05). The transportation of tomorrow will address climate change. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/transportation-tomorrow-will-address-climate-change-2022-01-05/

This article explores transportation impact on climate change and some domestic legislation being drafted to mitigate its implications. In November, President Biden released his administration’s long-term climate-change strategy, which presents a vision of achieving the United States’ goal of net-zero emissions by no later than 2050, emphasizing the role of electric vehicles in attaining that goal. This summer, President Biden signed an executive order stipulating that 50% of all new passenger cars and light trucks must be zero emissions by 2030. Furthermore, the Build Back Better bill earmarks $7.5 billion to build a national network for electric-charging stations to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles to reduce transportation emissions, facilitate long-distance travel, and make charging more convenient for consumers. The article also asserts that aviation contributes 11% of transportation-related emissions in the United States. To address that figure, the Biden administration has set the target year of 2050 for the aviation industry to reach net-zero emissions. 

The article is directly related to environmental science because it refers to E.S’s place within public policy and legislation. Since the emergence of climate change as a significant political issue, policymakers are constantly attempting to create legislation that addresses the changing climate. Furthermore, the article explains how some of the policies would adequately address emission levels and clearly describes the scientific causal linkage relating to climate change. The report did an excellent job of explaining some of the policies introduced, and I was fascinated by some of the statistics. Notably, I was surprised that the deadline for aviation to reach net-zero emissions was markedly later than other forms of transportation, and I’m interested to learn more about why that may be. 

National Geographic Society. (2021, August 11). Transportation and Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/transportation-and-climate-change/

In many ways, climate change and modern transportation go hand in hand. This article articulates transportation’s impact on climate change in the United States and explores factors that individuals and corporations can alter behaviors to diminish their transportation footprint. The report asserts that “in 2017, the U.S. transportation sector generated the largest percentage of greenhouse gasses emitted at 29 percent.” Motor vehicles are the leading cause of air pollution in the United States, though other modes of travel, such as planes and cruise ships, create more significant emissions per voyage per person. Some solutions the article proffers include the switch to electric vehicles and increased R&D in alternative fuels like hydrogen fuel cells. For individuals, the article mentions researching the travel options available and investigating one’s relative carbon footprint as primary methods to ensure everyone is doing their part. Public transportation like buses, subways, and trolleys are generally more environmentally friendly than driving a car because the more people traveling in a vehicle, the smaller each person’s carbon footprint. 

The article is linked to environmental science because it describes the relationship between transportation and climate change, highlighting the greenhouse effect and potential solutions. The direct analysis of transportation’s impact and the speculation of mitigation efforts are critical components of environmental science. The article is an excellent introductory source to a complex subject, and it generalizes the main issues with transportation offering scientific reasoning to substantiate their claims. I also enjoyed how the article included precedent of some solutions succeeding from other countries. I believe the United States can use the framework provided by other nations and continue our climate mitigation efforts. It was also nice to see how the individual solutions were fairly easy to execute and could make a legitimate difference if performed by large numbers of people. 

Gee, O. (2021, March 5). The costs and environmental impact of transport in 2021 Mozo. https://mozo.com.au/insurance/car-insurance/articles/the-costs-and-environmental-impact

-of-transport-in-2021. 

This article explores the effect the pandemic had on transportation and Greenhouse Gas emissions. It then goes into a fiscal analysis on the numerous ways to mitigate pollutants. First it focuses on driving – looking at the pros and cons of electric , diesel , and petroleum vehicles. It marks that EV’s are generally the most environmentally friendly, but also states that diesel is better than petroleum for the environment if not unless it’s primarily used for short trips especially in urban areas. Then the article describes some ways to improve public transport citing new light rails and trams which run on electricity and are powered by solar energy plants in Melbourne. It asserts that “making public transport more sustainable and accessible needs to be a priority moving forward,” highlighting the importance of public transport. Finally it describes alternative modes of travel such as biking and walking, both of which include numerous monetary, health, and environmental benefits

The article’s emphasis on sustainability and the general premise of weighing options based on scientific fact in order to determine the most sustainable methods, associates it with environmental science. I thought the article did a very good job of weighing the pros and cons of each method and offering a concise verdict. Furthermore, their fiscal analysis illuminated the balance needed between sustainability and overall efficiency when determining policy.

EPA (2021, August) Retrieved August 8 2021from https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-revise-existing-national-ghg-emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to strengthen federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks by setting stringent requirements for reductions through  2026. The proposed standards would achieve significant GHG emissions reductions as well as reducing the prevalence of other pollutants. The proposal would result in substantial public health and welfare benefits while saving consumers with lower fuel costs. The proposal would incentivize technology available today to make vehicles cleaner and to encourage more hybrid and electric vehicle technology. EPA is also working on new GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty engines and vehicles starting as soon as 2030. These new multi-pollutant standards will improve public health and set the U.S. on a course to achieve ambitious levels of GHG emissions reductions from commercial highway transportation over the long term. 

Transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in the United States, making up 29 percent of all emissions. This article aims to offer a framework to reduce these emissions using knowledge of different pollutants’ effects on the environment and ways to mitigate them. I believe the regulations described in the article are significant because reducing GHG emissions is a critical step in reducing the probability of impacts from climate change, including heatwaves, drought, sea-level rise, extreme climate and weather events, coastal flooding, and wildfires.

Chris Bowers (2021, June 28). Germany Softens Resistance to Stricter Car CO2 Targets. Retrieved 2021, August, 8, from www.transportenvironment.org/news/germany-softens-resistance-stricter-car-co2-targets.

This article focuses on Germany’s new regulations on CO2 emissions from cars. The regulation marks a change in tone and policy from the German government, which historically has been soft on car regulations to protect the industry. The article also argues there is an economic benefit for the industry if they switch to electric vehicles. The story mentions a report by Transport and Environment on Europe’s car production data that suggests gains from German EV production will outweigh the decline in diesel and petrol as Germany becomes a hub for batteries and EV production. They calculate that 37% of all EVs in Europe will be produced in Germany by 2030. 

This article focuses on ways to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming. The article is clearly related to environmental science by exploring the multitude of facets that contribute to climate change and offering direct solutions in the form of regulations. I enjoyed reading this article because it focused on German public policy and its ramifications in Europe, completely different from what I was reading prior. Furthermore, the fact that the government is willing to completely shift stances on an issue with this large economic impact to mitigate climate change is incredible progress.

David Nutt (2021, July 12). Transportation innovations could boost public health. Retrieved August, 8, 2021, from https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/07/transportation-innovations-could-boost-public-health

This article summarizes a study by Cornell students called “Shared Use of Electric Autonomous Vehicles: Air Quality and Health Impacts of Future Mobility in the United States,” and illuminates the main points. They built an integrated assessment system that included a technical-economic mobility model, a chemical transport model, and a health impact assessment tool. They projected vehicle stocks; distance traveled, energy usage, and carbon dioxide emissions in the continental U.S. through 2050. Finally, they quantified the impacts of changing emissions on concentrations of particulate matter in the atmosphere, as well as the ensuing health and economic benefits of populations in 10 major metropolitan areas. The results were auspicious and showed that by 2050, the innovations tested in the study could potentially “slash petroleum consumption by 50% and carbon dioxide emissions by 75% while simultaneously preventing 5,500 premature deaths, with an annual savings of $58 billion.”

The article is directly related to environmental science because the researchers discovered ways to utilize E.S to find solutions to the increasing amount of carbon in the atmosphere. The report claims that Environmental science was one of the core understandings in their transdisciplinary approach. I think the article did an excellent job introducing a detailed and specialized academic study in an understandable manner. Furthermore, the study’s transdisciplinary approach allowed them to encompass many factors leading to better, encouraging results. 

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine. (2021, August 5). Retrieved August, 8, 2021, from https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2021/08/environmental-resilience-of-transportation-infrastructure-should-be-assessed-for-all-federally-funded-projects-says-new-report

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine asserts that Congress should consider requiring all candidates for federal funding to undergo resilience assessments to account for natural hazards and the changing risks stemming from climate change. This mandate will ensure routine and deliberate attention to resilience in transportation investments. The article further extrapolates on the point stating, “the U.S. Department of Transportation should promote the inclusion of resilience benefits into its benefit-cost analysis (BCA) for project justifications.” An analytic framework incorporating detailed inventories of existing and planned assets, such as roads, runways, bdridges, docks, and rail lines, offers further protection from environmental degradation.

The article offers insight on the political side of both transportation and how environmental policy is enacted in the United States. The report indicates that protecting transportation from environmental harm and ensuring publicly subsidized public transport does not contribute to these harms is a priority for the administration. I think the article did an exemplary job highlighting the critical aspects of the report and offering explanations for their impact. It was also encouraging to see the emphasis on a data-based, analytical approach the government was taking to ensure maximum efficacy. This approach helps dilute bias and human error, offering a greater holistic benefit.