Author: brigols

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Joffe, M. (2025, February 1). To fight climate change, micromobility is a better option than overpriced transit projects. CATO Institute. https://www.cato.org/commentary/fight-climate-change-micromobility-better-option-overpriced-transit-projects

 

 

          Micro Mobility in California is becoming more popular. Bikes, scooter, and skateboards could be a climate safe alternative to driving gas powered vehicles. The San Francisco Bay Area has almost the same population as New York City, but only has about one-tenth as many public transport riders. This has caused California to spend more money on infrastructure which takes a large amount of energy to complete. A solution to this problem is micro mobility. California encourages residents to use electric bikes or scooters, which use less space and energy than a Tesla Cyber Truck would. Also the convenience of these vehicles allow users to bring them on trains and take paths that cars wouldn’t be able to. In busy cities, scooters and bikes can get people to their destination quicker than cars, while emitting no carbon dioxide and taking up less space on the roads.

 

         I completely agree with the introduction of micro mobility. The difference in energy usage between gas powered cars and electric bikes/scooters is significant. I think California should provide incentives for people to switch to alternative transportation in order to increase the amount of bike and scooter users. More bikes on the road means more space in the cities, reducing congestion and road accidents. Overall I really support this movement in promoting micro mobility because it will reduce carbon emissions, increase public safety, and clear congestion on city streets.

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California, S. O. (2024, September 20). Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) | CALSTA. https://calsta.ca.gov/subject-areas/climate-action-plan

 

         California adopted the Climate Action Plan for Transportation infrastructure. They aim to improve public transportation by using energy efficient vehicles and infrastructure, while also improving public health and safety. By building off of executive orders signed by governor newsom in 2020, they created CAPTI 2.0 in February of 2025. This includes 14 new actions that are set to be completed, furthering the success of CAPTI’s climate change plan. The program will invest in sustainable infrastructure projects to maintain highways, roads, and bridges.

 

        Considering the success of CAPTI from 2020 to present day, I believe that this success will continue to help California become less carbon heavy. Transportation emissions are over 40% off all greenhouse gas emissions in California, and by July 2024, all 34 original actions were completed, resulting in significant changes to carbon emissions via transportation. Implementing new steps towards a cleaner climate isn’t just regulating exhaust emissions, it’s also changing the way we build roads and highways, using less greenhouse gases and water during construction.

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Reyes-Velarde, A. (2024, December 11). Polluted communities hold their breath as companies struggle with California’s diesel truck ban. CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/environment/2024/12/california-diesel-truck-ban-zero-emission/

 

 

          A recent California mandate has been established to ban diesel trucks because of emissions and health concerns. A man named Jose Ulloa has asthma and lung issues because of the amount of diesel trucks that drive in his neighborhood. Trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells were implemented but are no longer in action because of the high maintenance costs. The ban on diesel trucks will harm the trucking companies became alternative trucks are much more expensive. In 2036, no diesel or gas-powered trucks will be sold, and by 2042, all of them will be entirely taken off of the road. This brings hope to communities such as Jose’s, which have been suffering the effects of diesel trucks and will reduce carbon emissions significantly.

 

          Carbon-emitting vehicles don’t just have an effect on the environment but on human health too. I agree with the ban on diesel trucks, hearing Jose’s story made me feel sorry for him. His lung health being compromised by big trucking companies is unfair. Along with the health benefits of this ban, the amount of carbon emitted will significantly decrease once trucking companies go electric. The amount of gas it takes to power a heavy truck is a lot more than what it takes to power a car, and these trucks are constantly driving long distances every day. Because the trucking companies will suffer economic losses from this ban, the government should provide an incentive or reward these companies for going electric.

 

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Southwest Airlines. (January, 2025). Southwest Airlines climate Advocacy. https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/~/media/Files/S/Southwest-IR/2025-climate-advocacy.pdf

Southwest Airlines. (January, 2025). Southwest Airlines climate Advocacy. https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/~/media/Files/S/Southwest-IR/2025-climate-advocacy.pdf

 

         Southwest Airlines at SFO is trying to become carbon neutral by 2050. They are currently requesting government funding in order to improve technology for more efficient planes. The planes aren’t the only carbon emitting problems at the airport; the vehicles moving luggage, maintenance vehicles, and other gas-powered machines are contributing to carbon emissions. Southwestern is actively replacing these ground vehicles with electric alternatives. They are also reducing single-use plastics during flights, replacing them with eco-friendly materials, and giving out fewer products with waste.

 

          I find it surprising that a huge airline company cares about carbon emissions. I would think they only care about making money, but that is most likely the reason for wanting government aid to switch to these carbon-neutral alternatives. Airplanes emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Making planes more efficient would greatly impact the rate of climate change. I think the government should offer all airlines an incentive to switch like southwestern is doing. Or, instead of paying them, the government should implement new policies that limit the amount of carbon emissions from planes, such as a carbon cap, that would prohibit a single airline from emitting a certain amount of carbon dioxide each year.

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Lazo, A. (2025, February 8). California’s surge in EV sales has stalled — so what happens to its landmark mandate? CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2025/02/electric-car-sales-stall-california/

 

 

          In the past three years, electric vehicle sales in California have increased almost exponentially. In 2024, though, only 25.3% of vehicles sold were electric. A whole quarter of all sales being electric may seem like a good thing, but compared to 2023, it had only gone up by 0.3%. The stagnant sales of electric vehicles are worrying because, by 2035, the sale of gasoline vehicles will be prohibited. The reason for this stall is that car manufacturers have made electric cars extremely accessible, so the people who wanted to make the change already have. There are plenty of electric car models on the market that are reasonably priced, some being cheaper than a lot of gasoline-powered cars. Overall, this stall in sales is a threat to the 2035 promise of prohibiting all gasoline-powered vehicles. 

 

          This is surprising to me because electric car sales have been exponentially increasing these last few years, and I see more Teslas than ever. If sales continue to stay where they are, the amount of carbon emissions will continue to increase. Car manufacturers that haven’t come out with electric cars need to start releasing EV production lines. I think EV sales will increase in the coming years as car brands will have to comply with the 2035 promise. Because we are still early in the EV scene, this setback will not have a detrimental impact on the needed growth of EVs. In the meantime, we should be focusing on improving public transportation in order to transport and promote carpooling in order to be more energy efficient with our vehicles.

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Luxury Cars Becoming More Eco-Friendly

Shilling, E. (2024, March 25). From vegan leather to silence: How luxury cars are becoming more eco-conscious from the inside out. Robb Report. https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/future-luxury-evs-bamboo-denim-sustainable-materials-1235555478/

BMW revealed a new concept car, the Vision Neue Klasse, a luxury sedan that aims to be more eco-conscious. On the inside, the car uses recycled marine plastic that is fossil fuel and petroleum free to create the center console and dashboard. There is also improved aerodynamics to increase range, using less electricity to go farther. The choice of materials is made to be recycled, looking ahead to when the car is no longer working and needs to be disposed of. This is part of a new look that BMW wants their customers to not only drive fast and feel comfortable but also feel good about their purchase being environmentally friendly.

Using recycled materials from the ocean helps clean up the ocean and also allows it to be recycled again after its lifetime. Electric cars are going to replace gas cars in the future and making them even more environmentally friendly is another step in the right direction. I think BMW is awesome for this because it shows how a car can still be fast, fun, and comfortable without using fossil fuels or emitting carbon dioxide. If this is just a concept, I wonder if all of their cars after this will include the same features, otherwise it would be a disappointment to do it one time and then continue using fossil fuels.

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Positive Effects of Carpooling

ones, P. (2024a, January 5). The power of carpooling: Saving money and the environment. Green For Life. https://greenforlife.com/2024/01/05/carpooling-for-environmental-benefits/#:~:text=By%20consolidating%20trips%2C%20carpooling%20reduces%20the%20number%20of,idling%20time%20and%20thus%20reducing%20overall%20pollution%20levels.


Carpooling is a great way to save money on transportation. Fitting multiple people into one car can dramatically reduce fuel prices depending on how many people there are. Sharing one car also reduces the price of actually buying it if you plan on sharing the car for a long period of time. Carpooling also allows you to access the HOV lanes, all over the US which saves you a lot of time, where you would otherwise have to be stuck in traffic. Carpooling also reduces the wear and tear of the group’s vehicles, switching off driving splits up the total amount of miles driven which can benefit you in the long run when trying to maintain your vehicle’s value.

Carpooling has a positive effect on the environment because rather than every person driving their own car emitting carbon dioxide separately, you are able to use a singular car that emits less carbon dioxide than three or four cars do. I think carpooling is a great idea and my friends and I always do this. We all like to save money on gas so it benefits all of us. The only problem is figuring out whose turn it is to drive because each trip is a different length and sometimes there can be arguments.

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Electric Bikes Instead of Gas Cars

Eloff, H. (2024, February 7). The car is no longer king, long live the electric and cargo bike. Discerning Cyclist. https://discerningcyclist.com/cycling-trends-2024/


More than half of the US’s population lives in urban areas, which is more than it was in 1950 at only one-third. By 2050, it is estimated to be around two-thirds of the population. This means streets are more congested with cars and other vehicles like buses. Soon cities will have to adapt to these crowded streets. Bicycles are the future of transportation because of their environmental benefits and because they will be easier to maneuver around packed streets and can even be faster than driving a car due to heavy traffic. Electric bikes will also be helpful, with no emissions and allowing you to get around without pedaling.

Because bikes do not emit carbon dioxide, they are not harmful to the environment. Replacing bikes with cars in big cities can help reduce carbon emissions that would otherwise be damaging the environment. I like this idea because biking is fun and a good way to get exercise. Also, bikes are much cheaper to purchase and maintain than any car would be. Since cities are jam-packed with buildings, most of the time where you need to go is only a couple of miles away, which is easily doable. I don’t think we should completely replace cars with bikes but it would help the environment.

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Rise of Electric Vehicle Sales

Banta, S. (2024, July 3). How electric vehicles could affect state transportation budgets. The Pew Charitable Trusts. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/03/how-electric-vehicles-could-affect-state-transportation-budgets

Electric car sales are increasing because of federal and state incentives and the newly found appeal in electric vehicles, most being luxurious and quick. Electric cars make up 1.3% of all registered vehicles in the US; Despite being a low percentage, the rate is increasing yearly. By the end of 2023, 9% of all vehicle sales that year were electric. Compared to 2020, which was only 2%. Because of this serious increase in sales, electric cars are going to take over the streets, eventually becoming more common than gas vehicles.

Gas cars are the second most polluting form of transportation other than planes, which contributes a ton towards climate change and ecosystem damage. The Mining of lithium batteries also takes fossil fuel, so I wonder what the difference in emissions is between driving a gas car compared to an electric one with a lithium battery. I was surprised that it isnt a higher percentage of electric cars because I see them all the time in the Bay Area. That is probably because we are in Silicon Valley, but I still didn’t realize the difference between here and other cities in the US.

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Decarbonizing School Buses

arayan, R. (2024, January 9). Why decarbonizing US city transit begins with school buses. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/why-decarbonizing-city-transit-begins-with-school-buses/

Millions of students in the US ride the bus to school and school transportation is the second most carbon emitting transportation, other than airplanes. 90% of school buses are diesel, which produce 13% more carbon dioxide into the air per liter than traditional gasoline engines. Diesel fumes can cause asthma and reduce rates of academic performance in children. In January 2024, 280 school districts electrified school buses, hopefully creating a ripple effect encouraging other schools to make the same change.

This article explains the effects of diesel buses on the environment. CO2 in the atmosphere causes damage to ecosystems like coral reefs and forests. This negatively affects the organisms living in those areas. My reaction to this article is that I was surprised about the total emissions from school buses and it made me realize how many kids actually ride buses to school. It also made me think about how school buses are able to take many more kids than a single vehicle, so I think the kids who are getting driven in a regular car should consider taking the bus, even if it’s not an electric one.