The electric car as a talisman of false hope
His argument distills to: solve it all-at-once, or don’t solve it at all.<p>This is an uninteresting and uninspiring line of thinking that ignores the nature of socially dynamic systems which don’t exist in a world of instantaneous cause-and-effect.<p>His conclusion states that electric cars make a difference, but they don’t make a <i>real</i> difference: “I do think they can slightly reduce unsustainability” but “by switching from a regular car to electric I might think that I am making a real difference”.<p>I’m sorry that the author doesn’t consider a <i>real</i> reduction in emissions a <i>real</i> difference.<p>Look, it’s simple, climate change will require a concerted effort to change in multiple markets across multiple arenas. And the solutions are not mutually exclusive. People that buy electric cars to help the environment or become vegetarian, are probably <i>more</i> likely to make additional changes in their life, and persuade others to make changes as well, to reduce emissions.<p>Most people arrive at the decision to purchase an electric vehicle exactly because they are questioning their way of life. Electric vehicles are not a talisman of false hope, they’re a singular step in the right direction.