I noticed that NYC has taken the step to making their taxi more green, so why not....?

Question

So why not make all transportation (public or private) green and more dependent on alternative fuels? Think about it, we can have green buses (handicapped accessible included), green trains, green ferries, green cruise ships, etc. And why not make every currently gas powered transportation green no matter the size? Why not have a green limo?

I know it costs money, any major change costs money. But in the long run don't you think a green society is better off? Even if that means you lose some other type of green?

Answer 1

better idea. lets have every cities taxis powered by people pedaling on a tricycle around (like they do in New York City) carbon emissions:zero

Answer 2

There are a few simple reasons.

First is cost. How much are you willing to pay to have all of those green technologies? I can tell you that the cost will be in the billions at least to implement all of it, and likely more. This is why the government likes to do things like tax gasoline, so that they can influence buying habits, as opposed to making large purchases with taxpayer money.

Second is one of freedom. by "making it all green," you are essentially telling people what to buy at gunpoint, as this is the ad absurdum effect of what is being asked. Once again, that's why govt. and various organizations try to influence buying habits instead of force them. It's also why there are, for example, tax breaks instead of laws in regards to green vehicles.

Third is the problem of technology. I am very familiar with this, as I am a scientist whose research interest is alternative energy and materials. I can tell you that making things green is not akin to flipping on a light switch. It takes years of research followed by years of development. Of course, in the short time I've done research I have seen a few things get off the ground, so they are coming down the line, but it takes time.

One thing you could do is start picking up industry magazines that deal with energy, and start reading them to get an inside view on what industry is doing, and what needs to be done to get some new things moved down the line.

Answer 3

It may well happen but it will need to be cost effective. In my state the Natural Gas company has been running its service vehicles on natural gas for over a decade. Since they are natural gas it is cost effective for them.

Without cost effectiveness, fares will be prohibitively high. That would make people tend to use their own cars instead of public transportation, defeating the purpose.

As far as trains go, they are either diesel or electric already. Cruise ships and ferries are also diesel or diesel electric now.

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Answer 4

Oil companies pay a lot of money to make sure that politicians support their best interests, and that the auto industry continues to produce oil and gas-dependant cars. There is a lot of lobbying that goes on behind the scenes that most of us have no idea about, and if we were to switch to greener technology, which is a lot better for the environment, we would lose our dependency on oil and they would lose business. Besides, it takes action to make this happen, its sad, but nobody is willing to do the work to set it all in motion.
In my opinion, they won't take action until it's too late :(

Answer 5

It all costs money. Having stuff like 'green trains' would probably result in charging the commuter more which will anger all the commuters.