Sunday, January 30, 2011

Metallic Taste In Mouth

automobile 125 years - a reason to celebrate?

The development of the automobile

On 29 January 1886 Carl Benz filed a patent that referred to a petrol engine-powered three-wheel cars. Usually it takes so this date as the starting point of the automotive development in the world, although almost the same time not only in Germany, which was then called German Empire, but also in other parts of the world, resourceful people on the idea came from their carriage a to make gasoline, gas engine or a steam engine drive.

Benz motor cars from 1888

Really advanced inventors were already experimenting in the early years of the automobile with the electric drive. But they were overtaken by the development of gasoline-powered carriages and finally suspended. The appropriate technology was simply not competitive. To date, little has changed in this state, nothing changed until that one after 125 years of development history can already be a bit thoughtful!

La Jamais Contente, an electric car, and the designer Camille
Jenatzki 1899

Did not want to or could not you? You may argue admirably, or agree that there was simply no incentive to develop efficient electric motors and batteries with the appropriate capacity. I say simply (and as I am aware of the impending attacks by supporters of "Free Market "well aware), under the conditions of the market, it is not to develop ecologically sound and environmentally friendly propulsion systems, as long as there are cheap fossil fuels!
Today this is no different. Investment in future-proof and environmentally friendly drive technologies are not as investments in the future considered, but as a burden, which reduces the shareholder value and that's why you invest only then in the development, which is to push the government to the corporations in the ass ready. The whole thing is (you know what you owe his PR and greenwashing ) is spiced up with a few euros from the company coffers (which is certainly to reduce tax on corporate profits effect), so that at least gives the appearance of self-interest. can
Now, after decades of government with development funds sponsored development of clean and alternative "powertrain technologies, one is still not much further than 125 years ago (the combustion Fossli energy is therefore clearly designate by the word of the year 2010 alternative as , at least from the perspective of the automotive companies).

BMW Hydrogen 7 from 2007

The development of hydrogen power, the BMW initially favored, was recruited, just so they could be re-absorbed by Daimler-Benz. On the market the electric drives is now prefers the hybrid drive, which dispenses with the internal combustion engine, but the car through the additional equipment is so heavy that the fuel economy of nearly canceled again! Especially the big SUV's from the Premiumsegmant will utilize this technology to its reputation as gas-guzzling road dinosaurs, or become metal automotive brain crack lose!
It appears that the automotive industry is not without sharp emissions requirements is willing to accents, free market of free markets here! No wonder the corporations do this with all the power of their lobbyists and with success. Everything, including the corporations could be moved are growing soft, "voluntary commitments" which are not binding! And governments did and took it back helpless.

The automobile infrastructure

used in the early years of automotive vehicles and wagons along those roads, which for centuries or even thousands of people joined the trade routes and selected cities and states.

-Saxon royal coach

Travelling on these roads was certainly no picnic, wind and weather were still many years the main enemies of the passengers and the cars were also due to their extremely high price one realtiv small, wealthy group of people notice. The mass took advantage of their rare trips to the time of the first cars already widely developed transport network of railways.
But over the years, the number of cars and thus the demand for fuel, oils and lubricants, and repair capabilities to the vulnerable technology everywhere. There were workshops and service stations. Around the vehicle began to develop a whole industry and after a short time, was the spoiled Autler (so the drivers were called back then on "Germany") be no more content to chug just the old routes behind the carts ago No, you asked for roads, because you wanted to step on the gas and have fun!
situation largely unchanged today. But instead of having fun, you stand today in a traffic jam because the road with traffic growth does not keep pace and at the same time we further develop the public transportation and long-distance traffic and freight traffic has systematically neglected in favor of the road!
million tonnes of fuel are blown through the traffic in the air! The particulate matter (not only from industrial plants) has increased enormously and contaminates the air in our cities! Motorways and trunk roads attract hundreds of meters wide, cuts through almost all countries of our Planet, thereby crossing for wildlife and therefore hardly a death trap for all of nature! The exhaust of the traffic to die, our forests, the noise makes us all sick because we can escape the traffic noise from almost any location. At night, cut the light beam of the xenon headlights, the darkness, cause animals to solidify and the cars are victims! People die in cars and bleed, and die on roads with broken bones and internal injuries after an accident!
But the car was not only the preferred means of transport for small or big trip. The development of the car also made sure that the armies of the new invention would benefit. Quick was recognized the potential of the car when it is armored and his chains were - the first tanks were and say I think I can, without the armor would be one of the main pillars of armed conflict, the lightning war of the Nazis, that they almost all of Europe forced under her whip, not have been possible!

Panzer IV of the Nazi Wehrmacht in 1940

There is no escape from the car and the road. But this is a reason to celebrate?

The consequences of car mania

power companies from cutting down the rainforest to "bio" fuel from huge plantations of monoculture . Win Maize and wheat plants in moves that it also produce "bio" fuel rather than as a bread or tortillas to feed the starving humanity! And the LCA is almost as crappy as that of gasoline or diesel from crude oil! So what's the point? As always, it's about profit for quick profit! It is no reason to celebrate 125 years automobile! But tell that to the automotive and energy companies, says to those who live by the automobile, especially where it says put in their oversized SUV to Sunday to get the bread from the nearest green bakery! They'll look just as blankly as their cars ...
It seems impossible to this dilemma to escape from environmental degradation, pollution, poverty, exploitation, violence, war and famine that brought the car and its development with them. In a globalized world, we can not do without a transport infrastructure and transport means by which we can bring goods from one place to another.
It would be totally illusory to want to pull back from this global network. But we can not ignore their global consequences as well longer. But exactly what the policy does, contrary to claims. Sustainability in the transport policy is nothing more than a mere lip service, because that ends where the lobbyists open their suitcase full of money! We can
do something about it, if we impose self-restraint, as we use bicycles, or even our own legs, if they carry our weight will still be able. It is open to us to buy local products and so personal cry for us to meet the globalization, our NO! We do not need apples and grapes from Chile, South Africa, at any time day or night and no matter whether it is spring, summer, autumn or winter. Just as we do not eat meat from animals that were flown by half the continent in order to slaughter them and then again by truck to bring it back. We need no roses from Kenya or Colombia, from workers in a fog insecticide harvested and approached by plane and truck carted to then buy at Aldi or Lidl for 1,99 € per bunch and throw after uwei days in the vase on the compost.
But if we believe, to leave the car, only to then have to fly drunk with the flat plane for 19,90 € for Malle to sangria, we are so stupid that we actually, the flash would have killed the shit when it even a trace of justice would be in the universe! But maybe they really happened even signs and wonders, I certainly will not stop believing in it!

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