The Real Carbon Footprint of Electric Cars: Part 3

Environmental Consequences

The environmental consequences associated with electric cars are astounding and are never fully explained to the public.

Instead, those in favor of electric cars have used generic words that downplay the severity of these consequences.

Surface Mine Waste Reservoirs

Surface mine waste reservoirs are a scar on the land and in some cases, they leak very toxic chemicals into our water systems and land environments (see here).

Figure 1 is a photo of a surface mine waste reservoir. These reservoirs store pieces of rock that had minerals and metals extracted from them.

Figure 1. Surface Land Mine rock waste reservoir (public Domain).

Restoration

Restoring a mined area to its original state typically takes at least four years (Figure 2), a process pushed by environmentalists to clean up and return the lands to their original state.

When completed it represents the last step in an open pit mine’s existence. However, this restoration process uses monster trucks, graders, tons of new soil, planting of vegetation, etc. The restoration effort has an enormous carbon footprint.

Figure 2. Restoration of a surface mine in Britain. (via Wikipedia Commons). Click to enlarge.

Summary

The real carbon footprint of electric cars is far greater than portrayed by research studies, government entities, and the media.

This is because they only take into account a few of the steps needed to build an electric car.

When adding all the carbon footprint values of each step together, it turns out that electric cars have a greater carbon footprint than gasoline cars.

Biography

James Edward Kamis is a retired geologist with 47 years of experience, a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Northern Illinois University (1973), and a Master of Science degree in Geology from Idaho State University (1976).

  1. More than 46 years of research have convinced him that geological forces significantly influence, or in some cases completely control climate and climate-related events as per his Plate Climatology Theory. Kamis’ new book, Geological Impacts on Climate, is available now.

See more here Climate Dispatch

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Comments (3)

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    VOWG

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    They can’t be built without fossil fuels, not much more discussion to be had.

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    John V

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    • Avatar

      John V

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      I remember either this year or last year, either at a congressional meeting or something like that about the carbon tax or NetZero or something, he asked the person being interviewed to build a automobile without fossil fuels. Basically using only alternative energy. Obviously, it can’t be done. Mic drop!

      Reply

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