#HTE

Since its Earth Week, we’re highlighting possible solutions to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate global warming. Today, we’re focusing on environmentally-conscious transportation since our combined movement accounts for roughly 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As we look to a future where the movement of goods, vehicles, and ourselves will only continue to increase, we must consider how we can get around more thoughtfully. To put it simply — walk or bike when you can, drive electric, and fly less.

The Bicycle Snake, or Cykelslangen, is a 656-foot long (200 m) ramp in bike-friendly Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built to replace a large staircase, allowing cyclists (roughly 12,500 each day) to easily and safely navigate through the city. One study estimated the European Union could cut its transport greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every country’s cycling rate was the same as Denmark’s.

The Tesla Gigafactory is a lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle factory in Sparks, Nevada. The percentage of electric vehicles on the road has risen sharply in recent years as more car manufacturers have prioritized adding battery-powered options that produce significantly less emissions over the life of the car. When the Gigafactory operates at peak capacity, it produces more lithium-ion batteries in a year than the total amount produced in the entire world in 2013.

The DevLoop test site outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, was constructed to test the aerodynamics of the Hyperloop — a futuristic mode of passenger and/or freight transport that operates through sealed vacuum tubes pushing pods of air resistance or friction at high speeds. The Hyperloop would allow for travel faster than some short-haul flights, thereby significantly reducing emissions for individuals or goods traveling these distances.

Source imagery: VisitCopenhagen / Maxar