@Gurre I think as we move into a world where wasting energy, materials will carry greater prices, hazards we will need slower standards. This whole “new device every year” economy isn’t sustainable. It isn’t even fun or amusing anymore. If we do the right thing hardware changes will slow. We never are forced to learn to maximize a system before a new one replaces it. What if we tried that?

Inductive tech has a place but it will never be as fast as copper.

@Gurre

USB-C! USB-C for 100 years!!

I can plug in a lamp made in the 1920s and it works! What happened to that??
🔌 💡

@futurebird @Gurre So, I work in the electric vehicle world (EV Journalist) and I've got to say I'm getting very fed up with the constant charging standard changes in the EV world...

The constant standards change *seems* to come from companies wanting an edge over the competition, but it's leading to obsolescence at a scary rate. Neither sustainable nor equitable.

The *smart* way to use technology going forward is to reward companies that provide long life and support for their products well beyond their original production life-cycle.

#RightToRepair #OpenSource both play a part, but we also need legislators to get on to the side of #SustainableManufacturing.

As to your lamp? Yes, you can plug in and it works - but you can ALSO upgrade it to have a better, more efficient lamp, or replace parts as they fail to keep it safe, and functional.

We don't have that right now with the majority of tech or automotive products :(

@Aminorjourney @futurebird @Gurre Well, the @EU_Commission saw that shit long enough and then decided to make the #Type2 connector mandatory for good...

Personally, I expect #BatteryElectric vehicles to die out in favour of #Methanol #FuelCell #ElectricVehicles simply because #Lithium and #Cobalt are #BloodMinerals and should be avoided since they can't be effectively recycled anyway ...

@Aminorjourney @futurebird @Gurre @EU_Commission

Espechally once the #EconomiesOfScale that #GasStations have will bring #Methanol prices down and availability up.

Noone's gonna "fast-charge" for 30+ min unless they travel or rather commute so little they should not have demand for a car to begin with...

@kkarhan @futurebird @Gurre @EU_Commission We DO need to decarbonise our transportation rapidly. That means we DO need to end use of the internal combustion engine.

However, that also means we need to:

1) Invest in affordable, clean, reliable mass transit (most people live in urban and suburban areas)
2) Incentivise home-working and remote working as a normal, acceptable way to work. Splitting time between home and an office is also a great half-way house that can reduce pollution and eliminate commuting needs.
3) Invest in more safe cycle paths and remove stigma around micromobility.
4) Design multi-modal travel that allow easier commutes using multiple different types of travel.
5) Incentivise car clubs for longer-distance needs.
6) Expect automakers provide third-party access to EV parts specs and repair procedures AFTER they no-longer make the model (as we often see with ICE vehicles) so replacement parts and after-sales service can remain affordable and easy-to-obtain.

(cont.)

@kkarhan @futurebird @Gurre @EU_Commission

I’ve been driving electric since 2006. My first electric car was £2,000 and I've owned many since. I rarely need to fast charge, even though I live 35 miles from my nearest big city. That's more than most people *need* to drive in a day, and for context, I just did a 29-mile electric bicycle ride the other day...

CarCulture in the US is very different to Europe, (and one of the reasons I miss living in Europe). But with the right incentives and policies, I think it's possible to make a switch.