Tim McCormackOct 1, 2023

[EDIT: Ugh, this turns out to be wrong -- it's actually 78% of 11%. See page 89 of https://www.systemiq.earth/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BreakingThePlasticWave_MainReport.pdf -- misleading representation. 8.5% ain't nothing, but it's nothing like a majority. Thanks to those who replied to correct this!]

The good news: The majority of ocean microplastics come from one source, which means we could dramatically reduce their occurrence by focusing on just one solution.

The bad news: It's car tires. https://www.thedrive.com/news/tire-dust-makes-up-the-majority-of-ocean-microplastics-study-finds

Show threadThe TurtleOct 2, 2023
@timmc once again, it goes back to too-many-humans.
Show threadTed ReOct 2, 2023
@the_turtle @timmc no. Too many cars.
Show threadThe TurtleOct 2, 2023
@Tedre123 @timmc ...which of course are owned by humans and don't wander the streets by themselves...
Show threadTed ReOct 2, 2023
@the_turtle @timmc if you have quality transport options then you don't need to drive
Show threadThe Turtle
@Tedre123 @timmc but somebody does. You "take buses everywhere" people forget that buses don't go where people need them to go. Invent a damn time machine, go back 130 years and change history, but you can't take a bus or a train most places unless you can afford to waste an entire day doing it. I've timed in in place after place after place.
Oct 2, 2023 at 5:11pmWeb
Show threadTim McCormackOct 2, 2023
@the_turtle @Tedre123 Right, you'd have to invest a ton in public transit before it could replace cars. And that requires taking away infrastructure and funding for car-based transport, without an immediate replacement. So it has to either be done piecemeal, the way it largely happened with cars eating away at public transit, or in a big China-style "fuck you we're doing this" changeover that uh... gets stuff done, but can hurt a lot of people in the process. It's hard.
Show threadTim McCormackOct 2, 2023

@the_turtle @Tedre123 Trains are the most difficult option because they require huge infrastructure investment over a long time period.

Buses are kind of middle of the road; they can be deployed relatively quickly and routes can be adjusted as needed. Make them all free to ride and boarding gets *really* efficient and fast.

Separated bike lanes swing back to requiring actual removal of car infrastructure, but can be done fairly piecemeal. Less agile than adding buses, but bikes go *anywhere*.