Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑Jul 1, 2024

Hot take: if you can choose between an #ebike and a car, of course take the bike.

However if your choice is between a regular bike and an e-bike the former is much more environmentally friendly.

In short, biking become less and less environmentally friendly the more regular bikes get replaced with e-bikes and e-scooters.

#climatechange #environment #biking

Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024
@WhyNotZoidberg Hotter take: An ebike motor and battery is probably more efficient than the extra caloric burn from cycling an analog bike, given the typical Western diet.
Show thread Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑Jul 1, 2024
@prestontumber not even close.
Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024
@WhyNotZoidberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW5b8_KBtT8
Show thread Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑Jul 1, 2024

@prestontumber compared to normal bikes? Yes they are worse. I don't think anyone can argue that the combination of mining, electricity for charging (that might come from coal or oil plants, at that) isn't worse than a theoretical half a burger or whatever. That said unless your dietary needs are way off you actually don't eat more, you just lose some weight.

Also this video is made by an e-bike manufacturer.

Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024

@WhyNotZoidberg

I wonder if you actually watched the video, because - unless I'm mistaking this for a different analysis of ebikes I've watched - they mention the issues with mining and manufacturing. That said, these amounts are absolutely *miniscule*, especially the charging.

Show thread Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑Jul 1, 2024
@prestontumber and again that video is made in cooperation with an e-bike manufacturer
Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024
@WhyNotZoidberg Made by, or in cooperation with?
Show thread Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑Jul 1, 2024
@prestontumber cooperation with. Aka part of the production.
Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024
@WhyNotZoidberg Before you said "made by". Looking at the rest of the thread, it sounds like other people have tried to point out with more robust sources that your gut feeling on ebikes being *much* more inefficient than regular cycling is incorrect, either in totality or degree, so I won't waste time arguing over a YouTube video.
Show threadPreston Is Not My Real NameJul 1, 2024
@WhyNotZoidberg
I think there's some left-wing anhedonia going on here. I agree that we can't consume our way out of climate change, but that doesn't mean it's bad for people to enjoy fun things that are generally climate-friendly.
Show threadPreston Is Not My Real Name
@WhyNotZoidberg Even if we grant your premise that ebikes cannot possibly be more efficient than regular ones, replacing every single analog bike with an electric one would represent a rounding error on a rounding error on a rounding error in terms of global emissions. If those ebikes also displace some car trips, we quickly get back into the black.
Jul 1, 2024 at 2:16pmWeb