Carbon Guilt...

Let's face it, we all like to boost about our efforts in being environmentally friendly whenever we are asked about the issue...i mean, that's the fad right now isn't?

Few will admit outright that their lifestyles have little consideration for preservation...but we all know that the truth is usually quite the contrary...

Don't be offended; I'm no saint neither. Actually, I'm quite lazy in terms of being 'green' as well, the most i'm doing is to avoid using plastic bag whenever possible; In fact, i usually gets pretty annoyed by people who use the green card all the time to make everyone feel guilty... "oh you are not recycling that?!?" A friend asked.

"No, because there's no comprehensive recycling system implemented by our government and there're no recycle collection bin by a mile within where I live, I can't be ass-bothered to carry this coke bottle to a station in god-knows where..." I answered.The conversation usually turns sour after that...But yesterday, while i was driving along the Victorian harbor in Hong Kong (yes, i'm a driver of a gasoline-combustion engine vehicle, that makes me doubly guilty) and saw the smog that was incubating all around us...it really made me feel sick and claustrophobic...

Everyone who have spend time here in Hong Kong understand the extend of the pollution problem, but yesterday was just uncanny, the road side stations recorded the highest ever air pollution index of 202 in the city's history (201-300 being purple, which means that the air is VERY unhealthy), and combined that with 37degrees Celsius in some area, it could really kill someone. I simply could not make out the Kowloon pennisula while on the HK harbor side...

Now seeing the smog and the road side construction worker, who was standing by my car while I was stopped at a red light, nearly falling from heat stroke, I was hit with a pang of carbon guilt.

Carbon guilt is a new word I learned which means, quite literally, the feeling of guilt for producing too much carbon, from driving or taking the plane. When I first heard of the term, me and my friends kinda laughed at it, we felt that only those who are in the green party and other green crusading organization will actually feel it. I've heard of carbon footprint, but i've never met anyone who have really calculated their carbon footprint per week or per month, not even the few righteous green-minded friends who have condemed me.

Before getting my current car a year ago, I was quite fed up with the whole oil issue and did some research in alternative fuel vehicles. I found that the industry is nowhere being mature and convenient enough for the average person to switch over from traditional gasoline-runned cars. Hydrogen cell fuel uses more energy to produce than gasoline itself, therefore not exactly energy efficient, and electrical cars are just impractical for us in Hong Kong since most of us lack the luxury of having a garage which could charge up the car overnight. And on top of that, coal is used in most of the power plant to produce energy, switching all the cars from gasoline to electric engine will only shoot up the demand for electric energy, which doesn't help matter much neither. Of course, some will recommend the hybrid, but I really don't find the point, because if I switch, I want it to have nothing whatsoever to do with gasoline. I'm quite stubborn like that...

However, the most important issue in regards to alternative fuel automobiles ever being able to see mass-producition is, unlucky for us, the complex political, economical and social interests that loom behind the megalith oil businesses and all sorts of dfferent lobby groups that revolve around it. I simply don't believe that we lacked the technology and will to develop a new sustainable energy vehicle system, but the truth is, many people are making ridiculous amount of money in our current fossil fuel system that they just refuse to give up something so good.

I'm no expert on the issue, but one should be able to see the role oil played in the world events ever since the oil shortage that shocked the world in the 70's. I mean, let's not forget that several prominent members in the Bush adminstration have been former executives and board members of the oil and car companies. And of course, the Bush family itself are in the oil business...

Recently I watched a really good documentary film, Who killed the Electric Car?. The film chronicles several successful production of electric cars, particularly the GM EV1, and what roles the car manufacturers, politicians, oil industry, consumers and other lobby groups played in repressing the development and adoption of this technology. Do watch it if you're interested on the issue, and hopefully it will open your eyes on what these companies or government are capable of...   If you're an optimist, yes, time have changed and people in general are more aware of the problem. There are a lot of people out there doing the right thing, researching and developing new products that are not the best yet, but at least of a lesser evil. I heard that the people in San Francisco are doing a real good job in cleaning up the city by converting a lot of the cars into electrically-runned and even a lot of the taxis are switching over to electric engine. My first response when I heard that was: Why can't we do that?? Well, I guess it takes real bold leadership and a progressive mind to carry through with something like that, qualities I sometimes suspect lacking in our government...

At last, for those of you who can't live without a car but are also keen on impressing others with your greeniness,  heard of the Tesla Roadster?? Apparently, this 100% electric car with 265hp are the hottest thing on the market right now, with owners ranging from George Clooney, Matt Damon, Will.i.am, and Larry Page of Google. It's not exactly your Mercedes new SL or SLK, but if you could afford a SL or SLK, why not buy the Tesla Roadster to try it out? Like i've said, it's the fad right now...

Let's hope the smog will clear out soon, I need a mask...

D....