Automobile? The Main Source of Pollution? Essay

Innovation and creativity, these argon the very benchmarks that pave the representation in producing new technology that governs the very lives of our hereafter. But the question is, is it doing more(prenominal) than(prenominal) harm than inviolable to inn? To verify the nature and essence of this query, I will be inquiring and delving into the world of automobiles and motorcycles. On one(a) hand, I balance the modern wonders that craft the very definitions of convenience and comfort. While on the other, I keep back the unfathomable realities that draw the line between useful and harmful. Therefore, let it be stated that I know come to an understanding that both automobiles and motorcycles pose a substantial threat the world is constantly ignoring. In probing this discussion, I will begin by first illustrating the statistics on ownership of automobiles and motorcycles made in the United States. Then, I shall be focusing on the comparison between the subjects and issues that society deals with regard to automobiles and motorcycles by citing some examples in Southeast Asia. Lastly, I will emphasize the known facts and matters that give impact on the current view of automobiles in the society. To start with, it is acknowledged that present ownership of the automobiles is increasing day by day.According to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics for 2004 there are a total of 243,023,485 registered passenger vehicles in the U.S. of which 136,430,651 (56.13%) are classified as automobiles. While 91,845,327 (37.79%) are classified under 2 axles and 4 deteriorate vehicles, presumably SUVs and pick-up trucks. Yet a nonher 6,161,028 (2.53%) are classified as vehicles with 2 axles and 6 tires and 2,010,335 (0.82%) are classified as trucks in combination. In addition to that, there are approximately 5,780,870 motorcycles in the U.S. in 2004, which accounts for 2.37% of all registered passenger vehicles. With the increasing number of automobiles yearly, there is a p lan to see an effective dash of reducing the emissions from cars through hybrids, diesel and other form of technology. Recent studies show that automobile emissions are not as bad as motorcycles emissions. Usually, motorcycles are not the major form of transportations in developed countries. Astonishingly, the Ameri idler Chemical Society reports that motorcycles collectively emit 16 times more hydro vitamin Cs, three times more carbon monoxide and a disproportionately high amount of other shine pollutants compared to passenger cars ( erudition Daily, 2008). The study, by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and explore, has found both two- and four-cycle motorcycle engines emitted significantly more of these pollutants than automobile engines.Given this data, we can now see the ineffectiveness of motorcycles. Given the sitting capacity of a car compared to a motorcycle, a car is able to hold twice as much sitting capacity compared to motorcycles. In ontogenesis countries such as Indonesia, the number of motorcycles is overwhelming compared to the number of automobiles. Being born in Surabaya, Indonesia, I hand witnessed some of the worst air pollution that I name ever encountered. It has been so bad to an point that I can see dust on my front porch every ten minutes upon imbibe it clean Although, there hire been seen steps taken to reduce the emissions in automobiles, regulations has been a bit late(a) for motorcycles. This does not take into account the other subjects related to pollution such as air contamination, piss contamination, soil contamination, and solid waste mishandling ( L. Gari, 475 488).Unlike automobile emissions that have been regulated only after 1970s, the motorcycle emissions have only been regulated only after 1999. This technological advancement has made motorcycles slight harmful to the environment. Thus, future bikes may have emissions from new motorcycles at a same level of emissions as cars. For example, the 1000cc Suzuki V-Strom produced in 2002, outfit with a regulated catalyzer, oxygen sensor and fuel injection, complies with 2003 emissions limits and is very close to the 2006 ones (Motorcycle Emission, 2008).It is also said that they have reduced 60% of the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons emissions of new four-stroke bikes produced from the 1st April 2003 and reinforcing it on 1st January 2006. This will in construction apply a further 50% reduction compared to the 2003 limits. Two-stroke engines will see their emissions output reduce by 30% for carbon oxide and 70% for hydrocarbons. Hopefully, motorcycles will have low level of oxides of atomic number 7 and limits will extend the same for 2003 giving the time for the industry to achieve more drastic nitrogen oxide measures for 2006. With this at hand, Indonesia air pollution would be drastically reduced. Automobiles and motorcycles affect our environment and push them into critical conditions. There are flush unusual emi ssions that are produced in the atmosphere (Beychok, 29 36). Pollutants from automobiles are the major causes for green house effectuate and other environmental pollutions. Although Bangkok is praised with their three-wheeled vehicles whose name comes from the sputtering sound produced by their horribly polluting two-stroke engines, tuk-tuks front like beat-up golf carts with roofs and backseats and function as inner-city taxis (Hertsgaard, 1999).Unfortunately, tuk-tuks and motorbikes, in terms of mobility, are undercut by their abnormal tailpipe exhaust that burn a fuel that is part gasoline, part benzene. Benzene of melt causes crabby person and each flick of a drivers wrist sends thick puffs of bluish-white smoke into the already dope up like air (Hertsgaard, 1999). Though the presence of tuk-tuks created many jobs as a tuk-tuk driver for the people in Bangkok, it also cost them their health as prolong breathing of benzene causes cancer. Nowa geezerhood, diesel cars are sp eckless than the petrol cars. Modern technologies have been applied in order to reduce the level of emission from cars. For example, carbon dioxide emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption, and as diesel cars use 30 to 40% less fuel and they emit 30 to 40% less carbon dioxide than petrol cars (Vasic and Weilenmann, 149 154). On the other hand, innate(p) gas and LPG cars are actually quite fuel inefficient, if otherwise cleaner burning, and so produce more CO2 than diesel. diesel engines produce virtually no carbon monoxide. Emissions of nitrous oxides can be in effect reduced in both petrol and diesel cars by use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). EGR reduces the flame temperature to below the point where nitrogen effectively burns. Hydrocarbon emissions are contained in petrol engine emissions much more than in diesel engine emissions. Benzene is also present in the fumes which can be smelt when filling up with petrol at a service station however this is not a pr oblem with diesel. Personally, I unanimously feel that it is necessary for everyone to get a car since it has a viable use in the lives of ordinary men and women. Moreover, cars have been viewed as a twentieth-century technology (Hertsgaard, 1999). Since the fraud of automobiles, more and more industries associated with it have begun to expand. This in turn provides enormous employment opportunities to the people.With that, countries such as Thailand, china and Bangkok have soon started to welcome foreign automobile industries to invest in order to boost their economic progress. wholeness great example of this particular event is the success story of Thailand. Over the early(prenominal) two decades, Thailands per capita income in 1991 was U.S$ 1,570a stunning six fold increase over the 1971 phase of U.S$271 making Thailand an apparent economic success story (Hertsgaard, 1999). With a sudden massive economic return in an automobile industry as have been seen, there comes a pr ice that everyone has to pay. In conclusion, not only automobiles emissions is held scapegoat to many people around the world for global heating system and the increase of greenhouse gases, certain factors such as the massive motorcycles emissions are also partly to blame. some(prenominal) the automobile and motorcycles affect our environment and push them into critical conditions such as the green house make and other environmental pollutions.Overall, I agree with Hertsgaard when he made a strong point that proponents of the car like to point out, as the Mobil Corporation did in a 1995 advertisement in the New York Times, that the cars and skies in the United States are much cleaner now than they were a quarter of a century agone(Hertsgaard, 1999). This statement he makes inspires the entire environmentalist out there that their efforts have not gone to a fault waste.WORKS CITEDScienceDaily.Amounts of Air Pollutants. March 21, 2008http//www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2006/01/06 0101155000.htmU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Automobile Emissions An Overview. August, 1994 1-5. 21 March, 2008http//www.epa.gov/OMS/consumer/05-autos.pdfBeychok, Milton R. (January 1987). A Database for Dioxin and Furan Emissions from turn down Incinerators. Atmospheric Environment 21 (1) 29-36Christi, The Truth About Diesel Emissions Freds Tdi Forum 21 March, 2008http//www.stealthtdi.com/Emissions.htmlResearch and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Estimated home(a) Average fomite Emissions Rates per Vehicle by Vehicle Type using Reformulated Gasoline and Diesel.U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Nov. 29, 2007. 21 March, 2008 .Hertsgaard , Mark . Earth Odyssey Around the military man in Search of Our Environmental Future . New York Broadway Books, 1999.Gari. Arabic Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of the Thirteenth Century, Environment and History 8 (4), 2002, pp. 475-488Motorcycle Emissions Bikes Go Greener. British Motorcyclists un ion 30 Sep, 2004.21 March, 2008 http//www.bmf.co.uk/pages/briefing_room_archive.php?fullstory=432Passenger Vehicles in the United States. Wikipedia 27 February 2008 21 March, 2008 .Vasic, Ana -Marija and Martin Weilenmann. Comparison of Real-World Emissions. Environmental Science&Technology 402006 149-154. 21 March, 2008 .Self-evaluation Upon starting this try out, I experienced several setbacks and challenges. It took me a total of 3 days of researching and 2 days to complete the analyse. The first thing which I did in this essay was the search for good source information for this research. This was hard as I have to be able to find data which preferably have a range of 10 years. Secondly, I read the Top Ten Tips on the transition and brilliant beginnings and I really can see myself being a better generator with it. The last and final step was for me to put all the information down and start writing followed by proofreading. For this research only managed to do a single draft an d I did not get the assistance of any body except the tools of Microsoft words such as its thesaurus and dictionary.I believe that my strong and insightful data on the emission outputs of automobiles and motorcycles are the strengths of my essay. In addition to that I believe that my essay is weak because of proofreading problems. One of the primary problems that I have with this essay was that I have to retype everything again imputable to a computer problem. The essay was supposed to be done on my lap top. However, it crashed and I am unable to backup my data causing me to lose come information that can help me with this essay. One thing that I would do next time is definitely to start earlier and have a visit to Dr Lankford office to ask him on his views on my current ideas for the essay. I would definitely rewrite this essay for the second time in hope to have at least a B+/- for this course as it depended on this essay.ReferencesVehicle ratios since 1990YearMotorvehiclesIncrea sein vehicles% Growth19901892+1.011991188-1-0.521992 one hundred ninety2+1.0619931944+2.1019941984+2.0619952024+2.0219962064+1.9819972084+1.9419982080+/-019992168+3.8420002182+0.9220012268+3.6620022304+1.7620032311+0.43All numbers in millionsSOURCE US Department of TransportationEstimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates per Vehicle by Vehicle Type using Reformulated Gasoline and Diesel (Grams per mile)1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007RFG (assuming 100% RFG) light-duty vehiclesExhaust HC1.451.281.151.040.970.840.760.680.620.550.470.410.38Nonexhaust HC0.890.870.860.840.820.640.630.610.590.570.540.510.47Total HC2.342.152.011.881.781.481.391.291.211.121.020.9210.852Exhaust CO22.7820.8419.4318.2517.2115.3614.6813.8813.1712.4911.449.819.29Exhaust NOx1.781.641.551.461.351.241.191.121.061.000.900.770.72DIESELLight-duty vehiclesExhaust HC0.770.790.810.810.820.800.760.730.730.600.580.480.36Exhaust CO1.691.731.761.781.791.781.751.731.741.591.571.411.21Exhaust NOx1.8 91.891.881.861.851.811.721.621.541.431.321.110.85KEYCO = carbon monoxide HC = hydrocarbon NOx = nitrogen oxide RFG = reformulated gasoline.SOURCEU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, personal communication, Nov. 29, 2007.