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@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

CurtAdams

@CurtAdams@urbanists.social

Semi-retired biologist with interests in speciation models, urbanism, liberal/left politics, economics, quartertone music theory, boardgames, ambient music, house rabbits, and yoga.

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CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@Moonrise2473 @lgsp Too bad about the timing. If this had started right after an election the improvements would be done, and they could have locked in the fines by dropping other city taxes and making the city's budget depend on the fines.

ajsadauskas , to Fuck Cars
@ajsadauskas@aus.social avatar

Are microplastics from car tyres contributing to heart disease?

"Add one more likely culprit to the long list of known cardiovascular risk factors including red meat, butter, smoking and stress: microplastics.

"In a study released Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, an international team of physicians and researchers showed that surgical patients who had a build-up of micro and nanoplastics in their arterial plaque had a 2.1 times greater risk of nonfatal heart attack, nonfatal stroke or death from any cause in the three years post surgery than those who did not."

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-03-07/microplastics-may-be-risk-factor-for-cardiovascular-disease

The research is particularly noteworthy, given that one of the biggest sources of microplastic pollution is the synthetic rubber in car tyres: https://aus.social/@ajsadauskas/112015017609398126

So it's not just the sedentary lifestyles that car-dependent planning encourages that's causing health issues.

And it's not just exhaust fumes either.

There's also the health impacts of microplastics, including from car tyres.

Worth noting as well that internal documents from the big oil companies show that they knew since the 1970s that recycling wasn't going to solve the problem of plastic pollution. They promoted it anyway: https://aus.social/@ajsadauskas/112064312364853769

@fuck_cars

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@PowerCrazy @NotBillMurray You have to define "wear items" to include plastic packaging for that to be true. Probably also food and water processing as well, like plastic pipes.

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@PowerCrazy Actually plastic water bottles leave water they contain LOADED with microplastics:

https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1223730333/bottled-water-plastic-microplastic-nanoplastic-study

It's not out of the question that the significant health risks we're finding for ultraprocessed food are partly, or even mostly, from microplastics introduced in processing or storage.

Wear makes microplastic issues much worse, yes, but plastic is turning out to be quite bad enough even new.

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@PowerCrazy @TheRealCharlesEames No. Tailpipe emissions are far and away the worst thing coming out of a car, because they are destroying the climate of the entire earth. If unchecked, it will destroy every ecosystem extant on the planet and kill most humans. 1.7 million deaths a year is truly, epically awful, but still not even a small fraction as bad.

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@0110010001100010 @PowerCrazy Even if it runs off fossil fuel produced electricity, an EV produces about 1/3 as much emissions because it's so much more efficient. With 40% renewable, it's only producing 1/5 as much, and dropping as the % of electricity from renewables continues to soar in the US.

ajsadauskas , to Fuck Cars
@ajsadauskas@aus.social avatar

What can you get to within a 15-minute walk of your house?

A recent YouGov survey asked Americans what they think they should be able to get to within a 15-minute walk of their house.

Of these choices, I can currently walk to all of them from my apartment, aside from a university (no biggie, I'm not currently studying, although there is a Tafe within walking distance), a hospital, and a sports arena.

How many can you get to with a 15 minute walk from your house?

@fuck_cars

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@ajsadauskas @fuck_cars 15 minute walk: Park, elementary school, bus stop, restaurant, gas station.

15-30 minutes: (I do walk sometime but usually bike): Grocery store, pharmacy, bank, barber.

I can easily bike, though not walk, to all of the rest except a university (which seems an absurd ask for a 15-minute neighborhood).

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@Brendanjones @ajsadauskas @urlyman @fuck_cars Indeed. Bars should only be in a 15 minute walk. You should never need to drive to a bar!

CurtAdams ,
@CurtAdams@urbanists.social avatar

@jeffhykin @ajsadauskas My brother and his neighbors are fighting a grocery store in their neighborhood because of "traffic" (it would be negligible). Instead they drive 10 minutes each way thru - traffic.

Car brain - wanting your neighborhood to be undesirable so people won't want to come.

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