Comments on: Faster trains and slower cars are “green” http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/08/24/faster-trains-and-slower-cars-are-green/ Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Wokingham Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:49:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Simon_C http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/08/24/faster-trains-and-slower-cars-are-green/#comment-5193 Simon_C Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:30:00 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/08/24/faster-trains-and-slower-cars-are-green/#comment-5193 Well, as I understand it, the French SNCF trains are about as low carbon as they come, as France has a very high %age of electricity generated from Nuclear energy. But one of the problems with all this "new stuff is greener" argument is that never is the carbon impact of *creating* the new item and disposing of the old item taking into account. Now, if the new item is 100 times lower in carbon, and going to be in use for 20 years, then it makes sense. If it's only twice as green, going to be in use for 5 years, and costs 5 times the annual carbon "saving" to create, it probably isn't. I get very frustrated when these things are ignored. Reply: You are quite right about the carbon cost of making them. Well, as I understand it, the French SNCF trains are about as low carbon as they come, as France has a very high %age of electricity generated from Nuclear energy.

But one of the problems with all this “new stuff is greener” argument is that never is the carbon impact of *creating* the new item and disposing of the old item taking into account.

Now, if the new item is 100 times lower in carbon, and going to be in use for 20 years, then it makes sense.

If it’s only twice as green, going to be in use for 5 years, and costs 5 times the annual carbon “saving” to create, it probably isn’t.

I get very frustrated when these things are ignored.

Reply: You are quite right about the carbon cost of making them.

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