Carbon Footprint of attending the Model S Factory tour

[dpeilow]

I wonder how much CO2 is produced to fly a corporate jet between LA and SF twice a week all year long...

Absolutely. A carbon audit would make interesting reading.

 

[Lloyd]

I wonder how much CO2 is produced to fly a corporate jet between LA and SF twice a week all year long...

I can answer that. 500 gal per round trip approximately depending on the type of plane. X2 =1000 gal. Wt of Fuel is 6,600 lbs, and CO2 produces is approximately 45,000 lbs per week. It enables him to run two companies, and is a business necessity. I don't fault him for taking advantage of this type of travel.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

Yep. The calculator I used says 1.86 tonnes for economy, 5.3 for business class and over 7.4 for first.

I used 1.86 in the calculation.

Why is it that economy, business class, and first class take a different amount?

Is the calculation dividing by cubic feet of cabin space? square feet of floor space? feet of row space?

Wouldn't the share be equal for each person? What about accounting for weight of the person and their luggage instead of the price of their seat and service? Are the drinks and meals that you get in first class really creating almost four times as many emissions? I find that hard to believe...

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

It enables him to run two companies, and is a business necessity.

I own two global companies and we use technology to replace long distance travel most of the time... in the 21st Century I do not believe that it's a "business necessity" for anyone to fly on a regular basis.

 

[Norbert]

I own two global companies and we use technology to replace long distance travel most of the time... in the 21st Century I do not believe that it's a "business necessity" for anyone to fly on a regular basis.

In this case I'm sure it is. Although the high speed rail connection might change that, but that's a few years down the road.

 

[dpeilow]

Why is it that economy, business class, and first class take a different amount?

Is the calculation dividing by cubic feet of cabin space? square feet of floor space? feet of row space?

Wouldn't the share be equal for each person?

By some combination of all those factors, they've decided one could fit four economy class passengers in the volume or mass taken by one first class passenger. Be it reclining beds, extra storage space for meals or whatever. This may help.

 

[vfx]

I do not believe that it's a "business necessity" for anyone to fly on a regular basis.

All depends on the business. A travel author for example. How about pilots?

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

All depends on the business. A travel author for example. How about pilots?

sure... isn't the bigger point though that we have to find a way of equating our decisions with their impact?

 

[TEG]

All depends on the business. A travel author for example.

http://www.michaeltennesen.com/articles/audubon_carbon_neutral.htm

 

[vfx]

sure... isn't the bigger point though that we have to find a way of equating our decisions with their impact?

Yes i agree. I just think your previous statement was a sweeping generalization that did not include millions of others that have no choice but to travel on a regular basis to earn a living in their field.

 

[zack]

To me, the most important thing about my Tesla is the impact it is making on the future of automobiles. It's a breakthrough that heralds a new future. We're not there yet, and we will continue to generate a lot of carbon dioxide, but honestly, the things we're discovering about climate change are changing so rapidly that, imho, our carbon dioxide impact in the near future isn't going to change much. With the tundra thawing there's so much methane headed into the atmosphere that we will most likely need a technological solution to the problem, like whiting out the sky with particles to reflect back heat. We can't really foresee all of the changes we'll experience. Imho, we've crossed the tipping point already and what's left is a race for technological advances that let us save as much petroleum and natural gas as we can for future plastic and other material production. We used up half of it in 100 years and we're using more than ever right now. Yep, we probably wrecked the planet's weather, but maybe we can fix that somehow.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

With the tundra thawing there's so much methane headed into the atmosphere that we will most likely need a technological solution to the problem, like whiting out the sky with particles to reflect back heat.

What would you call such a solution, Skynet?

 

[Norbert]

Yep, we probably wrecked the planet's weather, but maybe we can fix that somehow.

At the same time as climate scientist are being accused of not knowing what they talk about?

 

[Nik]

What would you call such a solution, Skynet?

Just 'the Shield', surely. [Link]

 

[TEG]

US answer to global warming: smoke and giant space mirrors | Environment | The Guardian

 

[bonnie]

I miss World Weekly News. Surely they would have had a creative solution to this. After all, they brought us the stellar headlines such as 'Computer Talks to the Dead', 'Human Head Kept Alive for 7 Days', and 'Angry Bull Downs Helicopter'.

 

[dpeilow]

So the 'promise' of future sci-fi solutions means we can just party like it's 1999?

 

[bonnie]

So the 'promise' of future sci-fi solutions means we can just party like it's 1999?

I don't believe anyone was suggesting that.

 

[zack]

So the 'promise' of future sci-fi solutions means we can just party like it's 1999?

Sci-fi? Do you doubt that people will just keep burning fossil fuels at an ever-increasing rate? No matter how hard we advocate for change, the rest of the world is going to continue increasing their use until they can't buy fossil fuels anymore, and then they'll use biofuels and keep poisoning the atmosphere that way. There's only one way to change things, as far as I can see. Introduce and expand the use of electricity and batteries for everything, then increase the production of solar cells and wind and every other clean energy source to the point where using them is the only realistic choice, financially. We've had thousands of brilliant scientists and politicians and pundits advocating for change for years now, and the world does not listen. Use the methods that have always worked in the past! The wallet is the only place they notice. Look at Sarah Palin, preaching AGAINST solar power and mass transit THIS WEEK. Sarah Palin criticises Obama and Republican rivals | World news | The Guardian If this is what we're up against, I don't think the carbon dioxide represented by an airline ticket should be a deterrent to supporting and celebrating the arrival of the best electric cars on the planet.

 

[dpeilow]

Whiting out the sky with particles and "fixing the weather" sounds pretty sci-fi.