To support sustainability they crave for, Teenagers should avoid cars, Quit driving when possible, and Resist the temptation

Driving and possessing a car are teenager preferred discussion points. Sometimes, the discussion gets hot that it generates competition between kids. These remind us Grease, the movie that made kids believe that cars are the expression of freedom. Beautiful and powerful cars meant lovely freedom associated with even thrilling acquaintance among teenagers and nice encounters and stories. However, many innocent souls get in accidents when they race, with sometimes sad ends. As kids, we all believed that cars give the speed that we needed to make our life moving, and faster the way we want it. For youth, cars allow exploring many worlds and is the ticket for diving in beautiful dreams with friends.

Possessing cars starts with learning driving, and for some learning attractive knowledge of car mechanics and repair. However, parents use their kids’ attraction to cars as a bargaining chip to negotiate, sometimes with a very difficult teenager. We all remember the long discussions about the learner permit; for some, they sometimes turn acid. Being torn between purchasing a car for the beloved kid and the risk of accidents leads to frictions between the soon adult and their care takers, the lovely parents. At last, the cost of purchasing a car, and paying for gas, insurance, parking,… gives parents some leeway for postponing as much as possible the purchase of their kid's dream car.

In high school, kids are delighted the day they take the wheel beside Mr X, the driving teacher, who is often loved more than the often annoying math and physics teachers, too serious. At that point in time, students know that parents can no longer say anything about driving a car, that's the school decision; at last, and they can no longer stop them. In a way, driving gives the student some power and freedom to decide on his/her own; it is not that bad, though. Schools also use that favor as a way to push students to be exemplary, and at least to be a bit more serious about academics. They offer free lessons to successful students and deny low performing students that privilege.

With that ambition of getting a precious piece of freedom, most kids own cars to save their time and avoid uncomfortable and inefficient school buses. Undeniably, for many, cars become the way to be more efficient and to get higher GPA, which is a legitimate right for the student, while it comforts the parents. In fact, what happens in high schools nurtures the idea that driving is not just a valuable skill, and that car is a necessity. This beleive has become rooted in modern culture, in particular in the USA. In fact, since the fifties of last century, car turned to be the biggest thing in teenager life in the US. Theses ideas ramped to the rest of the world, and now car is believed to be a must for everyone on the planet, for different kind of reasons, not necessarily economical !

In the past decade people started to question the logic of possessing a personal car. The feeling of the car being oversized for daily needs, and the fact that is designed for at least four persons and practically is used by one pose serious question about current cars. For many the purchase and operation costs are shaking the core idea of possessing and maintaining a car. It takes one's life saving to acquire a car, and to use it, much of our money is spent every day. Not to forget that an accident may take the dear and expensive car away in a split of second, and may cost lives or, if lucky, it may cause permanent damage to the riders; and last but not least, the insurance will skyrocket. Furthermore, with the emerging sustainability concerns and cars being blamed for spreading carbon oxides, car owners totally lost faith in their cars, many have thought about owning have close to their job, are using other transportation means and share riding, others have no alternative because the system has not planned for this shock-wave, only a minority kept the old perception of cars as their freedom guarantor.

At any rate, it has become clear that private and public transportation should be rethought. At the same time we must disentangle the crowded highways, the jammed cities, the risk of accidents, and we must free the invaded farming lands with highways and parking areas. The public is aware that livability on earth is threatened, as a result of extreme pollution. Data shows that cars are responsible on a large part of the excess of CO2 and other gases. The impact on climate change has become visible in cities, through disturbing pictures and movies. Scientists, agencies, and governments are pulling the alarm, but no solution will be reached magically, only long term planning and concerted efforts worldwide would do it.

Cars readily appear to have a large share in climate change. The use of personal cars is now refuted by many who are aware of the negatives of using personal cars, and of the acceleration of the trouble we are facing now due to the increase of car market in highly populated regions, like China and India. But sources of pollution that led to climate change include not only cars, but also air conditioning, manufacturing, mass production of livestock, and dust production; all of which are controllable but pollution from cars. Focusing on the latter, a determining question relate present gains from cars to the created damage are being debated now at all levels. These have been unmasked openly in Europe, and car is depicted as the people enemy.

It has become obvious that the benefits of using cars are not worth going into the path of destroying life on earth. But the question is: can we be more sober, more conscious about the consequences, more responsible... and provide better mobility alternatives that ensure sustainability? The whole thing about car and transportation has passed the debate by specialists dealing with data-based evidences and technicalities, and is spreading to the public across forums and the like. However, true solutions are ignored by decision makers, and advises are falling in deaf ears. The best example is the bailed out US automotive industry by President Obama. He missed the opportunity to obligate that industry and banks to work on modern public transportation supported by renewable energy (not batteries). Today politicians still think that the conclusions of specialists, practicians, and users alike, and the apparent demands in the public debate are unpractical as they hinder the economy. These politicians, like the former DOE chief, Mr Perry, or the former EPA chief, Mr. Pruitt,… have been doing everything to keep them stall, but it won't be for long, no choice! Today, inherent to the lobby forces, rarely decision makers could say something useful for solving the climate change problem, and that could satisfy the public. In order to preserve the legacy business they are defending, climate change deniers intentionally blur the discussion to prevent finding efficient solutions, and to delay the transition to alternative technologies. In the US and many places in the capitalist world, oil rich countries, and giant businesses, the decision-making slipped from informed politicians and knowledgeable advisers and played into the hands of the business owners. Not only this cast feels shielded and untouchable, because they are rich, but also they continuously think about the bottom line and quarterly reports of their businesses. Therefore, they do not care about the public craving for sustainable technologies and the desire to survive this climate crisis.

There is a huge tension building-up between the population and various decision groups. It is visible across the world, in particular in Europe. But let’s not be hypocrite, and tell the reality,… the true combat is not between old and young generations, like Greta Thunberg and its sponsors have put it, but between the business stakeholders and the people who desire to guarantee a sustainable world for themselves and their kids; some say it is between the 0.1% and the 99.9%. Hence, until now, nothing could be effectively done about implementing existing sustainable solutions, as decision makers have become powerless relative to the economic drivers including businessmen, industry, lobbies etc. For instance what has been done for using renewable energy thus far, is rather a distorted technology that should be significantly different to be efficient.

Unfortunately, many do request changes, but in general, they direct their requests to others, and they forget that they are most likely part of the problem. This is the case of using personal cars for daily commuting, and then participating in the climate marche movements. Youth actions need to do better; to that end, they need leaders. What scientists, engineers, and visionaries can do is to direct the youth towards new thinking for new hope. Truly, we need to aim that huge force residing in the youth consciousness to help them take the right path towards sustainability. It is the duty of visionaries to show the youth from where, in the horizon, the light will rise. Tomorrow will be better, if youth want it and if business people let them do it. Business people need to understand that new technologies, here new public transport means powered with renewable energy, will be offering huge potential for their businesses; they just need to transform. I concur, there will be a price to pay, but it is better than social conflicts, and than pursuing the destruction of our dear planet.

Scientific based evidences, based on real data have been published and showed the danger of using cars, the projected 4 billion cars worldwide, and the lamentable status of public transportation. However, the public opinion is not there yet to absorb the reality of the non-sustainability of personal cars and to enact existing solutions with, sometimes, some sacrifices (which will be unneeded over time). Of course, when the public transportation is absent or just poor, one must not blame individuals; as they have to go to work or shop for food,... For the moment, it is legitimate to blame decision makers as well as the automotive industry that maintain the status quo of producing indefinitely an astronomic number of cars each day, while blocking the development of better and more generalized public transportation infrastructure. The automotive industry and their supporters are at fault, they must admit it, and they must prepare for radical changes that will lead to full sustainability.

Without going in more details about the “sin of driving a personal car” in this new age, let’s look at some essential questions; if addressed, they could bring real hopes. How discouraging kids from having early driving license can help sustainability? How these kids can slowly quit cars? What type of mobility do they need, personal or shared?... Youth are sensitive to sustainability and they are strong about it, and recently, they emerged with strong demands for changes. The Climate Marches are universal movements, very much respected; however, they are missing the constructive things, such as adopting already proposed solutions, investing in renewable energy technologies and using them, energy call for building energy passive habitats, use clean transportation means,... The youth movement appears to just shift the blame to older generation; that's not constructive. They are putting each one’s responsibility on others; in other words, they want others to solve the problem, while true solutions are everyone’s responsibility.

“Help kids not to drive to help sustainability” is a call for all of us to create a new culture. It is a call for Greta Thunberg, her followers, and her sponsors. Request “abolition of personal cars” and call youth to enact will increase the credibility of the Thunberg movement. It would show how innocent and genuine the movement cause is. If so, it will entitle the support by all of us and by all means. It would show how youth are serious about their cause, and really deserve to be heard. Once they will start avoiding cars, when possible, they will change the world, and they will guarantee a better environment for their own future and for their children. Taking a strong action against car habits would show that youth are truly involved and do understand the true issues, and they are not just claiming they are victims of their dads’ bad decisions and behaviors. There is no point here in reminding why Dad and Mom have used their cars (part of it for ensuring that they grow up in the most productive environment for they can succeed in their educations and other endeavors). Abandoning cars and finding alternatives, would proof that youth understand who is doing what, and will stop them from unnecessarily labeling old people as “historical environment "criminals"”. Greta Thunberg and young members of the climate movement should include in their speech the very point of “Abolition of the car culture” (and air conditioning). Changing the culture of driving among youth and adults as well, is essential for reducing the huge waste, preventing CO2 and other gas emission, and eliminating pollution and waste of valuable materials and many other resources. They must put the emphasis on how young people are leaving the ideas of possessing cars and the utilization of useless luxury stuff, as well as bad consumption habits.

I do admire the courage of youth for bringing the matter to various high levels, including to their schools and in classrooms (including mine). They pushed for a worldwide discussion of the matter at various high instances. However, I depreciate the use of conflicts between old and young generations; that way of sensitizing people about the urgency of the matter is unnecessary. Youth must not forget that they contribute to the pollution problem for that matter by driving Personal Cars, and doing many other things. Now, the ball is in the camp of youth; they must show that they are quitting the hubris desire of possessing and driving cars, that instrument of pollution. They must show that they are going to work on using renewable energy and public transportation.

Finally, it should be pointed out that the automotive industry is one of the culprits for all this mess; now they are lying by pretending that battery powered electric cars will be the solution. That is incorrect, as batteries will make the pollution worse. We must not forget that batteries are not sources of energy, we still have to burn hydrocarbons, or use nuclear energy to charge them. Battery powered cars are only good for relieving extreme pollution in overcrowded cities, but they absolutely do not solve the general pollution problem. Electric car supports the unnecessary use of Personal Car, which we can no longer afford.

Before closing, let me mention that my long introduction about the intimate relation between youth and cars is not meant to show the “hypocrisy of youth movements for climate change”. They are magnificently shouting and demanding changes, I strongly admire that. Their genuine calls and their resolve are legitimate, but these have to be consistent with their daily actions. Youth still need to act in reducing their contribution to pollution; they certainly can stop driving Personal Cars. That “innocent hypocrisy” is a barrier to the truth and to seeking durable solutions. My introduction of the youth strong taste for cars is rather meant to show how hard it will be to change the car culture. Likewise, it shows how hard it will be to give up to the luxury they are used to, … Whatever it is, it will be either “we are going to be true to ourselves, sacrifice, be more sober, be less lazy,… and save the future of kids”, or “We let it go, until we all sink and disappear”. In reality, we can do better than this binary logic. The survivability forces that we have, as individuals, should be projected onto the benefit of our communities. If we remain personal, we will still love our cars and we will pursue the non-sustainability path. If we truly think community and become less selfish, we will survive. We will then know where to tap, and how to solve the problem that our elders created AND WE ARE PURSUING.

In closing, I suggest that the Climate Marche Movements have to 1) create a cultural revolution about using unnecessary means for sustainability, in particular, call youth to refrain from driving cars, and 2) push decision makers to plan for transforming car industry in an industry that manufactures electric public transportation infrastructure. It is worth noting that current infrastructure could be transformed over time in the benefit of new transport methods; for instance, highways could be changed to railways for e-trains. New e-trains adapted to our highways, could be invented and developed. The assets we have now are not lost, in contrary they are valuable for future transport strategies, and will make future transformation affordable. In fact, the climate movements have to call upon not only decision makers but also industry, the business people, banks, investors, and CEOs. These have to let their engineers solve the sustainability problem, without constraining them with short-term economics. Engineers are capable and have powerful means to invent new clean vehicles for transporting large groups, but they are actually constrained by the money owners and investors who want quick and easy gains. For this to work, investors must be aware of new business opportunities in renewable energy powered transportation infrastructure, and sustainability in general. On the other side of the isle, engineers should create sustainable and clean transportation infrastructure, rather than focusing on improving individual vehicles, luxury cars, and SUVs, in order not to maintain the legacy technologies and their infrastructure for long term. Battery-less electric vehicles is the way to go; these include e-trains, e-trolleybus, battery-less buses, hybrid bicycles,… as these can be directly powered by Solar and Wind, and other future renewable energy sources. Similarly, successful solar and wind generated hydrogen and fuel cells can prompt new mobility technologies, if we allow researchers to deepen the science and invent appropriate techniques. Transportation for small groups, such as Ride Share with personal cars or specialized minivans, optimized using artificial intelligence, can contribute in the reduction of gas emission. However, Ride Share should be only seen as a transient solution that will bring us to the durable electric mass transportation powered with renewable energy. We cannot count on Ride Share to be a long-term solution, as it would help sustainability for possibly two decades, no more. We cannot also count on batteries powered electric cars. Personal cars destroyed public transportation and has been the root cause of most of our sustainability troubles. Car is the true pollution instrument that emits and spreads CO2 everywhere. Unfortunately, despite several serious research efforts since the seventies and sixties, gas emission from cars could never been controlled. Not so different, electric cars are polluters, they are even worse than gas powered cars. Moreover, current design of heavy weight and sport EVs still require huge amount of materials to build them, and energy to move them. In addition, active materials of current batteries are not abundant and are risky for further development of this technology. Automotive industry used the opportunity of excessive pollution in cities to develop bad-EVs; the true purpose was not to solve the problem, this is clearly visible from the design of these EVs. They went into a design that will maintain their car production lines in business, but the legacy cars have been very destructive to the environment, what they are doing is totally, totally wrong and irresponsible. European movements, such as Extinction Rebellion in Belgium, have already characterized the automotive industry of lying to the public, and hiding the truth.

Extinction Rebellion in Motor Salon, Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 18, 2020. (Pictures from the internet). Slogans read: Car Kills (La voiture tue), Salon of Lies, Tell the Truth, Open your eyes (2) Wise ! The time is Now... You can read more at https://autosalon.extinctionrebellion.be/

This is a call to youth. The saga of owning and developing strong bond with your car starts at school and with your friends. Can you change that?

To be consistent with your genuine and legitimate calls for saving the world, stay away from the driving courses offered by your high school, and ask your parents to help you avoiding cars. Make all efforts to use your school bus, but if you cannot, then share rides,... Do everything you can to avoid cars while waiting for better public transportation.