LET’S BALANCE THIS ARGUMENT
If plants need CO₂ to survive, why is the EV mandate focused on completely phasing out gasoline cars?
How then do we balance saving the planet without balancing the need of trees?
Let’s break down the carbon dioxide picture when it comes to vehicles, plants, and us.
A typical gasoline passenger vehicle puts out about 4.6 metric tons of CO₂ per year. This varies depending on the car’s fuel economy and how much it’s driven. For every gallon of gasoline burned, approximately 8,887 grams of CO₂ are released. Over its entire lifespan, including manufacturing, use, and end-of-life, a gasoline car can generate around 24 to 76 metric tons of CO₂.
Plants are crucial for absorbing CO₂. A single tree can absorb anywhere from 10 to 40 kg of CO₂ per year, with an average often cited around 25 kg. Factors like the tree’s age, species, size, health, and growing conditions all play a role. Globally, trees, shrubs, and grasses take in an enormous amount, estimated around 123 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually through photosynthesis. However, it’s important to remember that plants also release CO₂ through respiration, so the net intake is smaller.
When it comes to humans, an average person breathes out roughly 1 kg of CO₂ per day. While this might sound like a lot, the CO₂ we exhale is part of a natural carbon cycle where our bodies convert carbohydrates from CO₂-absorbing plants. This means we’re not adding new CO₂ to the atmosphere in the same way burning fossil fuels does. So, no, the CO₂ produced by humans alone is not enough to sustain plants. Plants get their CO₂ from the broader atmospheric concentration, which is influenced by natural processes like decomposition, volcanic activity, and respiration from all living organisms, as well as human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
Now, let’s consider the balance with electric vehicles (EVs) and tree planting. The manufacturing of an EV, particularly its battery, initially has a higher carbon footprint than a gasoline car. For instance, making an average EV can create 10 to 14 metric tons of CO₂ emissions, compared to 6 to 9 metric tons for a gasoline car. This means EVs start “in debt” carbon-wise.
However, the significant difference comes in the “use” phase. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions. While the electricity used to charge them might generate CO₂ depending on the power grid’s source (e.g., coal vs. renewables), studies consistently show that over their lifetime, EVs are responsible for significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline cars. It typically takes less than two years of driving for an EV to “break even” and become cleaner than a comparable gasoline car in terms of overall lifetime emissions. As electricity grids become cleaner with more renewable energy, the environmental benefit of EVs will only increase.
So, balancing the argument: Planting trees is undoubtedly vital for absorbing existing CO₂ and creating carbon sinks. It’s a critical part of the solution. But the EV mandate is not necessarily counterproductive. While EV manufacturing has an initial carbon cost, their long-term operational emissions are drastically lower than gasoline cars. The mission to save the planet requires a multi-faceted approach. We need both significant carbon reduction from sources like transportation (which EVs contribute to) and enhanced carbon sequestration through natural solutions like tree planting. It’s not an either/or situation; both strategies are crucial and complementary in addressing climate change.
By Oluwafemi Greaterheights Akinyomi.
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