Tag Archives: “Science Advances”

PM2.5 and Environmental Justice — and Electric Vehicles– and Tires

I’ve frequently discussed in recent years the mounting evidence for the need to lower the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5.  There is also substantial evidence that PM exposure is an environmental justice issue.  In this context, electrification of our transportation system is seen as having a substantial co-benefit in the reduction of vehicle-related PM emissions, particularly in EJ communities. 

Two recent stories both confirmed the validity of these issues and made manifest the complexity of the problems we are trying to solve. … More

It’s the Life Cycle Impacts, Stupid

It is generally understood that the shift from coal to gas has helped, at least in the short run, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.  It is certainly true that combustion of natural gas releases less CO2 per unit of energy than combustion of coal.  Unfortunately, that’s not the entire answer.  A recent study published in Science Advances indicates that 3.7% of natural gas produced in the Permian Basin ends up in the atmosphere.… More