Electrification ≠ Sustainability
Electric vehicles can feel like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
But energy use still matters, especially when supply is constrained.
An electric drone that carries two people and burns as much energy as a 60-seater bus isn’t green. It’s just a way to waste electricity 3,000 ft up.
Electric cars are better than internal combustion, but they’re much heavier so generate much more tyre particulate matter. And they consume a lot of power to build and generate mining pollution for the minerals.
If we want a cleaner system, we need to ask not just what fuels the trip, but how much fuel it takes (and pollution it makes) per person, per mile.
Take Action
If you’re a leader:
Build carbon intensity into decision frameworks, not just whether it’s electric but how much energy it uses to move each person - and how much pollution is caused per mile.
If you’re a team member:
When someone calls a mode “zero-emission,” ask for the numbers per passenger mile. Not all zeroes are equal.