Maybe it could also run on some kind of metal street, to further reduce friction? 🤔

Sounds like it'll be rough on the road, but I'm willing to try it! /s

I miss the trains of NJ and NYC so badly, this part of Texas fucking sucks with public transportation. Losing access to a car here has you flirting dangerously close to homelessness. Which is also why I'll usually give a ride to anyone who asks around here.

To make sure it doesn't destroy the road we could put metal in them also...

Delightfully devilish, Seymour.

Boomers have categorically chosen apathy in favor of their own self interests since 1970. By the late 90s, they were a wrecking ball.

You might as well just take the long nap.

No ones gonna do anything.

We're gonna keep wringing our hands about it, desperately shout time is running out...and watch time run out, then shrug our shoulders and go "Welp, nothing we can do about it now"

Yes, imagine if there was a fast and safe way of transport. Something like made to run on steel bars in order to reduce friction. I don't know. I'm just imagining, I watch too much science fiction.

My city's metro system uses rubber tyres, :(

I've seen a similar number in a lot of proper scientific sources, so this article may be bunk, but the number is correct I think.

For example this article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171003 They claim 27,26% in China.

And this article: https://www.rivm.nl/bibliotheek/rapporten/2024-0106.pdf They claim 24.88% in the EU and state it's among the biggest if not the biggest contributor to microplastics.

I'm all for debunking stuff, but about a quarter seems to be the currently accepted quantity to the best of our abilities to measure.

There is a bit of confusion between the amount tyres contribute into the ocean, how much into the ocean and waterways and how much in the environment as a whole. A lot of it ends up in the soil, so it doesn't contribute to plastics in the water, but still in the environment.

Bear in mind that the denominator is plastic pollution. Most plastic waste does not directly pollute the environment. If it is not recycled then it goes to landfills or incineration. Not ideal, but at least the damage is contained. (The bulk of ocean plastic comes from the rivers of poor countries without proper waste management.)

The issue with tyre microplastics is that it's all but impossible to channel the waste. It's the same with synthetic fabric: just washing it creates pollution that's really hard to control.

Those reusable grocery bags made from recycled plastic? Disintegrates into dust eventually. And in your household to while it does so.

Use either natural fiber or nylon(more durable and by default, PFAS free).

You want trains because they are good for the environment.

I want trains because chugga chugga choo choo.

We are not the same.

Paper bags, obviously

Trains

If all you bike owners drove unicycles we wouldn't be in this mess

The only thing I see amerikans taking 'urgent action' on is making sure a few select convicted criminals avoid doing any prison time.