Sometimes, it is a matter of taking one step forward and two back to make progress towards combating climate change. It’s a difficult road to reach the ultimate goal of a cleaner planet. This is perhaps best seen in the innovations and actions of Elon Musk, an entrepreneur.
Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
Musk is both a complex businessman and an individual. His financial holdings are diverse, his estimated wealth difficult to understand and his environmental impact a topic for much discussion. He bore a tunnel through the ground and then used the dirt to make bricks for affordable housing.
Related: Tesla: The real environmental impact
He also decided to forgo bitcoin as a Tesla payment option, as it is too energy-intensive. He also sold all his real property holdings and moved into an apartment. Then he invented a roofing material with integrated solar technology. He still uses a private jet to get to his destination, leaving behind a jet stream of carbon dioxide. The man seems to be an antithesis. What’s the story?
We are grateful!
Keep an eye on our weekly newsletter.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get the latest global news and designs that will help you build a better future.
TeslaChanged the game with electric vehicles
Tesla’s success is a clear sign of consumers’ interest in doing the right thing for the environment. Consider that vehicle emissions are the leading cause of air pollution. Global warming is caused by greenhouse gasses. Replacing gas-guzzling cars with quiet, emission-free electric vehicles is a win for our lungs and the lungs of the planet.
Climate deniers and environmentalists have both been quick to criticize Tesla production’s impact since day one. This primarily focuses on the recyclability and safety of the lithium-ion battery used to power electric cars. Tesla reports that 90% of the batteries are recyclable.
Tesla isn’t as eco-friendly that we think.
Another point of contention is the supply of materials needed to make the batteries. A lithium mine in Argentina is being accused of poor treatment of Indigenous peoples. The lithium is a poor source of graphite and cobalt from China, mined in harsh conditions. Musk’s response was that the supply chain is complex and it is difficult to find the exact location and the process surrounding certain materials. However, Musk stated that the company is doing all it can to ensure that the material is ethically sourced. The company also reported a significant reduction in cobalt content in batteries (reporting less that 3%), and promised to produce cobalt-free batteries within the next few months.
Then there’s the spotlight on acid leakage caused by lithium mining. So Musk started his own lithium-production. Tesla purchased land in Nevada, developed the process, and applied for a patent on a new method to extract lithium from clay. This was in an effort to address the need in a more sustainable manner.
Next on the Tesla-bashing crime list is the amount of power these cars draw from the grid. While they do require power to charge, the real issue is how that charging port gets powered. In West Virginia, for example, where the power grid still almost 100% feeds by coal, the charging station won’t be very environmentally friendly.
California, however, provides the electrical grid with 52% of renewable energy. This includes solar, geothermal biomass, wind, and hydroelectric. Tesla has invested in its own solar production business because so much of the equation relies on the public grid. The power generated does not go directly into each Tesla but it does offset any consumption in areas that have less EV infrastructure.
SpaceXSpace tourism has been launched
Although Tesla may be the most well-known name associated with Elon Musk’s, it is not his only notable accomplishment. SpaceX is a commercial space program that envisions a future in space travel.
The program does receive a lot support but it is not a business that falls under the green design category. They are large and difficult to launch, build, and then dispose of. They also use a lot fuel. The company also operates on federally-protected lands.
Musk is a true gentleman, and he has considered all of these concerns. The Falcon spaceships were used to visualize the mission of SpaceX. This technology was able to create a reusable spaceship. Talk about recycling. You can send the most costly parts of the rocket back into orbit, carrying payloads or people.
This design reduces waste, costs, and environmental impact.
Any area with significant industrial development will have an impact. Musks organizations are no exception. There were promises of jobs at Tesla’s first campus, but there were also issues regarding commuting, campus waste, and energy consumption. When the team started to develop the newest gigafactory, Sparks, NV in April, the focus quickly shifted towards making it more energy-efficient.
This will ensure that the engine, battery, and product manufacturing are 100% powered by renewable energies. This is the largest building of its type on the planet and a statement of Musk’s commitment to putting the planet first.
SpaceX also caused severe environmental damage
At exactly the same time, however, that commitment has to be questioned with the damaging effects of the SpaceX rocket launches in an ecologically-sensitive area of South Texas. Musk bought a large chunk of land that was remote to practice building rockets. It borders federal and state lands that have been protected for the protection of unique biodiversity.
Musk approached decision-makers about setting up camp in their backyard. Businesses and legislators saw dollar signs as well as economic opportunities for the area, which was primarily known as a border community with typical-related problems. Now that Musk is established, urgent issues are quickly becoming more obvious.
Rocket launches that fail are literally littering Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Studies have shown a decline of animal activity, including a significant reduction in nesting areas for the endangered snowy plover. The region is home to endangered ocelots and Kemps Ridley sea turtles. The ecology also includes beaches, grasslands, and coastal dunes. These areas are at risk from rocket debris, increased activity, and other threats.
Elons companies leave a significant footprint on both the environmental and economic sides of the equation. The question that remains unanswered is which way the scales tip most.
Images via Pexels
