Electric Cars WON'T Save The World

New research published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal this month has concluded that the widespread adoption of hybrid and all-electric vehicles wouldn't drastically reduce the emission of harmful gases in the United States. Looking at carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, the study's authors point out that "passenger vehicles make up a relatively small share of total emissions" — only 20 percent of all carbon dioxide — so even if we all jumped into a BMW i8, that wouldn't by itself fix the problem of air pollution. Moreover, the research reiterates the perennial complaint about electric cars: they nullify the pollutants coming out of the car itself, but also increase pollution from power plants that have to produce their energy.

Produced by North Carolina State University, this study is based on modeling the gas emission patterns over the next 40 years while altering energy system variables like oil prices and battery cost. At its most optimistic, it suggests that by 2050 some 40 percent of cars in the US would be either hybrids or entirely electric, however even then the researchers "do not see a noticeable reduction compared to even 0 percent EDV deployment."

THE WAY WE PRODUCE ENERGY MATTERS MORE THAN THE WAY WE CONSUME IT

Lead author Joseph DeCarolis tells The Vergethat the findings should not discourage people from buying electric vehicles, which can still be helpful in relieving the country from its oil dependency or improving urban air quality. He also warns against drawing any sweeping conclusions and points out that the key issue going forward will be "the emissions intensity associated with the electricity being consumed by the plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles." That's to say that if EVs are to prove themselves better for the environment over the long run, it'll be because of the way we generate the electricity feeding them, not because of the cars themselves.

CES 2014: Who Says Dog Collars Are Out Of Fashion; Introducing Voyce, health and activity tracking collar for dogs

The Voyce isn’t one of such easily forgettable products. If you love dogs and own one, I’m guessing your four-legged pet friend would love to wear this app-enabled collar that can track his activity, measure heart and respiratory rates and record other data pertaining to his well being.

Created by a company called i4C Innovations (established in early 2013) and developed in collaboration with biomedical engineers, dog experts and Cornell University, the smart cellar aims to improve the communication gap between dogs and their owners.

In a nutshell, the Voyce gives dog owners information and tools so they can better understand their dog’s health and wellbeing. Who knows, it may even revolutionize the pet wellness industry!

And this is what it looks like.

The device constantly monitors a dog’s active and resting periods, heart and respiratory rates, activity, rest, calories burned and lots more. There’s a three-axis accelerometer inside, a built-in radio frequency technology, Wi-Fi networking and a battery allowing for up up to one-week runtime between charges.

After the gathered information is transferred to a companion iPhone and iPad app, dog owners can dig deep into the vital signs, analyze trends and get valuable insights into their pet’s overall health, behavior and wellbeing.

For instance, historical data could give you valuable insights into a dog’s behavior, weight, and overall health in search for early signs of common conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, heart/lung problems and anxiety.

Even better, these crucial stats are just a tap away from privately sharing with your dog’s veterinarian (or publicly on social networks, for that matter).

You’ll also get to see your dog’s rest patterns, take advantage of actionable recommendations, enjoy exclusive content and educate yourself using tools written and produced by dog experts and what not.

And yes, the system is game-fied so there’re plenty of goals to achieve along the way.

The Voyce is coming in the summer, costing about $300.

Or, you could just get yourself a brand new dog for $300!

You can register your interest at the Voyce website.