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by dijit 199 days ago
sure, but the co2 emissions from a new machine would take about 10 years to offset, by which time this thinking has made you replace it.. twice.
1 comments

? It’s not like the machine would be custom built for him.

Are you saying it’s fine to drive a huge truck if you’re single and just need to get around the block to buy a pack of eggs, just because the emissions are nothing compared to those required for making that smaller, more efficient car that you could buy instead?

If your only use for a vehicle is a weekly or even daily trip around the block to buy a pack of eggs, the best environmental choice is to use a vehicle that is already manufactured. If the only vehicle available to you is a semi truck, that’s the best choice. Even over a lifetime of daily trips, the difference in emissions between the semi truck and a golf cart won’t make up for the emissions of manufacturing the golf cart and transporting it to you.

Of course this is a contrived example that ignores the used vehicle market or the possibility of walking around the block.

no, they're saying the emissions needed to create that smaller, more efficient car may vastly exceed their car's emissions during its entire lifetime under their use. so it may be a net loss.
The break-even point for the small car vs truck is much lower, so there it makes a lot more sense to switch.
It’s actually fine to do that because people are allowed to make their own choices no matter how much you disagree with them.