Transport
From Envirowiki
Transport generally means human means of moving self, or moving other things. This can be human-powered, animal-powered, or machine-powered usually with some form of fuel. transport can take many forms, the most efficient for flat land transport uses the wheel.
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[edit] 1 methods of transport
[edit] 1.1 Animal Powered
- Human powered:
- walking or running
- pedal-powered machines like bicycles
- rickshaw
- Animal Powered:
- animals such as Horses or camels are often used to carry packs or humans.
- sled
- animal-drawn cart
[edit] 1.2 Machine Powered Transport
some machines require fuel, often fossil fuel to move, others operate under elemental or other power
[edit] 1.2.1 Non-fossil fuel macine transport
- Land Transport
- Bicycles
- Air powered engine vehicles are driven on compressed air, and can be charged up on clean energy
- Electric vehicles can theoretically be charged on renewable energy, though this is not always what happens in practice.
- Water transport
- Sailing - one of the most energy efficient modes of long-distance travel[reference needed]
- Air Transport
- Hang Glider, or gliders
[edit] 1.2.2 Fossil Fuel powered transport
some of these modes of transport could be replaced, or even refitted to operate on other non-fossil fuels, such as biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen or biogas, but each of these alternative fuels has its own associated problems.
- Land transport
- the Car - one of the most energy inefficient methods of travel per person, and a major cause of numerous other social problems.
- Busses - slightly more efficient than cars.
- trucks - like busses, but for goods and food and stuff, not people.
- Trains are generally the most energy efficient mode of travel per person or kilogram, but infrastructure is energy intensive, and expensive to set up[reference needed].
- water
- motor boat, or Ship - efficiency unknown [reference needed]
- Air transport
- Aeroplanes and Helicopters - THE least efficient method of transport [reference needed]. there is no known way of powering planes if peak oil becomes a serious problem. Aviation fuel is the only thing powerful enough, and able to be produced in large enough quantities to power planes for long periods of time.
- Blimp - requires fuel for propellers, but uses light gas, such as helium to stay in the air, meaning high-efficiency.
- Hot Air Baloon - requires the burning of some amount of gas. not very steerable.

