Re: Google Earth Pros And Cons
Donnell Simon
I have some concerns with earthships that I have tried to share in the decade I have worked in architecture in New Mexico, as I helped friends and clients who frustrated about how their homes do not function as designed. I even had to consult on several demos from mold problems - what a nightmare! Then add that there are many earthships with north and west facing entrances, which are dust and ice magnets in Taos... and whole communities of earthships that have been built in such inhospitable places that they cannot be reached during the winter at all... and you get why I and some of my professional peers around the world have wondered aloud if these are sound investments. Here is some of what people have told us, both for and against the designs.
As the name suggests, self-driving cars do not require a person to mutually control them, allowing a computer system to take over all driving responsibilities. An increasing number of experts agree that a future where the transportation sector is dominated by AVs on the roads is a matter of when, not if. The several benefits associated with driverless cars have sparked research and innovation within the field as well as demand among consumers, who are attracted by the increased comfort and reduced stress that come with owning such a vehicle.
As the world is considering all possible ways to slow down the imminent and potentially catastrophic consequences of global warming, the automobile industry is a key part of the equation. Being still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, this sector alone accounts for up to 45% of global oil demand and consequently for a staggering amount of emissions. In the US, transportation is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with nearly 30% deriving from gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. A similar trend can be seen in Europe, with nearly one-quarter of GHG emissions coming from the fuel for transportation.
As the car industry is about to undergo a massive revolution, experts are starting to evaluate its societal and environmental implications. While most autonomous vehicles have electric engines, this does not necessarily mean that their footprint is null. We explore the main pros and cons of self-driving cars to understand the potential impact of a fully autonomous future.
Most AVs developed today have highly efficient and extremely advanced electric engines that offer huge opportunities for emission savings. This is because they generate very little emissions over their lifetime when compared to conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines operating on fossil fuel. Yet, while tailpipe emissions from electric vehicles are zero, how much AVs actually pollutes depend on where they get their electricity from. If batteries of Autonomous Electric Vehicles (A-EVs) are charged by clean energy sources, their environmental impact is minimal. Yet, not all countries get their power from renewables. In several US countries, for example, most of it is still generated by coal plants, making driving EVs less sustainable than in those relying for the most part on green energy sources.
AVs have a massive potential to curb emissions simply because they operate much more efficiently than conventional vehicles. The amount of gas burned by conventional vehicles is affected by the driving style. Typically, more battery is consumed when repeated braking or continuous shifts from low to high speed occurs, for example during traffic congestion.
All things considered, this downside to self-driving cars does not make these types of vehicles worse than conventional cars, as the overall emissions they emit are still far lower than those generated by fossil fuel-powered automobiles. Furthermore, while AV technologies are still in their infancy, experts agree that continuous research and development will significantly improve these divides in the coming years, making them smaller, more capable and, most importantly, more energy-efficient.
Another important point to take into consideration when discussing the pros and cons of self-driving cars has to do with their capacity to reduce traffic congestion. Traffic not only increases fuel consumption but leads to a rise in carbon dioxide emissions, outdoor pollution, and an increased exposure time of the passengers to the highly toxic chemicals released into the air.
One last aspect of AVs is that experts often point out that switching to self-driving cars on a large scale would contribute to a reduced amount of vehicles on the road. For example, families that often have more than one automobile could potentially rely on a single autonomous one to fit all the necessities. A driverless car could indeed drop both parents at work, kids at school, and drive back home independently. Some reports estimate that by 2030, there will be more than 11 million shared driverless vehicles operating on the roads globally, serving an average of 64 users per vehicle.
However, the elephant in the room is that you must learn the pros and cons of using that material. Take rammed earth construction, for example; will its pros outweigh its cons for your construction needs?
The construction industry contributes 50 percent of global climate change. This is due to the use of conventional building materials like timber and concrete. Besides consuming a lot of energy, these materials contribute immensely to the waste in landfills and deforestation.
From a technical point of view, concrete has 635 kg of embodied carbon per cubic meter. On the other hand, rammed earth has an average of 48 kg of embodied carbon per cubic meter. This proves that rammed earth is suitable for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of your construction project.
A wall with a high thermal mass will absorb and store heat from the sun. Then, when the temperature gets cold, especially in the morning, evening, and night, it releases the stored heat to keep the room warm.
When a wall is constructed with rammed earth, it absorbs heat during the day and slowly releases it in the evening when temperatures drop. This reduces the need for artificial heating and cooling, helping save energy and money.
Although the materials are highly durable and strong, they are not waterproof and, as a result, become weak if exposed to water for a long time. This can cause structural damage to your rammed earth wall.
Natural construction methods like rammed earth are not considered conventional in some countries. Therefore, there are no specific standards and codes for these types of construction in such countries.
The lack of building codes makes getting building permits for rammed earth construction hard. Furthermore, getting insurance for rammed earth construction can be challenging, making it a risky investment.
Plywood is made from sheets of hardwood or softwood that are layers and glued together. But did you know you can buy plywood made from bamboo fibers? In this article, we give you a rundown of the 10 best bamboo plywood companies to buy from.
Do you know how to finance your cob house? Although some lenders baulk at the idea of lending money for a cob house, there are still plenty of options. This article explains the best ways to finance a cob house.
I see a lot of info out there about 'favorite' maps. This isn't intended as a 'favorite' maps thread. What I'd like to know is, what are pros and the cons of certain maps. Is there something you think people should know about a particular map before they select it for their server? Can be related to any feature of the map, and can be based on your person experience.
Extinction - Unlike some other maps, Extinction has protective barriers around its outer edge that will kill you. You do get a subtle warning, but not always. Once when flying out of the desert biome, I got confused on direction and flew out the south-east side and right into a map barrier... no warning... killed me and my mount instantly. I was flying quickly, and there could have been some lag involved, but regardless... it happened.
Island- Best cost/reward ratio for getting top tier Rex, Theri, Flak BP's. Swamp cave can be owned with Bary/Carno, 2 water Caves can be done with high movement speed and flippers and both take less time than Red and Purple orbital drops on Extinction. Smallest map.
Ab- Literal element farming, Surface Drops can be very good, It's a top tier farming/crafting map with tons of easy metal and Organic Poly plus Crab/Anky farming. Severe enviroment render issues in blue zone and a lot in green zone as well
Those are some of my observations. Still had/have fun on each map but just to drive home Extinction easy mode point. I brought a Velo over to my Ab single player game and just shred everything. When best dino for a map isn't even native to that map, somethings wrong.
Ragnarok - Huge map, lots of variety, higher level creatures. Maps is so big that usually multiple bases are utilized, therefore base locations are challenging as prolific pillar spam is usually the PVE experience.
Ragnarok: So much content, could never get bored. The native wyverns and griffins. Cons: God darn memory leak around blue ob and viking bay making areas of the map unplayable for some. Needs more combat music. Not a fan of water game, so much water.
The Island - Fun to go back to once in a while for nostalgia and as an easy place to start. Some critters are waaaaay too rare (Ovis, Equus). I feel like in comparison to the other maps, there aren't as many natural shelters.
Scorched Earth - A fun challenge with the different resources and weather effects. You can get almost everything in Extinction that you can get there (save for a couple like the Phoenix and Jerboa), but I don't consider the map completely obsolete.
Aberration - Amazing, beautiful map with really challenging environments and fun critters. It will punish you quite a bit and you'll die A LOT. Get ready for some glare from some of the areas. Some of the tames are really useful there and in other maps.
Extinction - A bit of variety with the environments to choose from, but seems like travelling to those different areas takes FOREVER. The Sunken Forest really could use more details, as it's one of my favorite spots. I DESPISE those dang Corrupted Pteranodon and Defense Units.