Re: Small Wee Jobie, AC etc
There are two benefits to shifting the source of power from the petrol companies to the electricity companies:
1. The electricity is generated in one place, which means that optimising that electricity generation has a big pay-off for relatively little money spent. For example, installing an air filter in the chimney of a coal power station is a lot cheaper than installing a catalytic converter in every car, in terms of initial cost and long-term maintenance. You could argue that it's not true because the electricity lines to people's homes are inefficient, but then again, delivering petrol to petrol stations by way of a large truck is also inefficient.
2. Even if the amount of pollution produced is the same, it moves it away from the places where cars drive. Pollution produced at the power stations is better than pollution all over the streets. I look forward to being able to walk around town without gagging on exhaust fumes.