Speed Kills— The Planet

The climate crisis is rushing at us like a bullet train. It’s time to forget about velocity and focus on efficiency.

- Alex Davies

History may be cyclical, but for centuries it’s been an undisputed truth that with time things get faster. Humans have gone from their feet to bicycles, from the steam engine to the jet plane, always looking to boost their miles per hour. But especially since the turn of the millennium, this quest for quickness has hit some speed bumps.

The average American car may be capable of reaching triple-digit speeds, but the average American driver spent 97 hours sitting in traffic in 2018. Public transit systems in cities like New York and San Francisco are stuck in a miasma of delays. High-speed rail projects have plateaued in many nations as governments balk at their high costs.