Adrian King is a staff writer for the Energy and Emissions category of Justmeans. King holds degrees in Journalism, Film/Video Production, and Environmental Studies. His experience revolves around communication and how to reconcile divergent points of view. Working with not-for-profit organizations King continues to balance business concerns with environmental issues. Speaking to businesses abo...
Going Nowhere Fast: Bloodhound Sniffs at Green
SSC, SuperSonic Car, is the term for a vehicle that has the capability to travel faster than the speed of sound. Automotive engineering has seen design improvements that started on the race track. Bloodhound SSC, a land vehicle working to travel in excess of 1,000 mph, is positioning itself to educate and help create a world less dependent on fossil fuels. Or, perhaps, Bloodhound will further prove the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.
Based in the United Kingdom, Bloodhound SSC hopes to break the Land Speed Record of 760.343 mph set October 15, 1997. Bloodhound SSC Project Director Richard Noble, the driver of Thrust2, held the Land Speed Record from 1983 to 1997. Noble stepped into the project manager roll for the Thrust2's successor, the ThrustSSC. Andy Green drove the ThrustSSC to a new, and current (March, 2011) Land Speed Record of 760.343 mph. The speed of sound fluctuates with temperature but 760 mph was above the sound barrier during the run. Green is slated to be the driver for Bloodhound SSC.
Considering the length of time that Noble and Green have been breaking and holding the Land Speed Record, it seems odd that the Bloodhound SSC website states:
"Bloodhound SSC provides us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers."
Nonetheless, Bloodhound SSC is working with partners targeting school children up to the age of 19 to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Intel is a leading partner with their "Skoool" program. Apparently Intel, or is that Ntell, isn't concerned with spelling.
Over 4,000 schools have signed up for the Bloodhound Education Program so far. Part of the program's focus is to inspire the next generation of engineers. Energy efficiency and the reduction of carbon emissions are valuable concepts to pursue and the planet needs as many educated and concerned people as it can get.
Notably, Bloodhound's website engages the environmentally concerned public with a veiled attack:
"Will the environmental people choose to focus on it as unnecessary generation of emissions?"
Attacks, veiled or otherwise, are not constructive in building consensus. Are the emissions necessary? Bloodhound's website claims that just running the vehicle will produce emissions equivalent to driving an average car 64,684 miles. The website also mentions that this does not account for any other transportation of goods or services to and from any location, including transportation of the vehicle itself. The next test is being scheduled for late 2011 or early 2012 in South Africa.
Downplaying the emissions of the one Bloodhound SSC vehicle by comparing it to all vehicles at a Formula 1 race, as Bloodhound SSC does, is similar to downplaying the use of incandescent lightbulbs on a personal level because a large company has lots of lights. Two wrongs don't make a right. So, men, boys, be honest, include everything, what is the price of your toys?
"Oil, Gas, Sun: Done Versus Fun", compares the development of the Bloodhound SSC with the solar-powered vehicle, Sunswift IVy.
Photo Credit: Mike Cattell
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