For the Green revolution to be successful two things are going to have to happen: first we need to change and then we get need to get used to change. It's all well and good pilling up wind-farms on any patch of ground with a tendency for gales but we need to learn not to moan about them 'messing up the view of the countryside' we can buy a 'bag-for-life' but we need to actually remember to take them shopping with us.
And if Obama gets his way there will be one million electric vehicles to get used by 2015. With cars like the Nissan Leaf electronic travel is fast becoming a reality. But like all new technology there's problems. The obvious issue is the lack of electric pumps at garages, and something you may not have considered, the noise of an electric car, or rather, the lack of noise.
We all know to look left and right, but as well as our eyes it's also our ears that keep is in one piece when crossing roads. The University of California have found that an internal combustion engine (i.e. a standard car engine) can be heard 36 feet away, but the electric car is only audible 11 feet away. If you're view is obscured you can imagine the problem a silent car could pose.
In order to combat the issue plans are being considered to put the type of warning beeps used by large trucks and vans. You know the noise, then one that nasty people use to bully the fat friends.
