Nikki Winkel
It should come as no surprise that carbon dioxide emissions are contributing to the climate crisis. Recreational vehicles play an unexpected role in the carbon dioxide issue. In 2006, the Center for Biological Diversity reported that “The gasoline consumption from off-road vehicle use in California is equivalent to the gasoline consumed by more than 1.5 million passenger vehicles driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles.” This number should be alarming, especially since ATV use is growing.
The growth of ATV use in the US doesn’t have to mean increased carbon dioxide emissions. With our battery powered four wheelers by DRR USA, you can eliminate emissions and still enjoy exploring the outdoors!
The effects of ATV use are outlined in an article by Bob Schildgen states, “because a number of these [recreational] devices use dirty two-cycle engines instead of the four-cycle engines in cars, their share of total pollution is vastly higher than their 1.6 percent share of gasoline consumption.” These emissions have a serious negative effect on the environment.
The Center for Biological Diversity states that “On a larger scale, the greatest impacts of off-road vehicles to species and habitats may be the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming,” and goes on to explain that “Off-road vehicle recreation has severe impacts on wildlife and habitat. It is the third-leading cause of species endangerment — behind only direct habitat destruction and invasive species — and 43 percent of California’s threatened and endangered species are declining in whole or in part because of off-road vehicles.”
A simple switch to eliminate your contribution to this issue, without compromising your joy of off roading, is a switch to electric all-terrain vehicles from DRR USA. There is no sacrifice with speed, power, or longevity with this electric quad and the environmental costs of emissions, and potential fuel and oil leaks.
Here at DRR, we value our off roading hobby, but still enjoy our beautiful Earth. We encourage all riders stick to designated off-road vehicle paths to avoid any animal habitats. Along with eliminating carbon emissions, electric ATVs have silent motors. This contributes to noise reductions that can be beneficial to wildlife nesting. Check out our other blog that discusses the effect noise pollution can have on an environment.
http://www.earthisland.org/bw/ORVexecsumm.shtml
https://www.americantrails.org/files/pdf/ohvbibliogVT00.pdf