Free Speech Hypocrite Piers Morgan Hates Alex Jones, Platforms Terrorists!
Dec 12, 2023
auto_awesome
Special guest Josh Firestine joins the show to discuss Piers Morgan's hypocrisy on free speech, the environmental impact of EV batteries, and China's dominance in the market. They also touch on pronunciations, regional differences, and upcoming conversations with surprising right-wing black women.
The production and use of EV batteries have significant negative environmental and humanitarian impacts due to the mining process, pollution, and poor labor standards in supplier countries.
China's dominance in the EV battery market poses significant challenges for other countries, as it controls a significant share of global production and relies on imports from countries with poor labor and environmental standards.
Despite having significant lithium reserves, the US faces challenges in increasing its own lithium production due to regulations, high costs, and China's control over the market.
Deep dives
The Environmental Impact of EV Batteries
EV batteries require the mining of minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and manganese. This mining process causes pollution and consumes large amounts of fresh water. Countries like China and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have poor human rights records, are major suppliers of these minerals. China controls over 70% of global EV battery production capacity and relies heavily on fossil fuels for electricity. The recycling rate for these batteries is only 5%, with the majority ending up as pollutants. Overall, the production and use of EV batteries have significant negative environmental and humanitarian impacts.
Chinese Dominance in the EV Battery Market
China controls a significant share of the global EV battery production, making it difficult for other countries to enter the market. They rely on cobalt and lithium imports from countries with poor labor and environmental standards, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan. The United States has limited lithium mining capabilities and relies heavily on Chinese imports. Chinese companies have invested billions in lithium mining in countries like Zimbabwe and have a strong presence in Africa. Overall, China's dominance in the EV battery market poses significant challenges for other countries.
Regulation and Cost as Barriers to US Lithium Mining
The United States has vast lithium reserves, but strict regulations and high costs prevent the country from mining and processing its own lithium. China's control over the market and the use of child slave labor make it financially impossible for the US to compete. Despite having significant lithium reserves, the US relies entirely on imports for its lithium consumption, while China has made significant investments in lithium mining in other countries. The United States faces challenges in increasing its own lithium production due to regulations and high costs.
Limited Lifespan and Recycling Challenges
EV batteries have a limited lifespan, with warranties allowing for a 30% degradation in capacity. Only about 5% of lithium batteries are currently being recycled globally, making the majority of them end up as pollutants. The cost of recycling batteries is often higher than mining new materials, making the recycling process less viable. As a result, the world is left with large quantities of abandoned batteries that pose environmental challenges.
Electric Vehicles Still Depend on Fossil Fuels
Despite being presented as a solution to reduce carbon emissions, electric vehicles still largely rely on fossil fuels for electricity production. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum account for about 60% of global electricity production. Renewables are far from replacing non-renewable sources, with only a marginal increase since 2004. China, the leader in CO2 emissions, has a significant reliance on fossil fuels. Thus, electric vehicles are indirectly powered by fossil fuels and their dependence on renewable energy sources is still limited.
Today, we're bringing you former Vice President Joe Biden's latest insult to the American hostages in Gaza, and Piers Morgan's predictably cringe response to Elon reinstating Alex Jones. Also, we're analyzing the facts surrounding electric cars versus fossil fuels, and more!
