With the increasing risk of climate change needing to be addressed one of the most significant challenges that the human race is going to have is clearly “How can we get from A to B without it costing the Earth?” Our cars, although they have become very efficient, still require the burning of fossil fuels. Increased use of public Transport would help but even then there is still a significant use of Fossil fuels here as well. Whilst great strides have been made in the development of electric cars, they are still quite expensive plus they are using fossil fuels to some degree when you recharge them. The use of air travel is even worse especially when you consider that the airplane is directly spreading its exhaust straight into the sky. Whilst we have made a solid pledge to cut carbon emissions it is going to be quite a task to do so.
Where can we find answers to the transport problem? 200 years ago it is unlikely that you would ever leave your hometown or village, or at least not stray too far but in the modern world we see travel as being normal and a human right. With our increased habits for long haul holidays and the desire to see the world we are making a big impact and there is every evidence that this is going to continue,
It is here that we come to a possible answer. Pneumatic systems are used purely for the transport of goods along a system of tubes that quickly and efficiently get the job down. In the system pressurised air forces the parcel down the pipe to its intended destination, The item is contained within a small plastic tube or pod and you can send several at time following a short delay. You can be sure that Metal bonding adhesives will be one of the products that companies who use systems like this will have on hand to deal with any emergency cracks and issues immediately.
Why not do it with Humans? Admittedly the tubes would need to be bigger and the speed would need to be a lot slower but if the pod was pressurised and sealed you could be shot somewhere in no time at all. No lengthy check in and also a reduction in accidents as a pod in a tube can hardly crash! Pneumatic human travel for an example why not check out Futurama where they do it all the time! It also help James Bond free a defecting Russian General in The Living Daylights.
