As time goes by and the world becomes more and more negatively impacted by humans, we find that carbon dioxide emissions are one of the main culprits. Improvements in car design are helping the issue, but the CO2ube Kickstarter project wants to take carbon dioxide filtration to any car on the road.
The CO2ube attaches onto the end of your tailpipe with hose clamps. A combination of algae and sodium hydroxide filters out the carbon dioxide as it passes through the car’s exhaust system. A single CO2ube is going for a pledge price of $45. The company behind the product, Ecoviate, has created working prototypes and is looking to produce the device in quantity. A smart phone app is also intended to accompany the CO2ube, which would allow you to track your emissions over time.
As we humans endeavor to find ways to reverse the damage to the global environment, we are even more inclined to devising ways to do it. The CO2ube will definitely make you think more about what’s coming out of your tailpipe, but there are some drawbacks to the system. The filter only lasts eight to 10 weeks, depending on how much you drive, so you would have to change it out at least every couple of months. There is a year’s-supply pledge level available on Kickstarter’s website, which costs $500. It could be difficult, however, to convince the masses to attach a fresh device to their tailpipes at least five times every year.
The CO2ube could end up being a good starting point in democratizing carbon dioxide filtration systems. The creators hope to qualify the device for a tax credit and gain approval for CO2ube-equipped cars to ride in HOV lanes without meeting the minimum occupant requirement. If these bonuses go through, it could help improve the attractiveness of the product for commuters. If this goal is reached, it could officially put into motion a revolution in the idea of the car as the enemy. Even if someone couldn’t afford to by a new electric vehicle or hybrid, they could surely afford to spend $45 every two months. It almost seems like the attractiveness is in the result itself, not the marketing of the product.
