Wheels and Warming: The Climate Costs of Transportation in Small Islands

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What are the linkages between human behaviors, transportation infrastructure, and climate change? What is black carbon? These are some of the questions that guided my mini-ethnographic project in Caribbean Anthropology. “Black carbon is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood, and other fuels” (Climate & Clean Air Coalition 2020). Also known as soot, emissions of black carbon can contribute to climate warming, decrease of crop yields, and death of living organisms. Because I’m constantly on the road in Trinidad, driving my own vehicle, I had casually observed lots of exhaust from vehicles. I learned this exhaust can contain carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, among other greenhouse gases that can be damaging to the environment. I decided to do participant-observation with fellow drivers in Trinidad and Tobago (in person) as well as (virtually) in the neighboring island of Saint Lucia to consider how peak hour traffic contributed to emissions. Although these are small islands, the traffic is horrendous at peak hours in the morning and evening every Monday-Friday. Three of the four participants traveled and drove in petrol or diesel vehicles, as compared to hybrid or electric. Similarly, three participants had their own car, schoolkids were dropped to school by each family, and drove themselves to work instead of carpooling. Not only are we emitting more black carbon and toxic gases into the atmosphere by sitting in our vehicles which idle during traffic, but we’re also running the air conditioners because it is hot outside, redoubling the adverse impacts on the climate. Drivers and passengers suggested carpooling, and encouraging the state to incentivize businesses to import more hybrid vehicles as ways that individuals, states, and sectors could contribute to addressing the daunting climate emergency. We also need better public transportation in our small islands to help everyone move around, reducing the numbers of vehicles on the road and the accumulated environmental damages. 

By Crystal Jeanville


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