Fact-checking service MediaWise (@mediawise) dug into a statement that appeared on a self-proclaimed car expert's TikTok account.
It played an interview clip from the purported authority and pounced on misinformation.
"Since he didn't have any sources to back up his claim, that was a red flag to stop and check it out," MediaWise said.
@mediawise Are electric cars that much better for the environment, or could they leave more damaging effects? As climate change and global warming becomes a rising concern, tons of misinformation spreads online. Teen Fact-checker Gianna goes through the thought process on how to fact check. While electric car production does create a larger carbon footprint than gas cars, they're more sustainable in the long run. #medialiteracy #factcheck #EV #climatechange ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
To figure out the truth of the matter, MediaWise settled on a page from the Environmental Protection Agency that dug into EV myths.
According to the EPA, manufacturing emissions are a little higher for an electric vehicle than a gas counterpart, but there's more to it than that. Over a lifetime of burning fuel, a gas vehicle produces much more pollution than an EV. Plus, the EV battery's materials can be efficiently recycled.
Other studies have backed up the sustainability of EVs, ranging from the tire and brake particulates they shed to the minerals needed to make their batteries.
The "car expert" conversation included a claim that making lithium-ion batteries is more dangerous for the environment than producing gas engines. Plenty of other supposed subject matter authorities have spouted similar misinformation.
It can be difficult to parse, especially when it involves critical climate issues such as complicated sustainability questions. Even the EPA is becoming an increasingly unreliable source for climate data, which means media literacy is more important than ever.
Gas vehicles emit a significant amount of pollution into the atmosphere. These emissions trap heat and exacerbate destructive weather patterns, including floods, droughts, and wildfires. Disasters such as these incur massive costs on homeowners, farmers, and businesses.
Switching to an EV can help curb all those impacts, and EVs are even cheaper to operate than gas vehicles.
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