Health Wanted: Blood

The Episode

This week on Health Wanted, we’re celebrating Halloween by staying young and beautiful forever! Or maybe we’re purging ourselves of evil. Or making an unbreakable pact! Any way you slice it…it's all about bloooooood!

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The Listener Questions

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How would freight lines and overnight delivery services switching to autonomous vehicles affect public health? 

The little coolers with wheels, which sometimes have robotic blinking eyes or names affixed to their sides to trick people into not running them over with a car, have become a common sight in major cities delivering food and groceries. Interestingly, it’s actually all the user-submitted data from the Pokémon Go craze that was eventually used to train delivery robots on how to navigate off-street areas.

They are considered a last-mile delivery service, the final step of moving goods to a buyer, which generally is the most expensive element of the supply chain process. The idea is that, in a world where the “errand day” is being replaced by items that come directly to your doorstep, there will be more traffic congestion in urban areas and a subsequent rise in CO₂ emissions and other pollutants. So autonomous delivery robots have been presented as a relatively cheap and sustainable solution to the current last-mile logistics challenge. 

From a sustainability standpoint, delivery autonomous vehicles (AVs) come with their fair share of benefits. Generally speaking, compared to the traditional diesel delivery van, these delivery AVs are several times more energy efficient. One report estimates that, compared to gasoline-powered delivery vehicles, delivery AVs contribute a 76% reduction in nitrous oxide emissions, a 51% reduction in fine particulate matter, and a 100% reduction in volatile organic compound and carbon dioxide emissions (all of which are common air pollutants).

Of course, this positive study was done by Nuro, an AV tech company that makes autonomous delivery vehicles, so it should be approached with some skepticism. Another study at the University of Michigan found that, while delivery AVs do play a role in reducing vehicle emissions, greater electricity loads from AV power requirements offset the advantages, resulting in similar greenhouse gas emissions as a gas-powered delivery van. This goes to show how important it is to consider the complete picture of environmental impacts, rather than just focusing on a single phase.

The benefits are also a trade off when it comes to moving delivery services from the street to the sidewalk. A case study at Northern Arizona University found that delivery AVs place further hardships on pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in settings where pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is limited. Outside of pedestrian traffic, delivery AVs have been reported to malfunction in crosswalks, causing issues with vehicle traffic and, in some instances, even blocking emergency vehicles.  
 
In the U.S., trucks are the dominant mode of freight transportation. The U.S. has some electric semis, and it has some autonomous semis, and companies like Tesla and Humble Robotics are working on efficiently combining the two, but they are not quite there yet.

Trucks run on diesel, which releases 13% more carbon dioxide than gas-powered vehicles. So if you could get an electric, autonomous driving system, you could also lower the amount of carbon they emit. However, our electricity grid still largely relies on fossil fuels to generate power, so going electric isn’t completely pollution-free, and electric semis still only get 500 or fewer miles on a charge. 

Trucks that run on fossil fuel but have AV capabilities could lower the rate of accidents. For example, drivers might not be as tired with assistance, because some data suggest that AVs may be safer than vehicles driven by humans, or because there could be more freight moved at night when roads are less populated. Full autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles could also make long-haul driving less physically demanding for the drivers, thus benefiting their health. They could also move freight faster because they would not need a mandatory break.

All in all, autonomous freight trucks could potentially reduce pollution, improve driver health, and make the roads a bit safer, but it’s going to take a while before we can say confidently how they impact public health. 

How often do I need to clean the water tank of my coffee machine?

Studies have found that, even though coffee machines heat water, yeast and mold can still grow in their water reservoirs. For most people, there is very little risk of this causing serious illness, but it can change the taste of the coffee. Mineral buildup in a machine can also cause it to heat water more slowly.

To avoid waiting any longer than necessary for morning coffee, here is some general advice for a cleaning routine. First, avoid leaving coffee grounds and filters in the machine all day. Discard them after brewing, wipe down the basket with a clean towel, wipe out the water reservoir, and leave the lid open so the reservoir can dry completely. By the end of the day, clean the coffee pot and any detachable parts with soap and water.

Once a month, clean the machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. This usually involves running a brew cycle with a descaling agent. Alternatively, run two cycles using clean filters and equal parts vinegar and water, followed by one cycle with a clean filter and plain water to remove any lingering vinegar taste.

Although this routine does not require an excessive amount of meticulous cleaning, the monthly maintenance step should not be skipped, for no other reason than to preserve the taste of the coffee.

Catch all the listener questions and Laurel’s answers on the full episode of Health Wanted by:

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