Climate change checklist manifesto: transportation

Much of the transportation sector actions are focused on those living in urban areas. Very recently, for the first time, that's where more than half the human population resides. But, to take one example, Mexico City (proper) is between 500 and 600 square miles in size. That could readily challenge the capacity of an electric bicycle. We believe that the transportation solutions proposed below would be much more useful if they were integrated with a design approach similar to that described by Christopher Alexander in A Pattern Language.

urban street with bicycle and van

Photo by J. Harrington

Furthermore, from our recent reading, it appears that recharging the battery in an EV takes considerably longer than the time needed to pump 20 gallons of gasoline into a conventional or hybrid vehicle's gas tank. That, combined with the limited range of EVs, makes the current EV models of limited utility outside urban areas, much of the US. Again, a design approach balancing transportation options with various contexts would enhance the utility of the proposed solution.

rural road for walking? bicycles? vehicles?

Photo by J. Harrington

TRANSPORTATION

Numbers are Optimum Scenario Ranking (from Drawdown)

4 . Electric vehicles — Driving battery and plug-in vehicles instead of conventional vehicles

We believe that, to properly assess this action, a system perspective is needed. We live in the North Country where it's been known to snow every month except July. The EVs we've seen so far offer neither the range, the traction, nor the affordability we want. Minnesota's electric grid still depends heavily on coal-fired plants. The system doesn't yet offer what we consider a viable option.

26 . Ridesharing — Using ride-sharing services and/or carpooling

Several of the members of the household do ride share. When we were a commuter, our schedule was such that ride-sharing opportunities were limited due to our variable schedule and evening meetings.

11 . Mass transit — Using public transportation for commuting in cities instead of individual vehicles

We don't live in a city nor does the public transportation available offer sufficient flexibility for those who don't have 9-5 jobs.

15 . Telepresence — Using video-conferencing technologies in place of commercial flights

This offers some potential, but has also been shown to have the drawback of not offering helpful body language views nor the immediacy of personal sidebar conversations.

16 . Hybrid cars — Driving hybrid cars instead of conventional cars

Many hybrids offer only marginal mpg improvements over conventional cars. The tradeoff we settled for was reducing our annual vat by about 50% while increasing our mpg by 3 or 4. This represents a significant net reduction in our carbon footprint.

17 . Bicycle infrastructure — Biking to destinations in cities instead of using cars

Viable for short distances. Many of our meetings were beyond a short travel distance or were part of a chain of meetings that cumulatively added up. This works for some folks much better than for others. It still lacks adequate convenience for about half the year even in Northern cities.

18 . Walkable cities — Walking to destinations in cities instead of using cars

We did this quite a bit when we worked in Minneapolis and had meetings within a reasonable walking distance and time.

22 . Electric bicycles — Using electric bikes for urban transport instead of using cars

We don't live in an urban area. It would be interesting to learn about range/travel time/recharge time tradeoffs.

Statement on Energy Policy

By Carter Revard

It’s true we have invented quark-extraction,

and this allows our aiming gravity at will;

it’s true also that time

can now be made to flow

backward or forward by

the same process. It may be true as well that

what is happening at the focal point,

the meristem of this process,

creates a future kind of space,

a tiny universe that has

quite different rules. In this, it seems,

whatever one may choose to do or be becomes

at once the case. In short,

we have discovered heaven and

it’s in our grasp. However,

the Patent Office has not yet approved and cites

less positive aspects of this invention. First, it

does not generate profit, and

it does make obsolete all present

delivery systems for our nukes. Then,

it will let private citizens do things that only

a chosen few, that is, OUR sort, should be allowed—

fly freely from one country

to any other, spreading diseases

and bankrupting transportation.

Home-heating, auto-making industries will be trashed,

employment shelled, depressions spread worldwide,

sheer anarchy descend.

For these and other reasons,

no one must know of this. . . . 

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