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A truly underground movement

Suzi Blakley — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:40:27 PDT

Today, we salute a little-known holiday celebrating an unusual underground cause.

While you may have heard of underground music and the Underground Railroad, this is something altogether different: May 14 is Underground America Day, a day to recognize the subset of North Americans who make their homes in the Earth, not just on it.

Even if you are not a Hobbit, there are huge benefits to dwelling beneath the Earth's surface. Since there's little or no need for insulation, underground houses are naturally energy-efficient, with heating and cooling systems utilizing the Earth's geothermal energy.

Subsurface homes also provide shelter from the elements and forces of nature -- an abode and a storm shelter all in one.

As more people strive to live in tune with their environment, this movement encourages sustainable architecture and green building practices, and the aesthetics of nature are of the utmost importance.

What can you do to celebrate this occasion?

It may not be practical to bury your home, but why not start with small steps? Take an underground tour, or use public transportation -- specifically a subway.

Or begin a green roof project. It technically counts as living beneath ground (or at least beneath soil and plants), while at the same time cleaning the air. And the types of rooftops that can go green are limitless.

Suggested sites:

About Malcolm Wells - biography of the creator of Underground America Day.

Unusual Hotels of the World - a listing of worldwide underground hotels.

Sustainable Architecture - Wikipedia - describes environmentally conscious design techniques in architecture.

Greenroofs.com - the green roof industry resource portal.

Directory categories: Geothermal Energy, Energy-Efficient Construction, Sustainable Architecture, Geodesic Domes, Green Roofs

Originally posted on The Spark, a daily blog where Yahoo! Directory editors highlight new and interesting content on the Web.

Bike trees are a safe space to park

Hank Green — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:42:32 PDT

We spend an awful lot of time talking about cars here at EcoGeek. And that's not necessarily something that we're proud of. We think that cars, in the end, can never be green -- only greener. Which is why we love these bike trees.

In general, bike racks suck. They're used improperly, often there aren't enough around, and they can even be downright insecure. Parking and walking away from your thousand-dollar investment is never fun, especially when we all know that any lock, with enough persistence, can be cut.

Enter the bike tree, a marvelous bit of technology which will keep your bike safe in any situation (save a meteorite). Abhinav Dapke of Bahrain and India designed the trees to deal with theft and to address congested bike parking. The trees actually use significantly less space than traditional bike parking.

Just hook your bike into the device, push the thumbprint scanner, and the bike gets lifted to safety. When you return, scan your thumb again, and your bike comes down to meet you. A simple system, and one that could also be performed with RFID or a swipe card to lower the costs of thumb-scanning.

In any case, this is another way to make biking more convenient. Now if they just put a roof over the whole thing we wouldn't have to worry about soggy butts after a rainstorm.

Via TreeHugger

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:09:35 PDT

Completing the circle: Gas at the pump, war in Iraq, and global warming

The war in Iraq, originally known as O.I.L. (Operation Iraqi Liberation, that is) recently passed its fifth anniversary. Oil Change International recently published a study that quantifies the greenhouse gas emissions from the Iraq War as well as some of the environmental opportunity costs.

Bicing takes Barcelona by storm

In its first two months, Bicing, a bike-sharing program in Barcelona, Spain, garnered over 30,000 subscribers. The programâs popularity has only grown, which is good news for new bike-sharing programs in Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

All aboard for National Train Day

May 10th marks the first edition of National Train Day, a celebration of trains, tracks, mass transit, and efficient travel. The date is significant as the anniversary of the joining of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways in Utah 1869 -- which created the U.S.' first transcontinental railroad.

Valley Girl decries car culture

The Los Angeles' Times "Emerald City" blog recently ran a great post illustrating how Southern California turned from sunny citrus paradise to car-choked hell. Cassandra Davis mixes an historical account of the evolution of car culture in SoCal with her own firsthand experiences growing up as a Valley Girl.

6 stupidly simple steps to save billions of gallons of gas

Hank Green — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:58:05 PDT

OK, gas prices are getting out of hand, and carbon emissions have been out of hand for a long time. So let's kill two birds with, well, five stones.

We generally focus on high technology here at EcoGeek, and how we can save energy with smart designs. But sometimes, there are simpler ways.

An absolutely tremendous amount of gasoline could be saved in America with some very simple measures. Such as:

1. Lose some weight = 900 million gallons of gas
Americans weigh about 24 more pounds per person than we did in the 1970s. That weight, when we're driving, has to be moved around with our cars. Multiplied over the three trillion miles driven in America each year, suddenly we need a lot of gas to move around our extra chub. If we could (preferably through walking and biking) lose those 24 lbs. and reach 1970s sizes, America would used nearly one billion gallons of gas less than we currently do.

2. Intelligent traffic lights = 1,000 million gallons of gas
Studies have shown that altering traffic lights to ensure maximum flow can reduce gasoline consumption in cities by between 10% and 20%. Already, lots of places have traffic light systems that use sensors to detect when and how often to change lights.

But a great deal of traffic infrastructure is still extremely primitive, and most of it is programmed by hand. Researchers have begun to attempt to create traffic lights that can make decisions for themselves. Stoplights might soon communicate with other nearby lights about when they plan on changing, how much traffic they've seen, and what's working for them recently to keep traffic flowing. They will even be able to remember what worked in the past, and use those same techniques in the future.

3. More expensive gas = 450 million gallons of gas (so far)
OK, this isn't necessarily the best solution to our problems, especially since most people who really need to drive can't afford to pay much more for gas. But 2007 showed the first decrease in the number of miles traveled since the gas crisis of the '70s. As gas prices sored to upward of $3 per gallon, people actually drove less. The amount driven dropped by about 10 billion miles. At an average fleet efficiency of 22 mpg, that's 450 million gallons of gas saved.

4. Drive a little slower = 600 million gallons of gas (just for semi trucks)
Recently, with diesel prices topping $4, Con-Way Freight, owner of one of the largest truck fleets in America, decided that it would decrease the maximum speed its drivers could drive from 65 mph to 62 mph. This will save the company 3.2 million gallons of fuel per year. And that's just ONE trucking company going 3 mph slower! If this were expanded to all 1.5 million semis on American roads, it would save 617 million gallons of fuel!

If it the national speed limit were lowered to 65 mph, the savings would be extreme. Already, the U.S. trucking industry is calling for a decrease in the national speed limit, first because the difference in speed between trucks and cars creates possible safety issues. And because it would ultimately decrease the price of fuel.

5. More people per car = 1,500 million gallons of gas
If every car in America that transported one person instead transported two people, we'd save about 8 billion gallons of gas per year. But we'll aim lower. If just 20% of these solo-driver trips became two-passenger carpools, we'd use 1.5 billion fewer gallons of gas per year.

6. Increase mileage to 35 mpg = 55,000 million gallons of gas by 2015
This needs to be said. The current average fuel economy of an American car is 22 mpg. It would be lower if there were no law in place requiring that efficiency. The auto industry has been fighting any increase for decades. We finally have a law on the books that will increase the average to 35 mpg by 2020.

But if we, in America, had 35-mpg cars today, like they currently do in Europe, we would use 55 BILLION less gallons of gas. Looking back through the rest of the list, this trivializes the rest of the options.

Each of these measures would, without a doubt, help us deal with the supply shortages and environmental implications of our massive oil addiction.

The asthma and car connection

Mel Peffers — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:23:22 PDT

This post is by Mel Peffers, a project manager in the Living Cities program at Environmental Defense Fund.

May 6th was World Asthma Day. Since car exhaust can lead to asthma as well as global warming, we thought it would be a good time to highlight the importance of not idling your car or truck engine.

What makes idling especially bad for health is that drivers tend to idle in gathering places -- by sidewalks, schools, playgrounds, homes, and offices. Breathing in pollution close to the source is more dangerous than farther away.

Take a look at the evidence.

Tailpipe exhaust may cause asthma

Tailpipe exhaust from both gasoline- and diesel-burning vehicles contains the pollutants that produce ozone when combined with sunlight and heat. Ozone occurs mostlyÂ during the summer months. A warming planet means more hot days and thus more ozone.

Breathing in ozone irritates and inflames your lungs, and repeated exposure can reduce lung function. Thereâs a lot of evidence that ozone makes asthma worse.

But the Childrenâs Health Study in California found evidence that ozone causes asthma. The study also found that children can suffer irreversible lung damage as adults from breathing smog.

On top of that, diesel exhaust contains particulate matter (soot). This has long been known to cause a variety of health problems, including aggravated asthma (see CARB report on health effects [PDF]).

As with ozone, there is evidence that diesel exhaust particles may cause asthma and not just worsen it.

California kids arenât the only ones to suffer from tailpipe-induced asthma. A 2005 NYU Medical Center study showed that asthma symptoms among children in the South Bronx doubled on high-traffic days.

Conversely, reducing ozone can improve asthma rates. During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the city closed downtown to private cars for 17 days. During this time, daily peak ozone levels dropped more than a quarter and hospitalizations for asthma fell by almost one-fifth.

Fight global warming, save money

Thereâs no reason to idle your vehicle engine. As I explained in a previous post:

Todayâs engines donât need a warm-up period.
If youâre stopped for more than 10 seconds, your car uses more gasoline to idle than to restart.

Many cities, including New York, have laws against idling, but theyâre rarely enforced. We need better enforcement, but we can make a difference with our own actions and behavior.

So in honor of World Asthma Day, switch off that idling engine. Youâll curb global warming pollution, save money on gasoline, and help everyone to breathe better.

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:51:49 PDT

HGTV âgreen homeâ: Complete with gas-guzzling SUV!

Has green-washing hit a new low? HGTV has completely missed the point of what it means to be sustainable with its new Green Home Giveaway sweepstakes.

The winner gets a fancy âgreenâ home in Hilton Head, SC, complete with energy-efficient appliances, eco-floors, amenities, doo-dads, etc.; a membership to the local water-sucking, pesticide-spewing golf course; and a hybrid SUV. Of course all of these prizes are carefully branded and marketed through the HGTV programming.

Bicycle City: Perfection, sans picket fences?

Bicycle City sounds like a place Iâd like to live. By plannersâ description, its highlights include a âwalkable, urban design; vibrant local economy; eco-friendly, sustainable design; organic farming; human-powered transportation; strong and diverse community; active healthy lifestyle.â

By contrast to most urban areas, Bicycle City doesnât have âpollution, traffic jams, parking lots, national franchises, strip malls, stress, chemicals, or 'cookie cutter' â designs.

Glastonbury Festival celebrates green transport

The annual Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is encouraging concertgoers to leave their cars at home. A full third of people attending the three-day celebration (akin to Woodstock, but in the English countryside) will commute by public transport (including via coach and rail) and festival organizers are encouraging all who attend to car-share, if they must commute by vehicle. âThe aim is to reduce the number of cars which come to the festival,â organizers say.

Cars cause a scentless spring

Cars have made us fat, diseased, cash-strapped, and disconnected from one another and ourselves. Now, thanks to air pollution caused by cars and power plants, we don't even have the scent of flowers to appreciate. As National Geographic reports, the potency of the smell of flowers has been reduced by as much as 90%.

Plug-in hybrid electric school buses

A. Siegel — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:23:27 PDT

Okay, I am a big fan of PHESBs: plug-in hybrid electric school buses. With all the (welcome) focus on plug-in hybrid electric cars like the Volt, Prius, and others, the real potential for some game-changing through large fleets seem to be falling by the wayside.

In fact, school buses offer some quite serious opportunities for breakthrough benefits, and merits serious attention. Happily, we are seeing some serious news advancing the possibility of actually seizing these benefits.

Recent test results show that the IC Bus PHEBs, using hybrid-drive systems from Enova Systems, "can improve fuel efficiency by more than 70 percent compared to standard diesel-powered school buses."

In addition to the fuel economy savings, other benefits include:

Over 40% reduction in CO₂
Over 30% reduction in particulate matter
Over 20% reduction in NOx

Analysis suggests that aggressive deployment of PHESBs could save the equivalent of 1/2 day of projected U.S. fuel use per year. While this isn't a silver bullet to solve the challenges of peak oil and global warming, it would be a nice piece to insert in the puzzle.

But the benefits are far more extensive. These buses would provide the potential for emergency power amid a disaster (man-made or otherwise) and mobile power for public events and would reduce the impact of diesel fumes on children's health. Combine PHESBing with "green diesel," and this health threat basically disappears.

One of the key challenges to achieving these benefits is the price differential between PHESBs and the standard bus. Amid tight (tighter than normal) local budget environments, spending additional money upfront for future fuel savings and for "intangible" items like children's health is difficult. IC Bus took a step in the right direction with a $40k reduction in the price of the PHESBs.

Now, there are 19 PHESBs out there in America. I have heard nothing other than rave reviews of them. Last I heard, an order of 100 PHESBs and IC Bus can drop the price to the point where the fuel saving will be compelling for school administrators' purchase decisions, even without considering the quite real (but less direct to the budget) benefits like reduced pollution and emergency power reserves.

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:37:08 PDT

Eight ways to overcome excuses and start cycling

You havenât yet begun bike commuting, but youâve considered it. Whatâs putting the brakes on your brilliant plans? Perhaps a handful of good excuses that have made cycling to work a mere pipe dream. Whatever your reason for continuing to take the car, thereâs likely a simple means to make bike commuting an efficient, reliable, and sustainable way to get to work. Here are eight common (probably lame) excuses -- and how to overcome them with chutzpah. Prepare to dust off your helmet.

Birmingham's big city plan

Leader of the Birmingham, UK, City Council Mike Whitby commissioned a study to move the city towards sustainability and revitalize the city centre. Dubbed the âBig City Plan,â the goals include decreasing the city's carbon emissions by 60% by 2026, revamping mass transit systems, and moving the city towards self-sufficiency with livable and walkable neighborhoods, local produce and products sold locally, and homegrown industries to support the residents.

Paris-Roubaix inspires commuters?

Paris-Roubaix is a âhard man's race.â If you never realized that cycling is one of the world's toughest sports, check it out. The event is so over-the-top difficult that it can't help but inspire everyday cyclists to stop making excuses and get out and ride.

Greening the concrete jungle

Asphalt gardening is growing in popularity, as green-thumbed urbanites reclaim the concrete and break ground to turn parking spots into lush, green space.

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:04:55 PDT

To make cities âresilient,â reduce car travel

The goal for modern cities, as environmental scientist Peter Newman describes it, is to move beyond âsustainabilityâ to âresiliency.â The model of constant consumption needs to stop and cities need to be constructed in such a manner as to make this possible.

One of Newman's main targets is a decrease in oil consumption and, not surprisingly, minimizing the use of cars. Building of suburbs should be scrapped in favor of denser urban settings than enable mass transit, walking, and biking.

U.S. car sales crash in 2008

In the short span of one year, car sales in the United States have come crashing down -- and the change is significant. Industry giants Chrysler and General Motors sold 19 percent fewer automobiles in March 2008 than they did in March of 2007, according to sales reports. Ford isn't faring much better with sales that are down 14 percent. Meanwhile, Toyota is still hanging on with a mere 10 percent drop.

Introducing Hummer H8: The Earth f@#ker

Tired of tip-toeing around the Hummer's inherent incongruity with things like caring for the planet, giving a damn about anyone's safety, or working towards national energy self-reliance, the auto manufacturer has officially proclaimed, âScrew it!â

Diesel exhaust hurts your brain

New research indicates that exposure to diesel exhaust may cause long-term damage to brain function. The study, conducted by Particle & Fibre Toxicology, tracked the effects of the nanoparticles found in diesel exhaust.

Eco-mythbusting

Trystan L. Bass — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:28:24 PDT

Think CFLs aren't worth it because of all that mercury? What about the idea that recycling costs more than chucking junk in a landfill? Hear the one about wine corks being endangered?

These and other myths keep many folks from going green and helping the environment. But a little bit of fact-checking shows that you can clean up the planet in lots of small, easy ways. And you may save some money too.

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) save energy and money, that's a fact. But the incredibly tiny amount of mercury they contain has scared off some people.

I can't remember the last time I broke an incandescent bulb (maybe when I was a teenager?), and I've never cracked any of the CFLs in my house and garage. If it did happen though, I'd head to the Environmental Protection Agency handy guidelines for cleanup and disposal. No big deal!

Recycling is another no-brainer that occasionally gets harassed. Sure, you might have to sort bottles from cans in the bins, but that's better than creating a mountain of garbage. The benefits of recycling are huge -- less trash in the landfills, energy saved from not using virgin resources, and more jobs are created.

The City of Fort Collins' recycling program notes that recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy that it would take to mine new aluminum. The Curbside Value Partnership (PDF) estimates that recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs -- but dumping that same waste into a landfill only creates six jobs.

Biodiesel has been the source of many eco-myths lately. I pointed to recent studies that decried biofuels, while also mentioning that different types have different impacts. Clayton B. Cornell goes into more depth on biodiesel and separates it from ethanol. Useful info if you want the real deal, not just the hype.

Have you heard that making little changes won't help the environment? What one person does can't possibly matter? Not so. In a detailed article on Bankrate.com, a spokesperson for the Natural Resources Defense Council reminds us that if everyone in the U.S. bought just one package of 100% recycled paper napkins instead non-recycled ones, we'd save 1 million trees.

And if you do want to go green on a larger scale, it's not that hard either. Building an eco-friendly house doesn't have to be expensive or horribly complicated, according to the home gurus at HGTV.com. Start with a tight building envelope, use low-flow toilets (which are mandatory anyway), and choose from the thousands of mainstream products that will make your new home or remodel sit more lightly on the earth.

For the garden out back, don't fall for those myths about composting either. The process doesn't have to be a lot of smelly work, and you can even compost in an urban setting. You'll keep useful organic matter out of the trash and improve your soil.

The myths just keep piling up! From computer sleep mode (which could waste 20% of your energy bill) to driving with the windows down (same as the AC), we get suckered in. Some folks even question whether local food really is better for the planet.

And what about that cork myth? Yep, there's a rumor that good old-fashioned wine bottles with natural corks are bad because the cork trees are endangered. Not so. Green Living Online says that the trees aren't chopped down to make wine corks -- the bark is merely stripped. The trees aren't damaged at all, and this has been going on since time immemorial.

So drink up -- you can enjoy life while saving the world.

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:37:52 PDT

America ends its affair with autos

Last Saturday, Lady Liberty formally announced that her long-standing affair with the automobile was over, once and for all. The original Miss America decided to call it off in honor of the New York Auto Show, with support from her friends at Streetsblog.

Streetsblog staged the event, dubbed âThe End of the Affair,â at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan, where the auto show is held annually.

In California, it pays not to park

If someone paid you to park your car at home and find an alternate way to get to work, would you take the money and run? Angelenos and commuters throughout California are cashing in on a new program that pays them to take transit or their own two legs, instead of their cars.

Ethanol production is spreading the dead zone

The large âdead zoneâ that grows in the Gulf of Mexico every summer is nothing new. The toxic runoff of nitrogen fertilizer used on conventional crops in the Midwest leads to a huge swathe of sea that is incapable of sustaining life.

Corn is the biggest culprit in creating these environments, and now that the U.S. is looking to biofuels as a solution to its energy needs, the problem's only getting worse. Bush signed legislation at the end of 2007 that will triple the amount of corn ethanol produced over the next several years.

New York City council approves congestion pricing

On Monday, the New York City Council voted in favor of Mayor Michael R. Bloombergâs proposal to introduce congestion pricing on the clogged streets of Gotham. The measure passed in a 30-20 vote. Itâs up to state legislators in Albany to pass the plan before it can be implemented. If Albany does approve the measure, the city would be eligible for $354 million in federal grants for improvements to existing mass transit.

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:52:54 PDT

The green car is a myth

We at Carectomy have become fond of the expression that âthe greenest car is the one you don't drive.â Tom Konrad referred to us in his article for AltEnergy Stocks when he stated, âA carectomy is better than a better car.â Eco-Chick pointed out that the smartest car is ctill worse than the dumbest bike. And the country of Norway went so far as to proclaim it illegal for car manufacturers to use the words âgreen,â clean,â or âenvironmentally friendlyâ in any car advertisements.

DIY Electric Car asks, and answers, the questions: Are super-efficient or alternative-fuel cars eco-friendly? Can a car be green?

Walking tours provide context

The best way to experience any travel destination isn't behind the glass of an air-conditioned tour bus: it's on foot, moving slowly, with your eyes, ears, and nose taking in the essence of the place.

That's the idea behind Context Travel, a company that compares its tours to small seminars in a liberal arts college classroom.

Trendsetting Japanese teens choose iPods over cars

While Stateside suburban soccer moms may still be plowing down narrow streets with their wide-berth S.U.V.s, a new generation of Japanese have deemed the car superfluous. The Wall Street Journal reports that many young Japanese have decided not to use a car because itâs just not necessary.

Proof that âSan Jose hates pedestriansâ

San JosÃ© hates pedestrians -- at least, according to a web site by the same name. The site offers photographic evidence of its slogan: âSan JosÃ©: where cars matter more than people.â

Carectomy week in review

Joshua Liberles — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:33:52 PDT

AAA study: cars, congestion, cost, and carnage

The American Automobile Association (AAA) just published a remarkable study quantifying the economic impacts of both congestion and car crashes. The study looks at 85 metropolitan areas of various sizes across the U.S. Crash costs across the board dwarfed costs associated with congestion. The larger cities lost less to crashes, more to congestion -- a ratio of 1.85 to 1 with the average person losing $962 to crashes and $523 to congestion annually.

The great car commuter challenge

If youâve ever wondered how the other hallf lives, hereâs your chance to find out. The Nova Channel, âthe worldâs first online television channel dedicated to transport,â challenged car commuters to use the passenger rail, instead of their cars, to get to work. A short documentary film follows Halifax commuter Julian McEvoy as he alternately uses the passenger rail and his car to travel to work. The side-by-side comparison of these two commutes is conclusive in its findings.

Foreclosures rockinâ the suburbs, now âslumsâ

Greedy developers have grubbed the last of the land that surrounds many sprawling âurbanâ centers, and countless Americans commute an hour or more to-and-from their suburban McMansions daily. However, with the real estate market turning ugly, developers seem to have slowed their progress. People, it seems, are starting to take the hint that living in the âburbs and beyond just isnât sustainable -- not for their planet or their lifestyle.

Californians on low-CARB diet in 2009

California is putting itself on a new low-CARB diet -- and itâs not Atkins this time. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is issuing new regulations and ratings on vehicle emissions, which require manufacturers to provide and display new global warming information on cars' smog index stickers. The global warming information will debut in 2009.

Escape from the suburban fringe

Trystan L. Bass — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:22:30 PST

The subprime-mortgage crisis has hit suburbia bad. Is this the straw that breaks the back of McMansions and unwalkable cities?

In the March 2008 issue of The Atlantic, Christopher B. Leinberger suggests that towns filled with identical houses and clipped green lawns may soon be a thing of the past.

He writes: "The pendulum is swinging back toward urban living, and there are many reasons to believe this swing will continue." Cities offer the ability to walk to shopping, jobs, and entertainment. With rising gas prices, this is a big advantage.

The article also points out: "If New York City were its own state, it would be the most energy-efficient state in the union." A large part of this is due to less reliance on cars.

While not everyone wants to walk or take the bus, clearly some folks want the choice. Suburbs don't offer these options, while urban landscapes do.

NYC approves congestion pricing

Sheryl Canter — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:20:39 PST

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

New York City suffers from some of the worst traffic congestion in the country, costing workers and businesses billions of dollars a year in lost time, and heavily contributing to New Yorkâs nearly worst-in-the-nation air quality. One in eight New Yorkers suffer from asthma.

And New York is expected to add one million residents by 2030.

New York State charged a commission of elected officials, environmental and planning experts with solving New York Cityâs traffic crisis. Andy Darrell, Regional Director for Living Cities at Environmental Defense, was one of the commissioners.

Today the commission voted to approve an historic plan to protect New Yorkersâ health.

A key element of the plan is congestion pricing, where an electronically-collected toll system charges drivers more for using the most congested roads at the most congested times. This encourages drivers to instead use mass transit or to reschedule their trip. Cities around the world are successfully using congestion pricing to reduce traffic and pollution from vehicle exhausts.

Todayâs approved plan included the following elements:

A congestion pricing system for New Yorkâs Central Business District (CBD) from 60th street to the southern tip of Manhattan, with a charge in effect only during the peak traffic times (6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday). The plan will cut traffic in the CBD and outside of the CBD by reducing through-traffic destined for the CBD from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and northern Manhattan, areas with the cityâs highest asthma rates.
A guarantee that about $500 million in annual revenue will be invested in transit expansion. This will reduce the $30 billion backlog in capital investment needed for major projects - for example, a Second Avenue subway line, and bus service in neighborhoods that lack transit options now.
A simple and relatively inexpensive system with far fewer cameras and operational complexity than that used in London, saving about $100 million annually from earlier estimates.
Recommended solutions to key concerns such as:

A transit "lockbox" that guarantees revenue to new transit expansion.
Short-term transit improvements prior to the programâs start.
Residential parking permits and ongoing monitoring and mitigation efforts to reduce traffic and parking in surrounding neighborhoods.
A sound legal framework for environmental review.
Cutting cameras from 340 down to 25 (93% reduction) and putting strict limits on storing personal information to ensure privacy.
Increased enforcement of existing traffic laws and a crackdown on placards.
Tax relief for low income drivers with no transit alternative (who are fewer than 1 percent of all commuters to the CBD).

Investing now in the transit system of tomorrow will keep New York City accessible to people of all income levels, cut pollution, support healthy growth, and cut global warming pollution. Congestion pricing is the key to clean air and better transit.

Buddy up in the car

Trystan L. Bass — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:07:51 PST

Green New Year's resolution: Carpool at least once a week.

Want to save money and reduce stress? Share your commute to work a few times each week. With gas prices rising and traffic congestion crazy all over America, carpooling is a smart way to make your life easier and also be kind to the planet.

According to the National Household Travel Survey by the U. S. Department of Transportation, 90.8% of us drive to work during the week, and the average vehicle occupancy is a mere 1.14. Our commute averages about 12.10 miles.

But adults age 35 to 44 spend over 80 minutes each day in a car! Thanks to more solo drivers on the road, it takes longer to get anywhere. Surely a few of us can drive together, especially during peak commute hours.

Check out the real costs of commuting by yourself. Pretty high, huh? What if you cut out one day a week?

Try starting with Fridays so you'll begin the weekend feeling refreshed. Alternate who drives, and track how much gas money you save. Once you and your carpool partner get in the habit, add another day. Edmunds.com has useful tips for setting up a carpool.

This directory has links to online rideshare databases where you can find people to carpool with. You can even use tools like ZimRide or GoLoco to find carpools on Facebook.

The University of South Florida has a summary of the tax benefits available to commuters and employers. Large companies may have carpool programs already. If not, show your HR department this info. and help set up a rideshare list.

Want to go a step further? Try public transportation, or see how walkable your town is. Encourage your kids to walk or bike to school. Use a bike for your commute and errands.

Try living without a car completely. Sound crazy? Well, you'll save money, and you'll eliminate tons of harmful CO2 from the atmosphere. And you don't have to live in a big city either. I live in suburban California (notorious for poor public transit), and I've never had a driver's license or owned a car. I take the bus, walk, and carpool everywhere.

It's not the simplest way to live, but neither is having four kids or being vegetarian, which plenty of people do. When you don't drive, you have to plan some things in advance. But you're also freed from car insurance and registration fees, and you don't care about gas prices.

Just start small with a weekly carpool. You'll be surprised at how much you don't need a car on hand.

Carpooling casually

Anneliese Eisentraut — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:30:28 PST

Mom always said hitchhiking was a big no-no, but what if thumbing down a ride could make your commute less painful and help cut down on pollution?

In congested urban areas like Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco Bay Area, HOVs (high occupancy vehicles) are rewarded with designated express lanes. To benefit from the faster freeway lanes, commuters line up at the curb and hop into strangers' cars every weekday. Half ride-share, half plain old hitching, casual carpooling, or "slugging" as it's known in D.C., connects passengers and drivers at unofficial meeting places along common commute routes.

A three-passenger occupancy rule eases concerns about the weirdo factor, and a few etiquette guidelines help things run smoothly: the driver controls the radio volume and station, no food or drink, and no conversation unless the driver initiates.

Of course, there's an occasional crazy driver, but nothing's perfect, and it makes for a good story around the water cooler once you make it to work.

Suggested sites:

Slug-Lines.com - slugging HQ for Washington, D.C., features morning and afternoon pick-up locations, etiquette, and a poem or two.
511.org - find a carpool or vanpool in the San Francisco Bay Area.
eRideShare.com - find a carshare partner for your commute, cross-country drive, or local errands.
Carpool Crew - rally folks in your neighborhood to carpool with you.

Directory categories: Ridesharing, Commuting, Traffic Conditions, Mass Transit, Hitchhiking

Originally posted on The Spark, a daily blog where Yahoo! Directory editors highlight new and interesting content on the Web.

Traffic is bad for the environment and your health

Trystan L. Bass — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:07:15 PST

Nobody likes traffic, and we all know that cars stacked up on the freeway pollute the air we breath (not to mention, all those cars take up space!).

But now we learn that traffic is hurting America's economy and it's bad for our mental health. Doesn't that make you want to seek alternative transportation?

Yahoo! Health writer Anne Kreamer points out several recent studies on the high cost of cars. She found that each of us is spending 38 hours a year stuck in traffic -- that's nearly two wasted days. The U.S. economy is losing about $78 billion per year in time and fuel -- money that could be a big help for education, healthcare, and plenty of other more relevant causes than traffic jams.

The stress of sitting in traffic is linked to increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and anxiety. All of that leads to poor health, bad moods, and lower work performance.

Thanks to cars, we're a nation short on time and money, and we're going to die early from stress! But most people can fix it quick. Just change your weekday commuting habits.

Find a carpool in your area to ease your commute. Discover public transit in your town. I've been carpooling or taking the train and bus all my working life, and I like to think the reduced stress is adding mellow years to my retirement.

Don't forget to ask your boss or human resources department about discounts for transit passes and special perks for carpoolers. Larger companies are getting on the ball and rewarding employees for being green -- especially since more communities are helping businesses with eco-friendly transit programs.

Many of us keep to a regular weekly work schedule, so creating a carpool is easy. Exceptions are just that, exceptions; you can adjust your carpool or public transit plans to accommodate an occasional doctor's appointment or after-work errand.

The overall time and stress saved will be worth it.

Smart drivers are looking forward to 2008

Trystan L. Bass — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:56:28 PDT

Silicon Valley already loves the Prius. Now tech heads are getting a sneak-peek at one of Europe's most eco-friendly cars.

The Smart Car officially debuts in America in early 2008, but San Jose is getting a preview this week.

The tiny two-seaters will tour fall colors in the surrounding countryside, and strut their stuff down Santana Row in the heart of the northern California city.

Targeting tech trend-setters and "thought leaders," Smart USA hopes that the car's diminutive profile (they're three feet smaller than a Mini Cooper) and better than 40 mpg fuel economy will earn fans.

The price tag will turn some heads too. The Smart Fortwo will be offered in three models ranging in price from $11,590 to $16,590.

For almost 10 years, these mostly two-seater vehicles have zipped through Europe's crowded streets. The Mercedes Car Group is bringing them across the pond, just as rising gas prices and concern for the environment are pushing Americans out of their giant SUVs.

Bigger isn't always better, as this sassy Smart Car vs. Hummer video proves.

In Italy last March, my husband and I rented a Smart to tool around Tuscany. He did the driving and found the Passion model lacking in pick-up on the freeway but ideal for town driving, and a breeze to park.

I found the interior comfortable, and we had plenty of space for all our travel gear.

You can take a peek inside the Smart with this video test drive from FOX 7 News in Austin, TX.

Wondering what makes it so fuel efficient and safe, yet small? Check out HowStuffWorks for the inside scoop.

The Los Angeles Times filmed reactions to the Smart car's recent appearance on Venice Beach, and found that people were fascinated by its "bury-me-up-to-my-neck-in-kittens" cuteness.

The Edmunds review of the 2008 Smart Fortwo probably sums it up best. The Smart Fortwo won't replace the family car, it says. But for commuters "who spend 90 percent of their driving time by themselves in traffic or meandering through congested city streets, the Fortwo makes an awful lot of sense."

Car(bon) free in California

Trystan L. Bass — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:31:57 PDT

California dreaming is all about putting the top down on your convertible car and driving up and down the coast, burning rubber with a hottie by your side, road tripping through the redwoods, or cruising L.A.'s miles of freeway. Right?

Wrong! The new dream is green, according to Charles of Car(bon)free in California. This San Francisco Bay Area guy has a blog about reducing the impact of cars, especially on the Golden State. And if he can cut back on auto use in asphalt-paved suburban Cali, then so can people living across the U.S.

He posts news, both local and national, ideas like a carbon subsidy, and notes about how your schedule effects commuting.

Recently, Charles started his own Five for Footprints campaign. Just reduce five percent of your diving -- that's only 1 trip in 20 -- and he's posting five easy steps to help.

First up, telecommuting. Let me tell you, we love this one at Yahoo! -- people get more done without all the hustle and distractions in the office (and personally, I enjoy sitting at my home computer with a cat in my lap).

Next, carpool. Someone you work with probably lives within a reasonable distance or on the way. Just ask around. If you work for a big company, see if it has a carpool list set up already. Some cities have services to connect potential carpoolers, like 511.org Ridematch in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Check the blog regularly to see his other recommendations. I bet biking and public transit may show up. Maybe walking? They're all good, carbon-neutral ways to get around, and I should know -- I've lived in California most of my life without a car too!