Comments for It's Getting Hot In Here

Comment on Cellulosic, Plug-In Hybrids Are Biofuel Solutions? Think Again! by Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:46:58 +0000

Nice Post! China and India are already reeling in regards to problems created by automobilization and that path is surely a dead end. Some Chinese leaders realized this a few years back but the quickly entrenched capitalist auto-industrial complex thwarted attempts to abort the process once begun. I haven’t seen any convincing arguments that a new generation of fuels or vehicles can be deployed faster or more broadly than public transport (as a technical problem, rather than a political one cause by the influence of the auto-industrial complex over policy). Not to mention that vehicles require a good deal of energy and resource extraction themselves for simply of a few decades of planned obsolescence.

Its true rural and some other less urban areas don’t seem to lend themselves to public transport the same way as cities. Forms of collective ownership of vehicle fleets (rather personal vehicles) is one possible way to reduce their number that is being implemented in some places. I also would argue that the way our population is dispersed may have to change and, in the end, the needs of sustainability and environmental justice must trump what is profitable or convenient.

Other types of vehicles and fuels are not in themselves a bad idea, nor is researching them. What is important is how much emphasis we put on that versus applying solutions we have and know to be effective. It is also crucial who controls the resources invested in and information resulting from that research! Both in terms of the effect it has on our scientific institutions and the way the science is conducted and presented which some of my colleagues here have written on regarding biofuels . I think this sort of conflict Hannah and Becky describe is evident in many debates over the development and application of technologies in the face of looming climate disaster, CSS for example.

Its true the automobile is embedded in American culture, but this was and is the product of larger economic forces. It has been constructed with commercial advertisements, diversion of public works, secret trusts and monopolies. If we are going to stop climate change we are bound to confront them. Harvard economist Paul Sweezey (a peer, friend, and political opponent of Schumpeter) wrote an essay Cars and Cities many years ago:

“The most obvious manifestations of this process—which the late Paul Baran and I have called the “automobilization” of society—are traffic congestion and pollution, and these are also the effects which have been most instrumental in focusing public attention on the social and environmental implications of automobilization. But congestion and pollution are essentially superficial phenomena, comparable to the outward symptoms of a disease with deep roots in the organs of the body. If we are ever to deal with the disease itself we must go beyond the symptoms and study its etiology.”

Comment on Carrotmob: The New Anti-Boycott? by Tabby

Tabby — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:38:49 +0000

I’m totally anti-consumerism, too, but there are just some things you can’t avoid consuming. Take a toothbrush. Even if you use the same toothbrush for a year or more, eventually it’s going to crap out & you’ll have to get a new one. Maybe it will be a free one (if you get it from your dentist, or steal it from the hospital), but it’s still a consumer good that takes resources to make. Food is another great example. We all need food. Even if we grow good food ourselves & shop only locally, we are still putting our dollars at work for what we do buy. Why not put those dollars at work incentivizing companies to improve their ecological footprints, thus bettering the state of the world?

I think this is a fabulous idea for buying things we would buy anyway. I look forward to taking part (perhaps even organizing) the first Carrotmob in Austin, TX. =)

Rock on!

Comment on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trial Run Fails Miserably in Delhi… by Madhav Pai

Madhav Pai — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:24:52 +0000

In mixed traffic, buses were carrying not more that 4000 people in the peak hour in the peak direction. One the BRT lane has opened the speed of buses is over 15 km ph and it carries close to 12,000-14,000 in th peak hour. 10,000 more people. The lane meant for motor vehicles carries not more than 2,500 people.

Comment on Climate Justice = A Human Right by erinamelia

erinamelia — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:54:05 +0000

It’s not just climate justice, it’s access to climate change adaptation resources. There was a warning at least 48 hours in advance that the cyclone was on its way, but that didn’t seem to do anything. The junta has claimed it put out warnings on state radio but warnings aren’t very good without a radio, and with no disaster plan or resources or any kind to help people get out of harm’s way.

Comment on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trial Run Fails Miserably in Delhi… by lee schipper

lee schipper — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:09:06 +0000

With Indian’s urban traffic and air pollution rivalling the worst in the world it is amazing to hear the bellyaching when a plan to increase the flow of people (not vehicles) per hour runs into snags. Of course Delhi has its metro, for billions (thats dollars or rupees, not people), but where are the sidewalks, the bus and auto stands, the safe walkways etc. Why was I able to get a cheap loan for a two wheeler at CICI Bank in Pune in Dec. 2004 when there were no sidewalks in front of the bank offering the loan? And what will happen when the two wheeled scourage of streets becomes a four wheeled one?\’

These are India’s problems to be solved by Indians. Other cities and nations have been struggling for years, with Singapore, London and Stockholm ( congestion pricing, mss transit) and Latin American cities like Mexico City (Metrobus, 300 000 people/day ni a single 25 km coridor) showing results. What will Indian cities do? Protect the majority on buses, on feet, or on pedals or pave more roads for the small minority in cars or the growing minority on two wheelers?

Lee Schipper
Berkeley

Comment on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trial Run Fails Miserably in Delhi… by Sudhir Jatar

Sudhir Jatar — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:24:21 +0000

BRTS is a proven concept so let us not question the efficacy of BRTS. The problems that Delhi faced were the same as Pune in 2006. However, in Delhi it became ‘national interest’ while no body took notice of the woes of Pune.
I can summarise what went wrong with Delhi/Pune BRTS:
a. The passenger lead (average distance commuted by bus passenger) is over 12 km in Delhi and Pune while the length of the BRTS is only 5.8 km. Hence, the average commuter would not like to take a BRTS bus for fear of changing buses.
b. Where ever BRTS has succeeded, there has been a corresponding land-use planning to ensure that the BRTS gets additional commuters. No such planning is done in Delhi or Pune. Hence, we find the bus lanes ‘empty’, while there is overcrowding in personalised vehicle lanes.
c. We in India have scant respect for the law because our representatives set the example of breaking the law and getting away with murder. BRTS needs good traffic discipline.
d. A proper BRTS has an intelligent transportation systm, just to name one basic attribute, which neither Pune or Delhi has.
e. Transportation is a ‘political’ problem, not technical and least of all economic. In the case of both Delhi and Pune, politics played a large part. In Pune, the idea was to complete an adhoc BRTS (actually a modified bus system with dedicated lanes) before the impending municipal elections. BRTS failed so did the ruling party!
f. In Delhi, there is an ideological battle. The Left wants to deprive the personalised vehicles owners space on the road while at the same time promoting (for obvious reasons) a particular brand of luxury buses for BRTS. This kind of ‘politics’ is not in the interest of the public. In Pune, the NGOs saw through the game of the consultants (the same as Delhi) and succeeded in persuading the administration not to buy buses of the particular make.
g. The citizen and the county suffers. But then who cares?
Did you say, ‘citizen’ and imply ‘India’? Which citizen and which country are you talking about? China or the US?

Comment on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trial Run Fails Miserably in Delhi… by Vidyadhar Deshpande

Vidyadhar Deshpande — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:50:07 +0000

If we consider the trip lengths and possible options for commuting in Indian cities we have to give priority to commuters choosing the option of Public Transport. Other options of mass transport are rather costly and capital intensive. I think BRT is an attempt to give priority to commuters using public transport, which is used by 60 % of Delhi’s people. If these people using BRT do not have any complaints to make against BRT then for whom media is making faul cry. In Paris using your own vehicle is 6 times costlier than using Public Transport, still no body grumbles. Here in India on one hand we are talking about ” Inclusive Planning “, ” Including the Excluded “, and on the other hand we are arguing for the interests of few who are using their own vehicles and causing congestion on the roads and are responsible for pollution in the city. In fact BRT is nothing else but an attempt to provide mobility to common man. But it seems these people want the mobility of vehicles. rather than the mobility of people which is against the National Transport Policy.

Comment on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trial Run Fails Miserably in Delhi… by Sujit Patwardhan

Sujit Patwardhan — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:07:04 +0000

Excellent article. Anti BRT and the car lobby has been doing their damnest to kill BRT so the entire width of the road can open up to cars. Little do they realise that actually a well flowing BRT improves the flow even in the MV lanes. Sensible people need to speak up in support of BRT even while initial shortcomings are corrected.

Sujit Patwardhan
Parisar,
Pune

Comment on Cellulosic, Plug-In Hybrids Are Biofuel Solutions? Think Again! by jessejenkins

jessejenkins — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:07:56 +0000

Carlos, I think it’s mostly a question of how we get from here to there. If not the electrification of most transport and cellulosic ethanol (or maybe biobutenol) to provide the rest, what are we going to do? We won’t get to completely climate positive (or carbon negative) overnight and how we get there is the interesting part. Cellulosic ethanol seems to me like a pretty big lever to help get there.

You write, “we should be giving priority to the chunks that will take the most carbon out of our economy and at the same time provide people with the most benefits.” I totally agree there. Guess we just disagree that cellulosic isn’t one of those. Cheers,

Jesse

Comment on Start Your Own Coal Finance Campaign, Here’s How. by mountaingirl

mountaingirl — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:47:05 +0000

Recently as Bank of America and Citi continue to fund the destruction of Appalachia, Action Jackson, a string band from East Tennessee has brought bluegrass and old-time jams into bank branches across the south in protest of the banks’ investments in coal. Now Mountain Justice is asking for musicians and others to join Action Jackson in a great big jam down at the bank on Friday May 9th and Saturday May 10th. Where will this jam be held? At any Bank of America or Citi location near you. You don’t play Appalachian music? Well a boom-box and a c.d. playing any kind of music will be just fine. Half-sheet handouts detailing BoA and Citi’s crimes as well as other campaign materials can be found on Rainforest Action Network’s website at: http://ran.org/what_we_do/global_finance/resources/signs_banners_and_toolkits/.