Posts Tagged ‘commuting’

Hi

You know, I go back to my environmental studies at the University tomorrow. And I will study air pollution. So, as I am a bit hyped over this, you get a piece of this;)

Every day on the commute, well any time we are out and about in the city,  we are exposed to several air pollutants. Ozone and particles are no brainers, as is smog and sooth. These pollutants go into our lungs, and can cause all kind of problems. Those with lung problems get the worst of it. Every year, lots of people die from this. The forest fires in Russia wreaked havoc among the sensitive people with all the particles and heat (not even going to touch all the collateral damage…). And in the rest of the world city air pollution are causing, or at least partitioning in the formation of asthma and heart problems. In some Asian cities people even use mouth protection, much like doctors, just to reduce the amount of particles they breath in.

Children have it worst, as they are breathing a higher volume of air/body weight, and with all the running and physical activity. Is this really something we want?

Not all air pollution has anthropogenic causes. Take Gothemburg as an example; we have some problems with traffic in certain areas, but also salt coming in from the Atlantic ocean. Still, as we exceed the maximum allowed levels of particles every year, air pollution is considered a big problem. With better cars and cleaner industry, sooth is less of a problem, but the increased driving is still causing an overall rise in air pollution in the developed world. And look at China… With hundreds of new cars on the road every day, they are going to have (even more) problems with dirty air before long.

Air pollution can be dampened by good asphalt and well constructed roads, as well as cleaner and better tires and vehicles. However as more cars and trucks are on the road, the levels still increase. The only real way to decrease this dangerous and potentially lethal pollution is to get people to drive less. Industry today is clean, or I should say not as dirty as it have been. They are not to blame for air pollution, at least not entirely. The amount of cars on the roads are though.

By changing your commute, you can participate in making our air cleaner and healthier. It could be your old mother, or child that get problems from excessive amounts of particles next. So take the bus, or train if you have a long way to work. Get other people to do it as well. Share the car with colleges in the morning and afternoon. Anything to reduce the amount of cars on the road. Check the tires, some are better then others.

Well, that’s it for today. Have a nice afternoon, commute greener and make sure to follow us on twitter and facebook

I’m off

Fredrik

One of my newfound passions in life is surfing. To me, there is nothing more exhilarating than to be out there battling the waves, trying to catch that perfect ride. But, what also goes hand-in-hand with surfing  is the relaxation I feel waiting for the next wave. And, the amazing opportunity to be out there amongst the dolphins, the pelicans, the fish – and yes, sometimes even the sharks (although, thank goodnes, I haven’t come close to a shark yet).

So, how does my passion for surfing relate to green commuting? Well, most days it doesn’t.  I carpool or try to take the bus many days, but when I have an early meeting  or as Fredrik described earlier, the weather is just horrible – it can be so easy to just want to get to my destination as fast as possible (which usually isn’t by carpool, bike or bus).

But, when I step back and think about the bigger picture, there is really no better motivator for me than to just get a glimpse at what’s happening to our oceans.  It breaks my heart to read the all-too-many, horrific stories these days about the dangers facing marine wildlife. And, for me,  this is enough of a “hook” to convince me to consider green commuting a must.  I want to see a future where I can surf and still have the presence of dolphins around me, where I still feel the air move when a pelican takes a dive for a fish above my head.

I came across this short and inspiring animated film, which made me reflect again on why it is so important that each of us take a small step towards change.  So, take a look and let me know what is it that motivates and fuels you to change?

Hi

You know, I realised something today when i was looking through the blog. I have written much about habits, attitudes and different modes of transportation, but only mentioned ridesharing/carpooling. Silly of me… so here goes;

Picture this; you live in the suburbs, and bicycle and walking is out of the question as work is to far away or there are no roads were you can walk/cycle. The bus MIGHT be an option, but it is only scheduled for once an hour. So driving is the only option, and buying a new smaller car is to expensive. So how to green the commute? There is always a big chance that a neighbour commute in the same direction, right? After all, when you live in the suburb you usually work closer to the town centre, or in some big industry complex. There are probably more then one neighbour that work at the same company, or in a close location. So why not share a ride?

First of all, being social is not a bad thing. You get to know people and who knows; you might even have more in common then you thought. The commute becomes more bearable, and you will probably save some  money as you can take tours on whose car you use. AND you save CO2. If you are four persons in the car, and it emit 120 g CO2/km, you can divide that by four. 30 g/km is a lot less, right?

The downside is that you lose the freedom to just hop in and drive home whenever you want. If you work at different companies, or have slightly different work hours, it might be a problem. But I know people who do it, and it works well for them. It just take some planing.

Not all ridesharing have to be done with family members or neighbours. There are a lot of different ride-share initiatives going on all around the world. From the Swedish Skjutsgruppen to RideAlong in India to Carpoolworld… Easy to find with a simple Google search. Even Slugging may be an option, even if I find that one a bit… fishy. Be careful if you take THAT option…

OK, that was ride-sharing. What about carpools? Say that the mass transit IS an option, and you live closer to the centre of the city. Do you really need to OWN a car? Do you HAVE to use it every day? In Gothenburg and some other cities, carpools have become more common. You pay a monthly fee and can book a car for whenever you need it. After all, most car journeys are under five kilometres. If you don’t own the car and make it more inconvenient you plan more and use other modes of transport.

So you see, you can be green and still drive. Cars and their drivers aren’t evil, it is part of the culture. The last part need to change though, and this might be a good stepping stone. I might add that you should use eco-driving though. Makes the fuel consumption lower and save money and CO2.

That’s it for today. Have a nice weekend and Commute Greener!

I’m off

Fredrik

Hi!

You know, health is something one should talk about more often when addressing environmental problems. Everyone isn’t like the sporty boys/girls that exercise and are active 24/7. And it is just so easy to visualise, after all, when you can’t see your toes any more, you have a problem. But if you can’t, you probably drive more, as you are out of shape. Carbon Dioxide and climate change, were the effects take years to see and happens on the other side of the world is a bit harder to see.

One of our readers passed us a link on the topic of obesity and environmental problems. It is quite sad reading, but something that shows some major problems of today. Sure, the blog post IS aimed at the USA, but we are guilty in Europe to, and the rest of the world as well. The main points are:

1) We are getting fatter. This is true in north America as well as the rest of the world.

2) We rely more and more on our cars for transportation

3) As we get fatter, bigger cars become more popular, not as a status symbol but because they are spacier.

4) Big cars have generally a higher fuel consumption, and with more driving and heavier cars + loads; do the math. The answer is CO2 emissions on the rise, as well as weight problems with all the following complications.

This raises an interesting question in my opinion. Is it possible to use health campaigns to stave off global warming? Probably not, who like it when someone tells you that you are fat and need to diet. Health campaigns are a good thing, very good actually, but I don’t think they have that good reach.

But still, if we could get people to drive less, some major health problems could be dampened. So in other words, join a bike challenge, or challenge your family, friends and co-workers. 30 minutes of bicycling to work is not much time but in the long run you get so much healthier. And by teaching your children to take the bike you keep them in shape and create healthy habits.

But we all know that getting a motorist to take the bike, or ride the bus can be difficult. And then we are back to challenges and creative thinking. Or “bribes” and rewards. Whatever does the job.

Even taking the mass transit can have positive health effects, as a ten minute walk to the bus stop is much better then driving from door to door. So try it out.

And while you do, take some pictures and send to us, or upload them on our facebookpage. And be sure to follow us on twitter as well. And remember to Commute Greener!

/

Fredrik

Hi!

I saw something in Gothenburgs morning newspaper this morning that made me laugh. Well, I usually get a laugh or two out of the morning newspaper, but this was a bit unexpected. In order to make tram commuting more interesting, the city plan to have people tell local stories related to the next stop through the intercom… Well, recordings, not live people… Sounds silly, right?

The stories or anecdotes have been sent in by people from Gothenburg, and ranges from funny stories to heavier stuff. An example from the paper (GP link in Swedish) was a woman who told us about her conflicted relation with the stop at Sahlgrenska, a big hospital. Apparently, some of the stories are old anecdotes and memories about Gothenburg in the past, other stories will be funny one-liners, tips about interesting local spots and so on.

This wacky project is a part in the work to reduce segregation and get people to talk to each others. This is a very segregated city after all, and people from different parts usually don’t meet, even if they travel through the whole city to get to work…

And it may make it more interesting to go by tram through the city. You get to know more of it that way, and you get to know the people. I am sure it would start lots of discussions, which is always a good thing. Swedes are experts at ignoring each others after all.

I wonder if this could be a fun thing for other cities as well. If I went to London or Berlin, I would love to hear more about the city. And for that matter, in New York or Stockholm. If the messages are randomised, you would always learn something new.

I’m not sure if I think this is a good or bad thing, or even if it would become annoying after a while, but it is interesting.

Well, today’s is just a short one.

I’m off

Fredrik

Hi!

To many, the commute is one of the most stressful times of the day. I have even found a scientific article that stated that the risk of heart problems increase if you are a car commuter. Sitting in line waiting for the traffic to start moving again is not only annoying and bad for the environment, it is time you could do other things.

But how? As mentioned in several earlier entries, driving is the only option for many people. Or so they think. Also as mentioned, an attitude change will have to happen sooner rather then later. In USA, bike commuting is a rare phenomenon. There is even a debate about if bike lanes will be fair to the drivers. In Europe bike commutes are more common. Denmark, Berlin, London; people are getting better at leaving the car at home. An North American example is New York; New Yorkers save loads of money since they have a good mass transit system. In big cities were driving is difficult and slow, what reason is there to drive other then biking not being safe? That is something that can be fixed with some adjustment to the regular roads.

IBM recently released a study using a Commute pain index. According to them, Beijing tops the list, while Stockholm is at the bottom. No surprise there. Beijing have a huge amount of people in a small space, and is well known for its crowded streets. And while Stockholm have quite few inhabitants, only about one million, it also have a great subway and bus system. It is also a good city to bike through. One interesting thing is that the the traffic in the streets began to thin out as the city implemented a congestation tax. This made more people choose to use public transportation, or even bike/walk to work. And people are quite satisfied with this, if I understand things right.

Maybe this is the way to go. Hit the drivers were it hurts, the wallet. Even if the price is low, it suddenly become reality that driving has a cost. And that make people think one more time.

Another interesting thing about the study is that most people stated that they would work/study more if they didn’t spend so much time stuck in traffic. So a car commute hurt your health AND affect the work and study results as well. In other words, public transportation, especially the kind with internet access could be a success, IF the same people just tried it. Of course, this mean that the transit must be fast, reliable, comfortable and safe. And that is were the government/cities come in. In many part of the world that kind of infrastructure don’t exist. Yet. I would also like to point out that when you choose the bike over the car, you will get in better shape, and have more stamina for work/studies.

I would like to end this by asking; why do we think the commute is such a pain? The answer varies, but “being stuck in traffic” comes high on the list. But do something about it then. Find other ways to commute!

By the way, be sure to give us a like on facebook, and to follow us on twitter.

I’m off!

Fredrik

Hi!

I’m both exiting and sceptical today… The whole “green” community on the Internet seems to be talking about the new Chinese commute option. Or I should say possible future option. It is a bus that should be able to take  1400 commuters, without disturbing the regular traffic. The “bus” is hollow, letting cars drive under it while it drive along rail or painted support lines. Now this is one heck of an idea. This hulking monster is supposed to run of electricity and solar power too, with minimal disturbance to regular traffic. It sounds to good to be true, right? Well, maybe, buses in Shanghai and several cities run of electricity so it may be possible. There are still some major logistic problems to sort out, even when all the engineering is done but the Chinese are resourceful.They may pull this one off.

The most exiting thing about this project, in my opinion, is that it may cut the car traffic by 30 %. That is a lot of CO2, which is even more important in a growing economy like China were more and more are getting a car. It is also an interesting example of looking outside the box, even if the basic idea isn’t new (if you are going to trust rumours and blog comments… I have never heard of it before). I have written several times about the importance of good options and infrastructure for commuters. Sometimes driving is the only option, but this monster may make it possible for massive amounts of people to choose to let the car rest. Options can lead to curiosity, and humans are curious by nature.

Another good thing with this project is that it have opened up debate on the internet. I am not much for spectacle, but this kind of thing draws so much attention that people may start to look at their own city, and their own options. That in turn may well lead to a political debate about alternative or better public transportation. That is of course speculation.

This kind of project can’t be easy to implement. Chinese cities have such a vast amount of commuters so this kind of solution make sense. Could a smaller version be used in the west? Would it be needed here? It is too soon to say, in my opinion. But this project is exciting.

/

I’m off

Fredrik

Hi!

CO2 is a huge problem. Well, that’s a no brainer. Transportation is a huge contributor of CO2, even if energy and industry, as well as our homes play big parts. One way to reduce CO2 emissions from transportation is alternate fuels. Oil will have to go. After all it is not an infinite resource. Ethanol, gas, and electricity powered vehicles are already on the market, and are getting more and more common. Ideally their fuel should all be produced in a climate smart way, but that is not always the case.

I admit that this is not my area of expertise (environmental management is more my cup of tea), but if electricity from a coal plant is used in an electric car, should it really be called clean? Can ethanol from grain grown in Brazil (example) and transported by ship (fueled by dirty high sulphur oil) to Europe or North America to be processed and then transported to gas stations be called clean? Considering that oil is also transported long distances for processing and distribution ethanol may still be a better alternative. And what about availability? Is there an infrastructure for ethanol developed in the region? What I am getting at is that the question of alternative fuels is way more complicated then just the CO2 emissions from a car with a petrol engine vs. an ethanol car. These are complicated questions, and I don’t have a good answer to them.  If ethanol is produced and used locally, for example coming rest products from wood industry (pulp/paper mills, saw mills etc.), it may be a good replacement in the future. And as far as emissions go, it is better then oil.

It is very interesting to follow the development of alternative fuels. I hope that in a (hopefully) not to distant future the norm will be alternative fuels, and that fossil fuels is in a clear minority on the roads.  Just look at fuel cells and biofuel from algae. While fuel cells are way to expensive right now, and genetic modification of algae is risky, expensive and in early stages of development, they may play a role in the future. One may even speculate if algae-fuel would be good as a carbon sink as the strains used use up lots of CO2 in their metabolism. The question is if it is worth the risk of genetic modified algae escaping into the oceans, and in a worst case scenario out-compete the regular species. And is the risk even there? Difficult ethical questions that the fuel industry will have to answer in the future.

The last “new” bio-fuel I would like to address is bio-gas, ie gas from sewage plants and similar facilities. Many buses and taxis in Sweden run on such gas, and it is a workable system, that even fit into the vision of a resource efficient society. I mean, even human excrements have their uses.

Next time you commute by bus, or take a cab, take a look at what fuel it run of. You may be surprised. Or not. Diesel is still one of the more common fuels for buses, but gas is getting more common, at least were there is infrastructure for it. Think and act for a positive climate change.

Well, that’s it. I’m off for today. You know the drill, follow us at facebook and twitter. And remember to Commute Greener!

/

Fredrik

Hi guys! We’re back and ready to roll again.

You know, I have written a lot about attitudes. And today that will be the subject, but on a different level. Corporations are often getting flack for not caring about the environment. BP-oil is an obvious example but several others are accused all to often. Granted, sometimes it is correct. And a lot of greenwashing is going on. But many corporations are actually very aware that they are part of the problem, and are trying to be part of the solution as well. The world market now includes thousands of companies that have an ISO 14001 or EMAS certification (EU only). The Asian market is getting there as well.  ISO 14001 and EMAS  are standards for environmental managements, and the certification mean that the companies environmental management systems follow the international standard of ISO and EU. The certificate is granted by accredited audit firms to ensure that the certification process is unbiased. Thousands of companies get a certification every year, and the awareness and understanding of environmental problems are spreading.

But, you ask, is this not purely done for marketing and PR? Well, partly. It is always good to be seen as caring and responsible to the public. And communication of environmental work is actually a requirement in both standards. But it is also a way to become more effective, and can save money. For some companies, this is enough. Others do it mostly to do their part. But the point is that due to the unbiased audits, whatever reason you have for implementing a standard for environmental management, the environmental work will have a high lowest ambition. And that so many companies and corporations are getting certified shows a trend toward higher awareness.

Let’s make an example; Volvo Group has done many things for the environment. The three-way catalytic converter, several technical innovations, environmentally friendly server halls and environmental management systems are just some of it. And lets not forget Commute Greener! The latest achievement is a new facility in Shippensburg, North America. This is a good example of well thought out goals and plans for sustainability from an early point in the project. The factory is large, and built for sustainable production with good conditions for the employees. Recycling and Volvo Groups own emaballage system were implemented, as well as several other smaller environmentally friendly practises, and education for all the employees. To quote Chris Stone, director of industrial support and project in Shippensburg, in the press release; “For Volvo CE the most important aspect of environmental care is the promotion of eco-friendly practices – both at work and at home,”

During the build phase they even went so far as to plan for the Carpools, bike-racks and preferred parking for low emission vehicles that were implemented.

This is something more companies should take after. Planing for a more eco-friendly commute, and providing the means to take the bike or bus to work have the benefit of healthier employees and less environmental impact from the company. The small things count, and they add up. Recycling in the cafeteria, turning the light and computer off when leaving, taking the bus instead of the car one day/week are small changes, but when many people do it, the environmental impact can be reduced a lot.  And as long as the cost is low and the work efficiency doesn’t suffer, many directors and managers don’t mind doing some environmental work. Small changes go a long way. Like starting to Commute Greener!

That is it for today! Feel free to drop a line here or at facebook, and be sure to follow us on twitter.

I’m out

/Fredrik

Hi everybody!

Everyday on my way home, I see long lines of cars with a single person in them. They move at very slow speed, 10-20 km/h at most and are constantly starting and stopping. This is what makes the commute the worst part of the day for so many people. And I know you have been exposed to this as well.

While those drivers slowly crawl toward their homes, buses, trams and other means of public transportation drive by them in special lanes. The public transit is warmer, noisier and crowded, but also faster in this situation. But for some reason people still choose to commute by car.

Of course, I look at it from a North European point of view. Gothenburg have a good public transit system with special lanes for buses and for bicycles. Real time updates on when the bus/tram will arrive is a natural thing. It is easy to promote non car alternatives in those circumstances. But even in places with less developed transit systems it is often possible to switch to a bus commute.

Do you remember when I discussed commute chains?. Lets repeat the concept. If you calculate the time and cost of driving from point A to B, and then calculate the time and cost of taking the bus to the train station, hopping on to a train and so on, and compare those to to taking the bike to the train/bus station, you might be surprised to find that little time is lost, but time for work and/or relaxation and exercise is added. Sounds complicated? It only takes two minutes with Commute Greener!

One of the benefits of doing this kind of calculation is that it shows how much time is spent idly sitting in the car while waiting for the line to start moving. That is after all a huge source of stress, especially in cities with long commutes and vast amount of traffic. Perhaps it is possible to cycle to the bus station, and take a bus from there?

The bottom line is that something have to be done to reduce traffic jams during rush hour. Public transportation is one area with large potential for improvement, if only the politicians and city planers understand that more roads for more cars is like pouring gasoline on the fire. If more people used mass transit, and commute chains became a more common subject, we might even raise awareness about environmental, health and wealth benefits of a public commute.

Well, that’s all for today. Have a nice day, follow us on twitter and facebook, watch us on youtube and use the new facebookapp.

By the way, vacation time have started here in Sweden, so there will not be as many updates for a while. Have a nice summer everyone!

I’m off

Fredrik