Posts Tagged ‘eco friendly’

Hi!

This is NOT a nice day for commuting. Gothenburg is suffering from one heck of a downpour, so bad that one could hardly see the ferry down at the harbour, about 100 meters from the office some moments ago… In other words; we got to be be prepared for a wet commute.

OK, am I going to write about the local weather today? Haven’t I got anything better to do?

No, not really

Well, rather I would like to discuss preparations. Commuting without a car takes preparations, like bringing an umbrella and a waterproof jacket.  Mass transit may require you to stand and wait in the rain for some time, so a full rain-proof suit is recommended. Yet, you still see MANY commuters that stand around trying to get into shelter from buildings, bus stops etc.

However, IF you do prepare some, a rainy commute is no problem at all. First of all; umbrellas offer lousy protection, no matter how big they are. I prefer to use a coat (and am really annoyed that I forgot it and brought the umbrella instead…) with a hood, as it offers better protection. Second; the seats are always wet on a day like this, so bring something to sit on during the commute. That is if you don’t like that “my butt is wet” feeling.

One thing that I cant stress enough is how important it is to handle the umbrella well on the transit. Wet and pointy things do not belong in peoples laps, or faces. Keep them on the floor, behind your feet.

A mass transit commute is kind of uninteresting to write about, its mostly common sense. A bike commute during rainstorms is MUCH funnier. Most people aim to drive or take the bus when the weather is like that. But some brave souls bike to work no matter the weather. And they have all kind of nice solutions. Umbrellas are not an option here, even if some brave (?) use them while cycling. However, rain-ponchos and rain-suits ARE. They are even really good. And it is a good investment as a good raincoat with matching trousers and a pair of rubber boots may always come in handy for dirty jobs around the house anyway.

But you also have to protect the bike from rust and/or frozen locks and gears. There are many anti-rust appliances out there, and some are even environment-compensated. That and some lock oil should always be close at hand for a bike commuter, as they help keeping the bike in good condition. Something to protect the saddle is also recommended. You can buy all kinds of fancy stuff for that purpose, but I simply use a plastic bag from the grocery store. After all, you have to get some use from it after bringing it home… And this is the most common method that I know of. Why buy something expensive when that useless bag is close by.

Another thing to think about is were you park the bike in this kind of weather… Indoor or under a roof is definitely preferable. Captain obvious strikes again

And remember to be careful in traffic. YOU have bad visuals when it rains, and drivers definitely have it too. Accidents can always happen, but with wet and slippery roads and bad visuals the risk is increased. Take it easy and be careful! And remember that a little rain is no reason to stop to Commute Greener!

That’s it for today! You have other tips and tricks for a safe and dry commute? Share them with us on facebook. We love to hear from you!

I’m off to write a rapport.

Fredrik

Hi again! I hope you all have had a nice weekend.

Part of what I do is to look for “green” trends online. I am sure you have guessed that if you have read some of my other stuff. And one thing that really strikes me is that bike commuting is getting more and more popular. It has been for a while actually. This is of course from an American perspective, as biking to and from work is quite natural here in Europe. This is a cultural difference, one that I think is derived from the fact that oil is quite expensive here. Like REALLY expensive. European children learn to ride a bike early, and constantly use it as a toy as well as a mode of transportation. So it is only natural to take the bike to school or work if the weather permits it.

I personally love this “new” trend. We should all take a bike-ride now and then, it is fun, good for you and cheep. And it is not hard to do, but as always; it takes some preparations to get ready. Like getting in tune with the traffic rules and regulations. I mean, COME ON! There is a reason why many drivers hate cyclists. I certainly do when I drive, and I am all for bike commuting in general. But I don’t know how many times a cyclist have just thrown him/herself in front of the car, nearly causing an accident. This happens because they;

1) Believe they are above the rules

2) They are sloppy and think that the motorist will see them and react in time

3) DON’T KNOW THE RULES

The last two seems to be very common. Drivers are not always 100% focussed on the road, and they can’t see everything. Many people shouldn’t even be allowed to drive. So accidents happen. On the other side, cyclists that are used to traffic and know how to behave is a joy to see. They rarely get into accidents, and city traffic on a bike isn’t even that dangerous if you are careful and respect the traffic rules.It helps if the city you are in has a good biking culture though, with good infrastructure.

As for all drivers out there; be careful! Cyclists are getting more and more common, and the “war” between them and drivers is getting tiresome to read about. If you see a cyclist in a bike lane, give him some space. Don’t park in bike lanes, and don’t pretend they have no right being there. It is silly,  selfish and result in all kind of arguing. I mean, there are even some cyclists that have gone as far as to attach a miniature camera  to the bike so they can tape the arguments and brutal behaviour of some drivers. Drivers are certainly not evil, but you too need to know the rules and how to behave around cyclists too.

Puh, that was a long diversion… But probably necessary.

So if you want to try a bike commute, and know the rules, what do you do then? Do you have to have an expensive bike and those silly florescence clothes? Well, no. Just hop on the god old bike you have in the garage. After checking the breaks of course. And that is why I love this trend. Everyone can do it. But some good equipment helps if you are making it a habit. A good bike, a comfortable helmet (I don’t care if it looks silly and ruins the hair, use it!), a water bottle and a good bag are all things that is worth spending money on. And there are huge amounts of blogs, networks, organisations and such available on the internet. Check it out and start gathering zero emission kilometres/miles!

By the way, you know the drill; visit us at facebook, and twitter, and feel free to ask questions or give us feedback on the blog, the website or the program itself!

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.

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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 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

Hi! I’m back!

I found a very interesting article about acid rain today. Do you remember when I wrote about NOx, and mentioned acid rain? This little problem, that have fallen from the spotlight have crawled its way up into the debate again.

Time to harp on drivers again! No, I’m kidding. But CO2 aside, transportation is a huge source of pollution. Particles, NOx, sulphur (mostly from ships) and runoff can do nasty things to our beloved environment. Acid rain is one of those things. It works like this:

Acid rain picture from Wikipedia Commons

In the 70′s and 80′s, sulphur was the main villain. Three-way-converters (a Volvo innovation by the way)  became more common in cars, and NOx from transportation was thought to be more or less a non-issue. (And that is why the picture don’t show it as a contributor, but the principle is the same.) Coal power plants got strict regulations on sulphur emissions, as did petrol manufacturers. So, problem solved, right?

Well, no. We still had the problem of fertilizers, one of the dirtiest but most important parts of the green revolution. And no, I don’t mean the wave of eco-friendliness that moves like a tsunami over the internet right now. I mean agriculture wave during the 50′s that is still in progress today… Fertilizer leak nitrogen via runoff from fields and through vaporising. And it is the biggest contributor to acid rain there is. This is old news, and lots are being done to change this.

The second biggest contributor to acidification used to be coal plants, but with the vast number of vehicles that are on the roads today it is no surprise that transportation have taken that place. Vehicles today are much cleaner and more effective than old ones, but there are a significantly higher number of cars and trucks on the roads today. You can see where I am going with that argument.

What is so bad about acid rain then? Well, excessive acidification damages plants, and may destroy sensitive limnic (freshwater) ecosystems. Acid lakes contain little life, and many types of trees can’t grow in acid soil. In urban areas acid rain damages concrete buildings and wither stonework. Take a look at an old statue that have been exposed to acid rain… not a pretty sight:

Damaged by acid rain

And as of late, the acidification of the oceans have become a focus in the environmental debate. I must admit that I don’t know enough to comment on this, but it does sound scary…

But what do we do about this problem? Well, I’m no scientist, and even if I was I wouldn’t have the answer. Many things play a part here, as in every subject of environmental science. However, we will have to stop our excessive driving. Telecommuting (ie working from home), public transportation, new infrastructure to let bike riders commute safely, etc will play a huge role in coming to terms with many problems. But it is not a total solution. There is no complete solution that I know of yet. Feel free to link to any research to prove me wrong, as I am always looking for things like that.

But once again, you who use Commute Greener!, and everyone that choose public transportation or zero emission alternatives are playing a part for a better environment. Not only are you helping the reduction of the worlds carbon emissions, you are helping the reduction of acidification (the result of acid rain) and many different things. You can feel proud of yourselves!

I hope you have found this interesting. I did! Remember to follow us on twitter and facebook and to Commute Greener!

I’m off for today

Fredrik

Hi everybody! (hi dr Nick)

Ok, sorry about the Simpson reference, I just couldn’t resist today. I have been itching to use that one.

I have been browsing a bit for interesting things to write about, and to my big surprise there are lots of biking blogs out there. Many are about mountain biking and sports, but a fair amount is all about commuting. That shouldn’t be a surprise though. We all have to get to work and some people prefer to use alternative modes of transportation. And cycling is fun, with the side effect of getting in shape. I have written about cycling before, and what I said there still stands: how many drive to the gym some times a week to get exercise, when they could just spend an hour a day on the bike… And people still go to the gym. The car is such a natural part of everyday life that nobody seems to consider other options.

Then, what is the benefit of commuting by bike? Well, health and economy are no brainers.  And bikes don’t need fuel. Fuel cost money, and lots of it. A report has shown that New Yorkers save lots of money using public transportation, bicycles and their feet. Getting exercise is a good thing, and save time in the end. Who need to visit a gym if they have been exercising on the bike for an hour a day?

A bike commute can also be a social thing. Meet new and old friends, have fun and compete about getting in shape and save carbon dioxide. You don’t have to be an athlete for a bike commute. Lord knows I’m not, and I do it from time to time. All the free exercise will probably make you more popular among the ladies, gentlemen… Just saying

Then of course there are environmental issues. There are no particle emissions, or very low, no chemicals from car washing and from oil, no anthropogenic CO₂ and no NO_x emissions. And in my book, this is a major thing. It doesn’t take that much more time to commute by bicycle, but you reduce your carbon footprint a significant amount.

“Ok, so I reduce my footprint, but I get to work covered in sweat and I can’t wear a suit. And when it is raining I get soaked!” Ummm… let me think about that one… Nope, no excuse. There are many tips about how to get around the issues. My personal favourites are the Bike Commute Tips Blog and Bikecommuters. Some common sense helps of course. You do have that, right? Rainproof clothing and bags, some planning and a slow and smooth tempo can solve a lot of the issues with cycling. No one said you have to ride at top speed all the way, or even part of the way.

“Butt there are no bike lanes were I live, so I must drive”. Well apparently people still use the bike. You can ride at the side of the roads in most countries, if you are careful and follow the rules. Remember, be CAREFUL. Cars are heavy, fast, and have a tendency to make mincemeat of unprotected persons if they collide. But cycling is usually quite safe if you just are careful and respect the rules, and keep off the streets with heavy traffic. And start a petition demanding bike lanes. Most politicians today consider Climate change a real issue, and want to reduce fuel based transportation. Sitting around at home whining doesn’t help anything (of course, I am a Swede, so I do it all the time anyway ). Starting a petition can get things moving, joining Bike to Work events at company level is another. But get active! Demand those lanes!

“You can’t commute by bike in business clothes!“ Well, I have already answered this one, but here we go. You can in Boston apparently, and I have seen an increasing amount of blogs about cycling in a suit or dress. You just have to take it careful and slow, or even have a suit at work. In Europe, cycling in ordinary clothes is more or less the norm.

I could go on all day. But the main thing is that there is no real excuse to not try taking the bike for a week. At least if one live at a reasonable distance from work. There are a lot to say about this. And a lot of solutions to common bike commuting problems. I hope you realize that raking up the zero emission kilometres/miles in Commute Greener! give huge bragging rights:P But I think we should end this for today. I hope you found this interesting. Remember to visit us at facebook and twitter, and watch our videos at youtube.   And continue to Commute Greener!

And before I go; A big thank you to Project China, that have been promoting Commute Greener! to students in Bejing. You are really great!

I’m off

Fredrik

Hi! I’m back!

Once again, I will go on about science. No carbon today though. I have already discussed particles in a previous entry, but it is such an important subject that I think I will have to go over particular matter one more time. That it is a subject I really like and studied and sampled at the university has nothing to do with that. I promise 

Last time we discussed particles it was in association with smog. They play a critical part in that phenomena but it is of course not the only place were particles are bad.

First of all, I think we should define what a particle, or aerosol is. An aerosol is a suspension of solid particles or liquid droplets in air. Why do I mention this? It is always good to have the definitions right. Particles are small grains of matter often made up of mineral or organic substances, or salt if you live close to the coast. There is no real definition as different branches of science have different definitions. All to make it more confusing, I am sure.

The combustion of fuel in a motor produces particles. In the days of old, sooth was a huge problem, something that has been solved with better engines, fuel and filters. However, every time you see a car with a smoking exhaust pipe you see coarce particles. Particles also comes from pollen, friction (eg from tires) and various other sources. Coarse particles are generally not dangerous but can be very irritating if they get into your throat. The coarse group of particles have a diameter over 10 micrometer and are somewhat heavy. Because of this, their suspensiontime in air is short, ie they fall to the ground quickly. Finer particles are greater in number, more dangerous to humans and are suspended for a longer time. The distribution is something like shown in the graph:

Take it with a grain of salt, the numbers are from memory. If someone have a better, non copyrighted picture, feel free to send them to me.

Anyway, the distribution princible holds true. Most particles suspended in air are in the range between 10 and 2.5 micrometer. This is the dangerous range. When particles get into the lungs they can reach the broncos and alveoli. This in turn can cause all kinds of health issues. People with respiratory diseases are most affected, as they are already weakened. If you have a respiratory disease it is better stay away from the city and don’t sit by open fires. And whatever you do, don’t smoke as that produce vast amounts of particles alongside all the other nasty stuff.

Particles have a tendency to clump together and fall to the ground. That means that heavy particles will have a shorter lifespan then the fine or ultrafine variants. And the finer are more difficult to remove from the air as a result of this. Too bad they are the dangerous kind.

To measure the amounts of particles in the air there is a huge variation of tools, most involving airpumps and filters. I have used some types myself, and can say that it is exciting to collect filters from an impactor (a sampling tool) at a high roof. I know, I’m a nerd. Most cities make some kind of measurements, since most countries have laws concerning air pollution. USA have the clean air act, EU have a range of directives and so on. With new laws and regulations, particles will probably be an even more important and discussed environmental problem. To control aerosols, many cities ban studded tires, unfiltered diesel cars, or outright ban all “unclean” cars altogether. Here in Gothenburg, were we put salt and sand on the streets during winter, AND drive with studded tires, particle-damping material is put out on the streets. But we still don’t reach EU:s regulations for air quality due to the heavy industry, harbour and heavy traffic. That salt from the ocean is blown in over the city doesn’t help either.

Well, today’s entry was a long one. I hope you found it interesting. Don’t be shy, drop a line and say what you think. And of course, visit us on facebook, twitter and youtube.

I’m off, remember to Commute Greener! while I’m gone.

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Fredrik

Hi everyone!

Remember last week when me and Magnus discussed commute chains with the Swedish association of green motorists? At the time, they were rating a number of environmentally clean cars, and we got to try some.

The results have been out for some time, but I forgot to mention it in the blog. I’m so ashamed!

Well, the scores were set independently by four juries; Motor journalists, Environmental Managers, Families with children and a 65+ group.  And the winner is: Passat TSI Ecofuel (gas)

It was closely followed by Touran TSI Ecofuel (gas). In other word, Volkswagen were dominating. Third place went to BMW 320 D (diesel), Saab 9-3 (trifuel) and Ford Focus FFV (ethanol).

It is easy to get the impression that I don’t like cars and driving. That is wrong. In many areas you need a car, and they have their uses. But you don’t have to drive around in a carbon spewing monster; a smaller, clean car is enough for most families. I’m not talking smartcar here by the way, but do you really need a SUV or something equally ridiculous? And do you really need the car to commute if there is a public way of commuting. Do you really have to take the car for a 5 minutes drive to the mall?

Today, while we talk about cars, I think it would be appropriate to mention a few tips about commuting with the car in an environment friendly manner:

• eco driving. They explain it better then I could in the link, so just read there.
• Remove all roof boxes. The wind resistance slow you down and causes increased fuel consumption.
• The highway may not be the fastest and eco friendly way. Constant start/stop driving emits more then steady driving at even speed. Are there a better way to go then the highway?
• Check your tire pressure. Keep it a little bit over the recommended level. The tire won’t be hurt, and the journey may be a bit bumpier, but you save gas and emissions.
• If you have to stop at a train passing, bridge opening or major traffic jam, were you are going to stand still for some time, turn of the engine.

That’s it for today folks. Come visit us at facebook and twitter. I would also extend many thanks to the Swedish Association of Green Motorists for inviting us and for all your good work for green driving. And everyone, remember to Commute Greener!

I’m off

Fredrik