Posts Tagged ‘sustainable development’

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

Hi!

I hope you enjoyed Jennifers post yesterday. As someone that have studied some biology, I loved the video:)

While cruising through my feedly list this morning, I came across something that made me smile. In a blog entry at greenversations, US EPAs blog, Lina Younes gives some tips about how to take care of your car in an environmentally friendly manner;

• Keeping your tires inflated to the recommended level. When tires are not inflated properly they increase the wear-and-tear of the tire and fuel costs.
• Getting regular tune-ups will go a long way to increasing fuel efficiency and improving the lifespan of your vehicle.
• Changing the oil regularly will contribute to a cleaner engine and lower vehicle emissions.
• Keeping your air filter clean will also protect the environment.

In addition to giving your car the proper maintenance, there are simple steps to contribute to pollution reduction. How can you keep emissions as low as possible? Here are some tips:

• Don’t top off.  Don’t fill up the car with gas after you hear the click at the pump! Continuing to fill the gas tank after you hear the click is a total waste of money and actually sends harmful gasoline vapors into the air.
• Whenever you can, combine errands in order to reduce unnecessary driving.
• Don’t drive aggressively.
• Avoid stop and go traffic. I know this is easier said than done, but with some planning you can avoid abrupt changes in speed which waste gas, generate emissions, and cause greater wear-and-tear on your car.

And she also writes;

For those interested in adopting greener behaviors to reduce their carbon footprint even further, changing your means of transportation might be a good start. How about leaving the car at home at least one day a week for starters? Carpooling, using mass transportation, biking are greener transportation alternatives. And how about good old fashioned walking?

Recognise the message? I do, and I am sure you recognise it to. Commute Greener! is build around common sense, which is not all that surprising since it was thought up at Volvo, the corporation with the motto “lets make sure”. Add to that a culture of common sense, well.

As you can see from Lina Younes words, its not difficult to start reducing your carbon footprint, if you are willing to commit to some changes. And taking the bus once a week isn’t difficult. A bike commute doesn’t have to be difficult either.And it is possible, even in traffic heavy areas. This video is from amsterdam, by the youtube-user amsterdamster;

But if we leave the bike commuting, car maintenance is an important environmental AND health factor, on top of being important for safety. Lina writes that you should always keep the tires inflated to recommended levels, but it IS (usually, check before trying) possible to go a little bit over that. Tire companies set the levels for a safe and comfortable drive, but with a slightly higher pressure you get a bit less fuel consumption, at the cost of a slightly bumpier ride. The tires can handle it, they won’t be damaged if the pressure is kept within reasonable levels.

Don’t drive aggressively and avoid start-stop driving, and save gas and money. Also, skip gears, from 2-4, 3-5 etc. Good planning let you avoid stopping at red lights. All this is part of Eco-driving, something all driving schools should teach. It isn’t difficult, let you drive smoothly ans save money in the long run. If you are interested, or have/work in a position were you drive a lot, it is well worth learning. Many drivers schools have courses, at least in Europe (I’m not sure about other parts of the world…), and you can always look up a webpage and learn the theory, and then practise.

Well, that’s it for today. Have a nice weekend. And remember to visit us at facebook and twitter, and Commute Greener!

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, the big environmental conferences have other focuses then just the climate. Sure, CO2, climate change (I still refuse to use the term Global Warming) oil, fossil fuels etc are at the top of the agenda. But biodiversity is getting its share of spotlight too. And this is kind of important, even if many people don’t make the connection. Climate change is a threat to the biodiversity of our world, but so is our land use and exploiting of nature.

Corporations often get a lot of flack for not caring about the environment. But many do. They would be stupid otherwise. And they’re not stupid; if they were they wouldn’t be in business. There are many companies that don’t care though. It is sad, but expected.

What surprised me is that many companies also care about biodiversity, ie the diversity of species. It might be because there are many new products to be developed because of said diversity. And because having a green profile give new business opportunities. But the number of companies that care is what is most surprising. A (not so) new McKinsey Global Survey shows that more than 55 % of the respondents say that biodiversity should be in the top ten important items on the corporate agenda. And more then half of the respondents is doing something for biodiversity. Over all it  is still a down prioritised issue, well under climate change and human rights.

I find this interesting. It is easy to get sceptical about corporate environmental responsibility, and you should always be. Greenwashing is a problem after all, and it seems like the oil-industry still don’t want to join in the effort of reducing CO2. At least in USA. And the sceptism is a good thing as it keeps the guys in suits on their toes.

In many countries there are rules that require environmental protection and responsibility from companies, so it is good that an eco friendly attitude pays of. I mean otherwise they would only have the whip, but no carrot. Now they can munch on new opportunities while striking a blow for the environment.

And as for biodiversity, it is an important issue. Look at what modern farming has made with our crops. Pesticides are used because the crops have no other means to defend themselves, and if a parasite survives it can ruin whole crops. And if one key species get wiped out, the whole ecosystem will be affected.

Corporations should show their environmental actions more openly. That would be good PR, if nothing else, as well as giving the employees something to be proud of. Look at Volvo, with all its environmental projects. Putting the environment on the agenda is one thing, but as long as people feel that they stand against an industry that doesn’t care or actively work against action, and governments that only talk, why should they feel the need to change. And it is a hint to the politicians, something that is always welcome. Of course, this is my opinions. But I do think that communication is very important in these issues, and both the industry and the scientific community need to get better at that!

Well, that’s it for today. Take a look at our other media pages, like facebook and twitter. And don’t forget youtube.

I’m off

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 guys!

You know, we are quite focussed on environmental factors here at Commute Greener!. Or at least I am. I tend to block out other (not so) small factors like health and money. Yes, I am an environmental nerd:-). I guess it is my interest in science that does it. But lately, we have been discussing health benefits more and more at the office. This has always been a focus of Commute Greener!, but CO2 measurements and reductions has had a higher priority… But the health benefits really adds up! A short example: a 30 minutes bike commute equals 60 minutes exercise (to and from work). Do this some times per week and you have a good amount of exercise, probably loose weight and gain a lot of stamina, without going to the gym.

I found this blog through the bike commute tips blogs facebook page. Well worth a read. Apparently, the states in USA with highest obesity factor have the least zero emission commuters, and vise versa. Now, a blog post is not scientific data, and should always be taken with a grain of salt. But that post is based on the yearly Gallup health survey, and it paint a grim picture. People are getting heavier, and exercise less. Heart problem and high cholesterol are running rampart. Not exactly a good development. I won’t say anything about Europe or the rest of the world as I don’t have the corresponding numbers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the trend is somewhat the same. And I mean, look at this:

Something has to be done. This epidemic is related to travel and eating habits. These factors are not the only one of course, but they are the most obvious.  Loads of sugar and fat, hamburgers, fries, soft drinks, you name it. Add poor exercise habits to that, and a habit of driving everywhere, and you get this situation. The whole western world need to change attitude. I know, I sound like a broken gramophone now. Somehow, this get into every entry. But it is true. As stated above, taking the bike to work, or walk, is good for you. Even public transportation is better for the health then driving as the walk to the station adds up. This is a factor that is just as important as carbon emissions when talking about a greener commute.

And it is possible to change habits to a healthier commute. We can take an example from the real world. As I have written some weeks back, the city of Gothenburg have used Commute Greener!. On the departments that have done best, the amount of zero emission kilometres are high. Together the departments (or teams) have saved over a ton of CO2, and collected enough zero emission kilometres as a trip to Shanghai… And this in only ten weeks. A very good job indeed.

Well, that’s it for today. Give us a like at facebook, and follow us on twitter for news, interesting articles and comments on environmental issues.

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.

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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