There won’t be only one winner.

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Unfortunately, delay due to lawmakers’ inability to come to a consensus and the Obama administration’s reluctancy to increase gas prices at this time (which are much lower, in real terms, than they were 54 years ago) may postpone the bill for another 18 months. However, there is opportunity to take action!

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As shown year after year, public transit is a key factor keeping our planet from warming much further than it already is! It is also one of our best bets for slowing and eventually stopping global warming in the future. Beyond that, public transit helps the environment, the economy, and you in many other ways as well.

An organization working for you to increase and improve public transportation and to fight global warming, smog, excessive traffic congestion, water pollution, hours lost from home, stress, road rage, and your car becoming your home needs your help now.

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A new report by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) finds that public transit saved Americans “646 million hours in travel time and 398 million gallons of fuel” in 2007. The 2009 Urban Mobility Report identifies the great advantages of public transit for everyone, not just those who use it. The report also identifies that the cost of congestion increased in 2007 but that it would have increased considerably more (16%, or, an additional $13.7, from two years before) if it weren’t for public transit.

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Last week, Congressman James Oberstar, chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was slated to speak at the launch of EDF’s new report Reinventing Transit — but he got stuck in traffic! The irony was not lost on one commenter in the StarTribune.com blog who noted, “You couldn’t ask for a better footnote to the report.”

Watch our report video showing how people across the country are getting on board these innovative transit systems.

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.

Editor’s note: Yep, that video’s changed places. Our embedding system is acting up, so here’s the video on YouTube.

Oberstar’s absence was a clear illustration of how traffic congestion is sapping time and productivity across the country. Cars stuck in traffic don’t just waste time, but they also waste fuel.  This has consequences for the environment in terms of health and global warming. In fact, about a quarter of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and trucks (see graph of breakdown of transportation sector).

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Without new revenue sources from the state or region…MARTA will be forced to dramatically reduce service levels, eliminating bus routes, cutting rail service (either certain days or times, or entire lines altogether), and potentially seriously impacting the overall economic well-being of this region and state.

This is from a memo that MARTA sent to state lawmakers. Atlanta’s transit system has been dealing with a $60 million budget shortfall since December. That, combined with a dramatic decrease in predicted sales tax revenue for the coming year have put the system into crisis. For a transit system funded entirely by sales tax revenue, it’s not surprising that MARTA is having trouble making ends meet. MARTA is one of the few, if not the only, transit systems in the nation that does not receive a penny of state funding.

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By now you are aware that there are many ways to prevent global warming, but I would like to focus on things that you can do to help stop global warming on your way to work. First, it is useful to know exactly how Americans are commuting to work to realize just how much improvement can be made to make commuting more energy-efficient and less of an environmental impact.

And as the human population continues to grow, it will become an increasingly desperate race to find more effective modes of transport.

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Last year, Americans drove 100 billion miles less than the year before. They also used public transit and participated in commute programs in record numbers. Regional transportation plans have the opportunity to accelerate these trends, help people cost-effectively meet their transportation needs, and be part of the global warming solutions now needed.

In 2035, 9 million people will be more efficient and less stressed in traveling the San Francisco Bay Area if all goes according to plan. Transportation 2035 is one of the nation’s first regional transportation plans to make reducing carbon emissions integral to such a plan. This regional plan will accommodate a 26 percent population increase compared to 1990, improve their transportation, while reducing CO2 emissions by 14 percent compared to 1990.

Most of the transportation budget will go to public transit which is forecasted to increase 75 percent over the 30 years.

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It is available for free in huge quantities, is not owned by Saudi Arabia and it contributes minimally towards climate change. The latest green fuel might seem like the dream answer to climate crisis, but until recently raw sewage has been seen as a waste disposal problem rather than a power source. Now Norway’s capital city is proving that its citizens can contribute to the city’s green credentials without even realising it.

In Oslo, air pollution from public and private transport has increased by approximately 10% since 2000, contributing to more than 50% of total CO2 emissions in the city. With Norway’s ambitious target of being carbon neutral by 2050 Oslo City Council began investigating alternatives to fossil fuel-powered public transport and decided on biomethane.

Biomethane is a by-product of treated sewage. Microbes break down the raw material and release the gas, which can then be used in slightly modified engines. Previously at one of the sewage plants in the city half of the gas was flared off, emitting 17,00 tonnes of CO2. From September 2009, this gas will be trapped and converted into biomethane to run 200 of the city’s public buses.

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Open any pregnancy or baby book, and you’ll find that list: the baby essentials, the things you absolutely cannot live without.  While many accessories are easily recognized as frivolous, certain items are truly indispensable: the basic necessities for life with a baby.

Or are they?

In this weekly series, we’ll be looking at several baby essentials that really aren’t.  They may be useful in certain situations, but if money or space is tight, or if you’re just looking to simplify and reduce consumerism and waste, here’s how to get along just fine without these so-called “essentials.“

In Part 1, we questioned the crib.   Part 2 bemoaned the bucket.  This week, let’s scrutinize the stroller.

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Passenger numbers on fuel-guzzling domestic flights fell 20% in the year to November as commuters and tourists swapped cramped airline seats for the space and convenience of the train, according to figures released yesterday.

High-speed rail travel - boosted by the opening of a line that slashed the journey time from Madrid to Barcelona to 2 hours 35 minutes in February - grew 28% over the same period. About 400,000 travellers shunned airports and opted for the 220mph AVE trains.

Last year’s drop in air travel, which was also helped by new high-speed lines from Madrid to Valladolid, Segovia and Malaga, marks the beginning of what experts say is a revolution in Spanish travel habits.

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Washington, DC’s Metro system recently enacted a random police search policy for its riders, citing increased security concerns for the decision. But in reality, the new policy does nothing to protect people from terrorist attacks and pushes people away from public transit and into cars.

Which is the bigger threat: a terrorist attack on a train or the greenhouse gases that spew from cars stuck in rush hour traffic?

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EDF produced an interactive map (using data from the National Transit Database) showing the many places where transit ridership jumped along with gas prices.

Scroll over the map and see eye-popping jumps in people using public transit — not just in big cities but places like Terre Haute, Indiana, and Sherman, Texas, which saw huge leaps in ridership.

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Well, 500-plus entries are in, and the promotion organizers are now working to select a winner. (Readers of the Arizona Republic’s Website, azcentral.com, will choose their favorites, and the top nominees will be passed along to Metro officials for a final decision.) While the top pick hasn’t been identified yet, though, some of the bottom ones have.

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When I got to the train station, my first thoughts were “it would be so much faster just to drive over the bridge.” But I wanted to do the right thing. Then the stupid ticket machine kept spitting out my dollars and gave me only a two second window to ask for a receipt which I missed. I was rather annoyed by the time I sat down to wait TWENTY minutes for the next train. Again I thought, “I could have driven and been there before the train even arrives.”

By the time I actually got to the festival, however, I realized that my whole attitude had changed. The environmental benefits of taking public transportation are well known. Less cars on the road mean less pollution. Less fuel used by individual motorists means less of our natural resources consumed. But I realized by the time I hit Headhouse Square where the festival was being held that there are other benefits to taking public transportation.

1. Time to be alone with your thoughts - Sure I would have been alone with my thoughts in my car, but my thoughts would have been different. They would have been thoughts about navigating the Ben Franklin Bridge or the crazy city drivers or where to find a parking space. Instead I got to actually think through things like ideas my pastor had brought up during the sermon earlier that morning. Taking public transportation can take the mental stress out of a commute.

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   ]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/08/six-benefits-of-taking-public-tranportation-that-arent-environmental/feed/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/08/google-transit/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/08/google-transit/#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:00:27 +0000 Becky Striepe http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/08/google-transit/
   [photo by Wesley Fryer]

   Google is making it easier to ditch your car and use local transit with their new Google Transit tool. At the moment, they have transit information for select cities around the world, but I hope they plan to expand it further! They also have the service available to download to your phone, which is handy when you’re out and about. It gives you walking, bus, and rail directions and calculates your total travel time.

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   ]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/08/google-transit/feed/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/08/08/environmental-defense-fund-transportation-by-the-numbers/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/08/08/environmental-defense-fund-transportation-by-the-numbers/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:04:23 +0000 edfblog http://sustainablog.org/2008/08/08/environmental-defense-fund-transportation-by-the-numbers/ With gas prices steep, public transit ridership is at an all-time high. Instead of cutting back on public transportation services, we should be reforming our national transportation system to create more affordable travel options for the whole country.

   Check out these facts about oil and gas to learn more.

   96

   Percent of the world’s transportation energy currently supplied by oil.

   75

   Cost of barrel of oil on July 18th, 2007.

   $131

   Cost of barrel of oil on July 18th, 2008.

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   ]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/08/08/environmental-defense-fund-transportation-by-the-numbers/feed/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/07/17/environmental-defense-fund-gas-prices-too-high-take-the-bus/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/07/17/environmental-defense-fund-gas-prices-too-high-take-the-bus/#comments Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:50:03 +0000 edfblog http://sustainablog.org/2008/07/17/environmental-defense-fund-gas-prices-too-high-take-the-bus/ This post is by Andy Darrell, vice president for Living Cities at Environmental Defense Fund.

   The high cost of gas has pushed retail gas purchases down 2 to 3 percent. What are people doing instead? Taking public transportation!

   The first quarter report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) found that use of public transportation is skyrocketing in tandem with gas prices. Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation — the highest in 50 years. Ridership on streetcars, trolleys, commuter rails, subways, and buses are all up. Even Amtrak ridership is soaring.

   This shift presents an historic opportunity.

   It was hard to get us Americans out of our cars when gas was cheap, but now we’re trying public transportation in record numbers. And once people try it, odds are they’ll prefer it, which is great news for the environment.

   Good public transportation is more pleasant than a private car (you can’t read while you’re driving), and far cheaper. A calculator on the APTA Web site shows how much you can save by leaving your car parked at home.

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   ]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/07/17/environmental-defense-fund-gas-prices-too-high-take-the-bus/feed/ http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/06/06/gas-prices-fuel-increase-in-public-transportation/ http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/06/06/gas-prices-fuel-increase-in-public-transportation/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:56:18 +0000 Heidi Suydam http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/06/06/gas-prices-fuel-increase-in-public-transportation/ As gas prices hit record high amounts and continue to rise, US citizens are finally turning to public transportation for daily commutes and vacations. Multiple sources are reporting a surge in the use of public transportation. As scores of people jump on the “bus” public transit officials nationwide are continuously determining how to accommodate their new riders.

   The American Public Transportation Authority reports 35% more travelers will use public transportation this summer. They provide this list of the country’s top ten summer city destinations and their expected use of public transportation:

   New York City (53 percent - up 5 percent)
   Washington, DC (47 percent - up 1 percent)
   Boston (48 percent - up 5 percent)
   San Francisco (40 percent – remained constant)
   Philadelphia (38 percent - up 4 percent)
   Chicago (35 percent - up 4 percent)
   Seattle (32 percent – up 2 percent)
   Las Vegas (30 percent – up 4 percent)
   Los Angeles (31 percent – up 5 percent)
   Atlanta (25 percent – up 3 percent)

   Needless to say in a country where each household owns an average of 2.28 vehicles, this surge in use of public transportation is coming with growing pains. The increase in gas prices is effecting public transportation providers, which will be reflected in the expected increase in fares. Many companies are finding it necessary to increase their fleets and routes. The cost of expanding their operations coupled with the high fuel prices are a concern. Some companies that provide public transportation are making cut backs while others are pressing forward. Overall, it seems those involved in the public transit industry are looking at this increased need for their services as positive.

   One of the benefits of living in a free capitalist society is the ability to choose where we spend our money. As Americans we know, money talks! Bus, train, subway or bike….as a society we are joining together and saying no to the rising cost of fuel. There is excitement in the air (and less CO2) as we join together this summer either by choice or forced compliance. I welcome the change!

   Other related posts: Public Transit is for Lovers; Why I Sold My Car, or How I Learned to Stop Driving and Love the Bus

   Photo Credit: http2007 via Flickr, Creative Commons License

   ]]> http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/06/06/gas-prices-fuel-increase-in-public-transportation/feed/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/20/the-most-railway-friendly-country-in-the-world-is/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/20/the-most-railway-friendly-country-in-the-world-is/#comments Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:08:10 +0000 Mark Seall http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/20/the-most-railway-friendly-country-in-the-world-is/ Last week I wrote about the lamentable state of British rail services, pointing out that railways in general will need to raise their game if they are to encourage significant numbers of people to abandon the car and go for green rail instead.

   So who are the world’s most railway friendly countries, and what can we learn from them about implementing practical rail services that people will actually want to use?

   Data provided by The International Union of Railways shows Japan as the world leader among major economies in rail kilometres per inhabitant, followed by Europe lead by the Swiss. The United Kingdom comes, unsurprisingly, near the bottom, with the USA coming last - US citizens traveling one thirteenth the distance of the Japanese by rail.

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