Towns and cities signed up to participate in the annual car-free day held last Saturday. Since 2000 the World Carfree Network, an international association dedicated to advancing alternatives to automobile dependence, has called for the celebration of cities and public life "free from the noise, the stress and the pollution of cars," on the same day each year, September 22. The association urged individuals and local organizers to make this year’s celebration more than a one-day affair.

Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year. As the climate heats up, World Carfree Day is the perfect time to take the heat off the planet, and put it on city planners and politicians to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of to the automobile.

The car-free day coincided, as it does every year, with European Mobility Week. Events were organized in over 1000 cities and towns in Europe, and culminated in the car-free day on Saturday. The week is sponsored by the European Commission in partnership with three European-wide organizations that work on urban environmental issues: Eurocities, Energie-Cités and Climate Alliance. Local authorities, leisure clubs, community groups and other spontaneous gatherings of determined individuals, coordinate an array of activities to promote sustainable means of transport.

Each year there is an overarching theme for Mobility Week. "Streets for People" was the theme for this the sixth edition of the week, calling for "local authorities to reallocate some road space to non-motorized traffic," and drawing attention to the pressing need to improve air quality on the local level. Many cities closed their main streets to automobile traffic, arranged mass bicycle outings and held street parties. Some town authorities took the opportunity to showcase permanent measures taken in recent years to increase the road space dedicated to sustainable mobility.

Reports on Mobility Week and World Carfree Day are still coming out.

One dispatch already released came from China. Officials had announced that Beijing would hold its first car-free day last Saturday. James Reynolds, reporting from Beijing on Saturday for the BBC, said, "the ruling communist party has encouraged people to leave their cars at home to improve the air for next year’s Olympic Games, but no one has taken any notice." The main thoroughfares of the Chinese capital looked, by and large, the way they do on normal car days, Reynolds said. Private cars were blocked from using some back streets but apparently, "nobody uses them much anyway… People here are not willing to give up their cars in exchange for better air." Overall, Reynolds concluded, "no car day appears to have had absolutely no impact whatsoever."

Image: World Carfree Network

BBC Beijing No Car Day

European Mobility Week

Eurocities

Energie Cités

Climate Alliance

Referring to the wayward Embassy during a radio talk show last Thursday, he said: “If it was up to me, I would’ve seized their cars and crushed them, but it’s not legal for me to do that. I would've been quite happy to crush the car with the American ambassador in it, quite frankly.”

Washington argues that the congestion charge is a tax. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, adopted under the auspices of the United Nations in 1961, embassies and diplomats are exempt from paying national taxes. So, if the charge is a tax, diplomats are not obliged to pay it. But, Mayor Livingstone replies, the congestion charge is not a tax. It is more like a toll, the charge payable to use a bridge or road, a fee that everyone, without exception, must pay.

The congestion charge was first introduced in February 2003, and at the time it met with great opposition both in the media and from Londoners. But when, not long after implementation, the positive effects of the toll became noticeable, it was hailed as a success. Within a year there was a palpable decline in traffic throughout the central zone and figures confirmed a substantial increase in the use of public transportation throughout the city. In July 2005 the charge was raised from £5 to £8. Since then the American Embassy, headed by Ambassador Robert Tuttle, has refused to pay and has thereby incurred a sizeable debt.

How much does the American Embassy owe to London? Different figures are floating around on different websites. In October 2006 the BBC cited 1 million pounds in unpaid charges and penalties. A press release from the mayor’s office lists the sum of £891,000, about $1.6 million, owed in September 2006. At the end of the press release there is a note to editors: “The Mayor has demanded that the Embassy pay outstanding fines as the congestion charge is not a tax but a charge for a service – reduced congestion – from which US diplomats benefit.”

The charge system was altered again in February 2007, not with a rise in fee this time but with an extension of the zone to West London. According to the BBC, “residents staged a peaceful demonstration against the new charge”, saying it would “damage business and cost residents hundreds of pounds a year”. The toll zone is now about double the area of the original zone and includes other embassies, a number of which have stopped paying the charge. As Allen Cowell of The International Herald Tribune wrote, “the American envoy won support from an unlikely quarter” notably from the French Embassy, which is now also incurring debt.

Mayor Livingstone is infuriated by the diplomats’ repudiation of British regulations. At the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit held in New York last month, he chronicled the evolution of the congestion toll. According to a press release from the summit he “described how the initial proposal for a congestion charge came from a consortium of London business interests that calculated the cost of congestion in terms of London’s productivity and competitiveness at two billion pounds”, around 4 billion dollars, annually. “In one year,” he said, “the congestion charge has brought about a 38% drop in private cars entering London – twice the anticipated figure.” With the massive increase in cyclists and bus passengers, from four to six million, there has been “a 20% reduction in carbon emissions”.

From the green perspective, the American, French and other embassies should pay the congestion charge even if the sole benefit were the reduction in carbon emissions, but other benefits provide an even more powerful argument in favor of the toll. Other positive effects appeal to a wider audience, including skeptics of the green movement. The obvious example is the benefit of greater productivity. While the ol’ saying “time is money” may be trite, it is ringing true as businesses and individuals save time thanks to the decline in traffic. But, in order for the system to work, everyone needs to pay up.

There was talk at the Large Cities Summit of introducing a congestion charge, based on the London model, in New York. Yes, I say, and everyone must pay. Even the British Embassy.

Image Credit: Jennifer Carlile / MSNBC.com

www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/, news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6368957.stm, www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/21/news/london.php, www.nycclimatesummit.com/pressReleases/pr_2007_0515.html

Related info from GO:

www.greenoptions.com/2007/05/22/world_s_mayors_take_on_global_warming
www.greenoptions.com/news/hybrid_sales_boosted_emission_cut_by_london_congestion_charge

The root cause of our current situation involves two primary issues: refinery capacity and overall consumption rate:

As has been the case for many weeks, gasoline consumption continues to run above last year, a series of refining problems have kept gasoline output well below the utilization needed to build stockpiles, and the US seems to be unable to find enough refined gasoline in the world markets to make up the difference (1)."

Despite our best efforts to use more fuel, the national ability to turn unrefined oil into gasoline has hit a bottleneck. This doesn't really slow down consumption, it just tends to drive prices up and eat into national reserves:

Last week, US gasoline stockpiles dropped for the 12th straight week by another 1.1 million barrels as US motorists continued to burn up gasoline at a rate 1.6 percent higher than last year (1)."

In reality, we are just using too much fuel. I understand that this is not exactly a new concept, especially to GO readers. But it's an issue worth reconsidering today, and probably every day for the foreseeable future:

. . .if present trends continue, the U.S, will be burning 290 billion gallons of gasoline by 2050 (up from 140 billion gallons today) (2). "

Not only are we using too much oil, but scant consideration is given to exactly where all this money goes. The serious rumination garnered by socially and environmentally certified products is seldom extended into the realm of transportation. But there is little justification for such a psychological disconnect: If every dollar spent is a vote, then most of us are all still voting for Big Oil:

Demand for oil has increased significantly in the last few years, and world production is close to full capacity. According to Resources, "Global oil supply stands at 84 million barrels per day, while spare capacity is only 1 to 1.5 million barrels per day–the lowest level in three decades." The United State's oil import bill in 2005 was over $240 billion dollars, much of which flowed out of the country into so-called terrorist regimes."

Today, the world’s oil frontier includes a list of countries that mirrors a catalog of global trouble spots, including Angola, Azerbaijan, Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, and Venezuela. Most of these countries rank disturbingly low in many measures of political liberty, human rights, and corruption (3)."

The whole idea of financing the corrupt industries of Angola, Azerbaijan, Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, and Venezuela (among others) is ethically bankrupt. It is inconceivable that consumers purchase fair-trade and organic products, while simultaneously sending supporting this international oil industry (4)."

Now I won't go so far as to condemn the American People, because I think oil consumption is a product of lack of consciousness and/or viable alternatives. But why don't gas purchases carry the same weight as buying fair-trade coffee imported from Ecuador? How much does it take to push us into changing the way we live? Each day, 300 million of us choose how to get around, and if we question it at all the most likely point we come to is, "well, what else are we going to do?"

There are several underlying problems behind the growing [fuel] shortfalls, none of which seem susceptible to immediate solution. The automobile is so deeply embedded into our lifestyles that gasoline will have to go much higher * some say $6+ a gallon - before there will be any significant slackening in demand. Sales of gas-guzzlers probably will continue to drop, but major changes in lifestyles will not come until actual gasoline shortages and gas lines develop. Here in America, there are simply too many other ways to save money before we cut back on driving. In the meantime, the struggle among demand, prices, refining, and imports will continue. Every Wednesday morning the Department of Energy will update the score card and the picture of how much longer we can all continue business as usual will become a little clearer."

My question to you, the reader, is: what can we do right now to really start moving away from using gasoline and diesel for transportation?

I know we write a lot here about alternative fuels and new resource-conserving technology. But sometimes the real important message, the call to action, the part where we actually start doing something and implementing these new solutions into our own lives - sometimes this gets lost in the text.

So let me turn this obscure dicussion on oil consumption into a call to action: When you finish reading this post, take a few minutes to think about the gas you use and the driving you do. How much of it is necessary? How much is not? Is there a bus-stop nearby, but you've never taken the time to learn the routes? Is there an opportunity to carpool to work or other activities? Is it possible to ride your bike or walk for at least part of your trip?

If this bit of reflection reveals anything to you, or even if it doesn't, please take a minute and post it as a comment. I am eager to hear about any steps you may have made to drive less. If you haven't taken any steps yet, that's ok - all I'm asking for is a few minutes of reflection.

What part are you playing in the world we live in today?

(1) Energy Bulletin: The peak oil crisis: Week twelve. Tom Whipple. (May 3, 2007)
(2) Grist: A Bridge to Somewhere? What we've learned from the biofuels series. (Dec 15, 2006)
(3) WorldWatch Institute. American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security. (Sept. 2006)
(4) For more information on Nigerian Oil, see National Geographic Magazine's Article.

1. In the Oil and Coal Age, everyone drove solo during gridlock hours to their one work location to toil over their designated machine. Now people are most effective working some days at one location, other times at home, others at a customer or supplier locations. We can take advantage of the new flexible workplace solutions to annually save hundreds of wasted hours, thousands of gallons of wasted gas, and pocket thousands of dollars. Hewlett Packard saves over 2 million round-trip commutes for its North American employees with an effective Telework program. Info tech meets cleantech.

The semiconductor chips in your computers, electronic games and mobile devices are likely to be made with equipment from Applied Materials. Their program, "Applied Anywhere," addresses their global business environment and provides agility to be closer to the customer as well as supporting the needs of many employees who perform some or their entire job outside the traditional office place. The program “Applied Anywhere” supports eligible employees that at different times may need to work from one of several corporate offices, at home, at an airport, or at a customer site.

Investigate your employer’s flexible work program or simply spend the next rush hour working at home.

2. It is a joy to sail past gridlock traffic in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. HOV lanes have been a major success in encouraging people to save gas and ride together. A common requirement is that the lane only be used by vehicles with two or more passengers during designated rush hours. It is easy to join a carpool. See if there is one organized at work, or go to your favorite Internet site and type “carpool” and your zip code.

3. Public transit saved 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline in the USA in 2006. Public transit ridership increased 25% in ten years. 56% of transit trips are work related. Public transit is widely used in cities where light rail and buses are convenient and arrive frequently. 73% of all U.S. public transit rides occur in areas with over 5 million people. Most people in New York and many in Chicago commute to work with public transit.

Lauren Hurley loves living in Chicago. She finds the city alive with people, career opportunities, and places to be. Unlike her bedroom community friends, Lauren does not own a car. She can walk to the grocery store, to friends, and to neighborhood cafe.

Chicago’s bus service takes her to a stop that is a two minute walk to work. Being environmentally concerned, Lauren likes the fact that per person, riding a bus results in only 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions of driving solo. Lauren would not want a car in Chicago, “Parking is a major hassle. Parking lots and parking tickets are quite expensive. Public transit and taxis are more convenient.”

4. Enjoy a long life. Walk an extra mile each day to improve your health and burn extra calories. You will also help the environment. Next time you are stuck waiting for a parking place, considering parking the car, turning off that engine spewing emissions and walking.

In Washington D.C., eleven percent of the residents walk to work. An added 34% of commuters use public transit combined with some walking.

Ellen De Generes quipped, “My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 today, and we don’t know where the heck she is.”

John Addison is the author of the upcoming book Save Gas, Save the Planet and publishes the Clean Fleet Report. This article is copyright John Addison with permission to publish or excerpt with attribution. A related article about Flexible Work and Cool Commutes is at http://www.cleanfleetreport.com/vault/cool_commutes.htm

Jimmy: Public transportation is a blessing to metropolitan areas where well designed mass transit systems help reduce traffic congestion and related pollution. It's also nice to sip a hot cup of coffee and read the paper while leaving the business of driving to someone else. Planning and management of these systems is the key though in having successful acceptance by a society of car drivers accustomed to the flexibility of operating on their own schedule.

The point that must be kept in mind is that public transportation is a medicine for a specific ailment and that trying to administer this remedy in areas that are more suburban than urban is often costly and unsuccessful; sometimes doing more harm than good. Policy makers must also distinguish between the goal of alleviating traffic(along with its associated ills) and social welfare in the form of subsidized transportation costs because these can sometimes be at odds.

Shirley: The time is fast coming when America will need to radically rethink its approach to transportation, both short- and long-distance. The forces converging to drive such change include rising fuel prices, the growing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a federal highway trust fund that's falling short of covering infrastructure construction, maintenance and repair needs, and an aging U.S. population in which a growing number of citizens will be unable or unwilling to continue driving in coming years.

Public transit ridership has been increasing in recent years and polls show many Americans want more public transportation options. That trend is only likely to grow as gas prices keep rising (and they will: analysts are already predicting $4 a gallon pump prices as this summer's travel season gets under way). Many cities today are exploring or implementing new programs such as light-rail systems, while some states struggling to make ends meet are considering privately maintained toll roads. As with efforts to curb global warming, it's clear that the federal government is lagging far behind what its citizens want in terms of transportation alternatives. Public transit won't solve all our transportation problems, but it needs to be offered in far more widespread and creative ways than it is at present.