Update Sept. 19, 2009 check out Chasing Clean Air: Climate Change video, which underscores why we need clean cars & bikes now. Alt Car Show Oct. 2 & 3rd, 2009 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
2008 Alt Car Show Review:
That's the slogan of Ample Motion, a company with offices in Singapore and Newport Beach gearing up with technology to compete with GM's much anticipated electric Chevy Volt due out in 2011.
By the looks of the The 3rd Annual Alternative Energy and Transportation Expo in Santa Monica, Ample Motion and GM will have much competition to clean the roads and skies and get us off fossil fuels, which is good news for our green economy.
Want to convert your car into a hybrid? The team at Jungle Motors can help.
Want to build a solar-powered vehicle like Jim Corning did in his Flagstaff, Arizona garage? Learn more about his prototype.
How about a plug-in electric vehicle?
This idea makes the most sense, especially when you plug your electric car into a normal 110 volt socket that gets its electricity from your solar roof or some other renewable energy source running through your grid.
I spoke to Michael Lind of Rec Solar who said business is way up, and people are gearing up to plug their cars into their home sockets powered by solar. In effect, to drive their cars for free.
He suggested I go to Solar Power 2008 to learn more. The solar conference is happening in San Diego soon.
Perhaps, the best idea for every day folks like you and me, came from Los Angeles Times auto reporter, Dan Neil.
"Don't buy another car," Dan said. "Maintain your car for its useful life and then take it to a recycling lot."
By that time the best new cars will be on the road. You don't want someone else to use your old car to clog our roads and pollute skies while you introduce another new car on the road before you really need to.
To make a car takes iron from the ground, carbon, coal... it's a dirty business.
Of course, biking and walking was and is much encouraged.
Tired? How about this custom-made electric bike from The Green
Bike company, though it's made in China, meaning ship pollution. It gets up to 40 miles on a single charge. Top speed is 20 mph.
A total overhaul of our habits is what's needed.
While there was talk about hydrogen-powered cars, I'm not focused here though I did stop for a photo. I'll let the rich people like T. Boone Pickens tell you more on his commercials.
But I can tell you the costly Hydrogen freeway is way off not to mention affordable hydrogen-powered cars, whereas plug-in electric cars are now.
Honda's hydrogen FCX Clarity, I believe costs $600/month to lease.
Hydrogen leaks.
Hydrogen can explode under certain conditions. (Like a car accident?)
Another informative and wise man, Gill Kelley, spoke. Gill is Portland's Director of Development. He explained that in the 1970s leaders decided to make city planning a priority in Portand so that the American dream wouldn't spiral down into an exhaust pipe dream. A negative consequence of suburban isolation.
Portland decided to make the pedestrian not the car the first class traveler.
As a result they have a wonderful public transportation system enabling people to do errands and work without traffic or needing a car. They've empowered their public transportation division with the ability to create taxes if/when needed. Priorities.
Portland's greenhouse emissions are at 1990 levels now, and they're working toward getting them lower with a 3 part strategy:
Wholistic approach - They capped available parking downtown and invested in light rail and street cars.
Innovate - They created a gondola/tramway to lessen congestion in one area downtown. And more.
They engage in parterships aggressively.
Gill cited Copenhagen as a prime example of how a city can go from oil dependence to oil indepedence. After the 70s oil embargo, Denmark got to work and today 97% of their energy comes from alternative sources such as wind, wave, solar, and waste. Their standard of living is high and very stable.
Today Gill is at work on Portland's 50 year plan, which will include increasing tree canopy (I've been to Portland, which already has more trees than any city I've ever been to), local food production, and diverting water from storm systems.
There's a movement toward creating more sustainable cities.
www.sustainlane.com evaluates sustainable cities, which, one day, wouldn't it be great if L.A. could be one?
Reality-check.
I left the Alt-Car Show and hit heavy traffic.
Just sitting on the freeway, I shot these.
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