Chasing Clean Air

Obama Rejects Keystone Pipeline. Now Consider Bikes Over Cars.

BIKES vs CARS TRAILER from WG Film on Vimeo.

When Obama rejected Keystone Pipeline today, he said yes! to positive action addressing climate change. Now it's our turn to drive less, take a bus, bike, walk, turn out the lights. And get inspired, by checking out a new excellent documentary, Bikes vs Cars. Coming to theaters December 2015.

Bikes vs Cars advocates a new bike-friendly approach to urban planning. The film highlights challenges bicyclists encounter in cities around the world, including Los Angeles. This is a well-done look at the realities and hopes of what it takes to reduce our carbon footprint, safely. You learn interesting bicycle facts and history watching this documentary.

Did you know in the year 1897, Los Angeles was the location of a bicycle highway construction project to link Pasadena to downtown L.A.? Yes, the power of an individual was at work prior to the car industry taking hold. A private business man named Horace Dobbins and California's legislature worked out a plan for the California Cycleway, which began construction until bigger forces intervened. Now that's an idea for today...

How about turning the empty Los Angeles River bed into a bike lane, for starters. Just popped in my head after looking out of an airplane's window and seeing the drought-empty river bed, snaking through large areas with no job to do. 

This Is Cool!

Yesterday, invited to a Los Angeles green action committee meeting, it was like competition of the low-carbon footprint players.

"I was going to take the bus," I started. "But I didn't feel safe waiting at bus stops late at night. So I drove."

Meanwhile, a polished-looking couple entered the Westside home, "We drove our zero-emission Nissan Leaf." Okay this is pretty good, but truly outstanding if powered by their solar paneled roof. 

Then a flushed pink in the face man, who wore a green shirt Walk! Run! entered, "I just walked a mile-and-a-half". Okay, then! 

Equalling his carbon-free score-card, a group member, who lived more than 30 miles away, stayed home opting for communication through speaker phone. He shared his low carbon ideas via an iPhone speaker positioned in the center of our group.

And there you have it. A green team in action.

How many meetings do you attend, where the attendees start with guilt/guilt free carbon footprint admissions? Pretty cool if you ask me.

Photo from my recent Alaska railroad journey from Anchorage to Seward. Alaska - public transportation all the way for a most enjoyable trip!

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This Is Not Cool

Two days in a row I'm on the bus on the Westside of Los Angeles during rush hour. It's gridlock traffic, the kind where anxious drivers are honking and cutting each other off, sirens in the distance. It's like I'm riding in a chauffeured limousine. Anyone ever going to join me? The expanded 405 freeway project at a cost of billions made things worse.

Get on the bus, please.

Speaking of public transportation in Los Angeles, that Metro Expo Rail Line about to open in Santa Monica next year, well, I spoke to a Santa Monica traffic officer who said the city of Santa Monica is bracing for the worst gridlock ever, as trains are expected every few minutes delivering passengers to Santa Monica. These people will cross the street. Pedestrians in cross-walks. Yep! Cars must wait to turn right. Cars must wait to turn left, backing up traffic, every few minutes as trains deliver residents and tourists flooding the pedestrian cross-walks. So please learn a new habit to benefit everyone: If you live in a city, try the bus once a week. The issue isn't just about carbon emissions, we need to get cars off the roads. For a better life. For everyone.

I found a video (below) on abrupt climate change impacts already happening like flooding in Miami from sea rise. I don't know. Maybe I need to stop writing about this lost cause in Los Angeles. Maybe people in another city can learn from LA's costly (health impacts, and accidents and stress) transportation mistakes. Video below is courtesy of the Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media. And its not just LA leaders (past and present) it's the people who refuse to get out of their cars. I just don't get it.

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On Not Driving Cars and Climate Change

I take a lot of heat for rarely driving. "You'll get over it," people say. "You have to drive," others say. "It's our culture."

When I was in Alaska to write two articles, I was offered a car, which I didn't take. Walking and public transportation all the way. Riding in individual cars doesn't have to continue as normal in our culture. Scientists say it shouldn't. (Even so-called clean cars take greenhouse gases to make and probably dispose of) So consider what changes you will make in light of climate change and lightening the load on our congested roadways.

Going carless is generally safer, cheaper, and less stressful - assuming you're not stuck waiting too long in bad weather. In Los Angeles that would be hot weather, the hottest temps in history. I bought a sun umbrella for walking to and waiting at bus stops. Taking buses is often relaxing. Bring a book. I have a friend who practices guitar on his hour long daily bus rides. As a result, he is way ahead of others in his guitar class, learning techniques.

Biking in the City

I'm all for getting people out of their cars, and onto their feet, using strength not motors to get around. Clean air! Smell the flowers not exhaust! Plus an ability to flex work and social schedules to fit public transportation is highly valued. (That said, I wish Big Blue Bus ran buses late so I never needed to get in a car at night!) My mom and her long time companion are in town, and we've been happily taking buses everywhere: Santa Monica, Venice, Getty Museum, Armand Hammer, Pacific Palisades...

But what of people who prefer biking in the city?

Earth Policy released a Bicycle Share Fact Sheet on May 14, 2014 that points to many cities worldwide embracing the shift to bike power. I question how safe riding bikes are in Los Angeles but for a round-up on bicycling and bike sharing cities, here's Earth Policy's report:

The prevalence of bicycles in a community is an indicator of our ability to provide affordable transportation, lower traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, increase mobility, and provide exercise to the world’s growing population.

Bike-sharing programs are one way to get cycles to the masses.

In early 2014, some 600 cities in 52 countries hosted advanced bike-sharing programs, with a combined fleet of more than 570,000 bicycles. Spain leads the world with 132 separate bike-share programs. Italy has 104, and Germany, 43.

The world’s largest bike-sharing program is in Wuhan, China’s sixth largest city, with 9 million people and 90,000 shared bikes. In 2013, China was home to 82 bike-sharing programs, with a whopping combined fleet of some 380,000 bicycles.

Great Walks of the World: Scotland

How in the world did the West Highland Way - a classic scenic walk allowing for overnight glamping (glamour meets camping) in B & Bs - in the Scottish Highlands become a focus?

Los Angeles cars, congestion, and let's face it, I had an injury, making being clean air more attractive than going to clean air destinations. Low carbon, or zero carbon, traveling to minimize climate change and air pollution, without adding to congestion is the right thing to do. I love hiking, and walking, and reading about long walks.

WALK!