Back to Archive Index Back to Today's Entries
Tuesday, March 27th
Greening Freight...Slowly
The Transit Coalition reprinted a recent report on a partial greening of freight services, focussing primarily on wasting less fuel while using trucks, and the difficulties "just in time" inventory practices introduce into this vital equation. But buried deep in the report was a sentence leading into a brief discussion of realy freight greening, which we quote below:
Some believe that the real potential, when it comes to cutting the freight industry's carbon emissions, lies in determining whether shippers should be using trucks at all if other modes of transport, such as rail, are available. In emissions terms, water and rail transport are the most efficient, and trucks and planes are the heaviest polluters.
So at least there's some acknowledgement that we really have to look at non-road modes to realize a true reduction in the physical (and social) impacts of freight transport.
To read the whole article, see
A Green Way to Keep On Trucking
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 03.27.07 @ 05:39PST
Monday, March 26th
Green Living and Historic Preservation
When you think of green building, old houses aren't what always first comes to mind. "Green building" may instead conjure up images of solar panels, strange-looking storage tanks, and grassy substances growing on the roof.
One of the primary principles of green building, however is recycling. This not only applies to materials, but also to whole buildings. Reusing a building is by its nature a "green" process.
Sure, old buildings can have drafty doors and windows, less than adequate insulation, and old mechanics that may make it operate at less than maximum efficiency, or at least less efficiently than a comparable new home built in a green-friendly manner.
Read the full article
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 03.26.07 @ 19:07PST
Sunday, March 25th
Add The New Colonist to your MySpace Profile!
Show Your Support for City Life, Sustainability and The New Colonist! Click to add The New Colonist to your friends on Myspace...
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 03.25.07 @ 16:30PST
Paris to Become "City of Bicycles"
From the Washington Post:
Paris is for lovers -- lovers of food and art and wine, lovers of the romantic sort and, starting this summer, lovers of bicycles.
On July 15, the day after Bastille Day, Parisians will wake up to discover thousands of low-cost rental bikes at hundreds of high-tech bicycle stations scattered throughout the city, an ambitious program to cut traffic, reduce pollution, improve parking and enhance the city's image as a greener, quieter, more relaxed place.
To read the full article, go to
City of Bicycles
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 03.25.07 @ 06:16PST
Saturday, March 17th
Rail Transit Use Grows in US
From the International Railway Journal:
The number of passengers using public transport in the United States has topped 10 billion for the first time in 49 years, according to the latest figures from the American Public Transportation Association (Apta). Apta says public transport use rose by 30% between 1995 and 2006, more than double the rate of population growth (12%) and greater than the increase in car journeys, which rose 24% in the same period.
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 03.17.07 @ 06:17PST
Friday, March 16th
Newcolonist.com chat room
Interested in chatting about cities and sustainable development with other newcolonist.com readers? Check this out. We'd like to know if we should make chat a permanent feature...
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 03.16.07 @ 00:17PST
Thursday, March 15th
Americans Take More Than 10 Billion Trips on Public Transportation for the First Time in Almost Fifty Years
If you thought you were seeing more riders during your daily public transit trips, it’s not your imagination. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced today that Americans took 10.1 billion trips on local public transportation in 2006 – the first time in 49 years. Over the last decade, public transportation’s growth rate outpaced the growth rate of the population and the growth rate of vehicle miles traveled on our nation’s highways.
“This significant ridership milestone is part of a multi-year trend as more and more Americans ride public transit to get to destinations important to them, while realizing the benefits of saving money and avoiding congestion,” said William W. Millar, president of APTA. “Public transit ridership helps reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and decreases our contribution to global warming; but ultimately, this milestone represents 10 billion reasons to increase local and federal investment in public transportation.”
Public transit use is up 30 percent since 1995. That is more than double the growth rate of the population (12 percent) and higher than the growth rate for the vehicle miles traveled on our roads (24 percent) during that same period. In 2006, public transit ridership grew 2.9 percent over 2005. To put the 10.1 billion public transportation trips in perspective, transit trips outnumber domestic airline trips by 15 to one.
“Public transportation is a proven way to meet our nation’s goals,” said Millar. “As Congress looks to find ways to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and reduce emissions causing global warming, we call on them to increase investment and include incentives to encourage further use of public transportation.”
Light rail (modern streetcars, trolleys, and heritage trolleys) had the highest percentage increase among all modes, with 5.6 percent increase in 2006. Some light rail systems showed double digit increases in ridership: San Jose (36.6 percent); Minneapolis (18.4 percent); New Jersey (20.1 percent); Saint Louis (16.2 percent); Philadelphia (10.8 percent); and Salt Lake City (14.2 percent).
Ridership on heavy rail posted the second largest increase at 4.1 percent. The five heavy rail systems with the highest increase in ridership for 2006 were: Los Angeles (10.8 percent); New Jersey (10.1 percent); Staten Island, NY (9.4 percent); Atlanta (6.3 percent); and Chicago (4.5 percent).
Commuter rail posted the third largest increase at 3.2 percent. The five commuter rail systems with the highest ridership growth rate in 2006 were: rail system servicing south Florida based in Miami (21.3 percent); rail system servicing Pennsylvania based in Harrisburg, PA (18.9 percent); rail system between South Bend, IN and Chicago (10.7 percent); commuter service that runs between Stockton and San Jose, CA (8.8 percent); and South Shore East rail service based in New Haven, CT (8.3 percent).
Other modes saw increases in ridership. Demand response (paratransit) ridership increased by 2.9 percent and the transit bus increased by 2.3 percent. In fact, there were major increases by some large bus agencies in the following cities: Seattle (12.1 percent); San Antonio (9 percent); Dallas (8.3 percent); Los Angeles (6.2 percent); and Houston (6.1 percent).
To see the complete report go to ATPA's Web Site
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 03.15.07 @ 10:32PST
Wednesday, March 7th
Expert discusses importance of preserving Chicago's architecture
What does it take to make sure one of Chicago's streets remains a lasting icon? State Street was called "that great street" by Frank Sinatra in song and is home to several examples of Chicago's architectural legacy.
Gunny Harboe, the architect responsible for preserving the Reliance Building and the Carson Pirie Scott and Co. Building, will discuss State Street preservation efforts from the Loop to Bronzeville at the next American Planning Association's Tuesdays at APA forum at 5 p.m. on March 13, 2007. Harboe also will discuss how planning can help support the history and legacy of our past.
Harboe gained a national reputation for his work on the Rookery and Reliance Buildings. A few of his recent projects include Holabird and Roche's Marquette Building, Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple, and Mies van der Rohe's Crown Hall. Harboe is president of Harboe Architects, PC, an architecture firm specializing in historic preservation and sustainable design.
The forum will begin at 5 p.m. at APA's office at 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600 (across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago). The event is free and open to the public.
Upcoming Tuesdays at APA events include a look at housing issues in "first suburbs" and planning in today's New Orleans.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 03.07.07 @ 12:22PST
Tuesday, March 6th
Tom Bloxham and Redevelopment
This is from 2003 but absolutely a delightful take on urban redevelopment and an article you should pass around:
Tom Bloxham moved to Manchester as a youngster to study politics at the University of Manchester. Since then he's tried his hand with a music stall and a poster shop in the legendary Afflecks Palace before becoming a household name with his property development company, Urban Splash. Their brave approach of redeveloping old buildings rather than knocking them down has won much praise from the people of Manchester and it was therefore no surprise that Tom was made Chair of the North West Arts Board. He spoke exclusively to Pride Of Manchester about his life, his influences and and his thoughts about the city's architecture.
To read the interview itself, go to
Pride of Manchester
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 03.06.07 @ 05:11PST
