The following statement was made to me in an email last night, and it got me thinking.

"If government did not subsidize the meat and dairy industries (18 percent of greenhouse gases), and the suburbs (driving cars releases 17 percent of greenhouse gases), we wouldn't have the problem to begin with. Most people would be vegetarian and live in cities without cars from economic necessity. Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem."

I initially responded that before there were subsidies, people were not vegetarian and lived in rural areas. I wasn't making a judgment, simply throwing it out there as food for thought.

Sure enough a response came back: "Maybe before the industrial age, people lived outside of cities, but for the past several hundred years, we had farmers and we had mostly city-dwellers. In addition, meat was a luxury, not a routine."

I don't know much about the history of the subsidies, but the idea that people had mostly lived in cities for the past several hundred years seemed a bit far-fetched. I decided to look into just when urban residents in the United States outnumbered rural residents. It looks like the answer is somewhere between the 1910 and 1920 census, just short of 100 years ago.

For the bulk of the years after 1920, people have mostly lived in cities and mostly relied on cars for transportation, with the earlier years being less-reliant on the automobile and the later much more reliant. That struck me as quite interesting. As much as I may like to think otherwise, our urban (not including suburban) history has never accounted for the way most people live. We went from being mostly rural to mostly suburban, with the probable exception of a few years in the 1920s and 1930s.

As for farming subsidies, it looks like they started with Hoover and were continued and expanded by Roosevelt. Hoover's program was the Farm Board, which fixed price floors for wheat and cotton only. Of course the result was many farmers switched from other crops to wheat and cotton and as a result, we produced too much of it. Roosevelt supported the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which dealt with the problem of oversupply by paying farmers not to produce. Seems clear one government program required another to solve the mess it created!

Meat subsidies seem to date to the 1940s.

So what was the diet like in the early 1900s before these subsidies? Here are some quotes I found on the topic from Foodtimeline.org.

1900-1909: New products flooded the American markets. Corporate giants such as the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), Campbells, Swift, General Mills, Quaker Oats, Kraft, Jell-O, and Hershey's provided products, "invented" recipes and created a steady demand for a wider variety of foods. Waves of immigrants introduced new foods and flavors. The first Italian-style pizzeria opened in New York City 1905. Advances in transportation, food preservation, and home storage began to equalize local food availability and lessen dependence upon seasonal variations.

1910-1919: What people eat in all times and places depends upon who they are (ethnic, religious heritage), where they live (urban centers, rural outposts) and how much money they have (rich have more choices than poor). Which means? In the USA during the 1910s newly immigrated Italian families ate very different food from South Carolina plantation owners, West Virginia coal miners, Chicago businessmen and San Francisco Chinese.

1920-1929: 1920s America was an fascinating time for food. When else would it be possible to juxtapose Prohibition (popular no alcohol sentiment co-existing with underground speakeasies), exotic culinary experimentation (Chinese food was popular), opulent wealth (Delmonicos & 21), extreme poverty (tenement kitchens), social nutrition movements (home economics & Ladies Aid Organizations) and vegetarian alternatives?

Not much of this sheds light on how much meat was eaten compared to today, but cookbooks from the early century are not lacking in meat-based recipes. A history of the Union Stock Yards in Chicago may be a good place to look. And with a quick glance it becomes clear that capitalism was already making meat available and affordable long before meat subsidies. "From the Civil War until the 1920s and peaking in 1924, more meat was processed in Chicago than in any other place in the world."

Back to the initial statement, "If government did not subsidize the meat and dairy industries and the suburbs we wouldn't have the problem (of global warming) to begin with." It's clearly understood now that both the methane from cows and automobiles contribute to global warming. Like in the 1920s, if you took away the wheat subsidies, you would expect to have less wheat. Today if you took away the meat subsidies, you may end up with less meat and fewer cars, but while I've long-since thought the relationship strong, it doesn't seem completely accurate that there wouldn't be suburbs if you stopped the subsidies and if the last century and a half of American culinary life is any indication, there would still be steak houses. Should there be? That's another question.

Eric Miller on 05.29.09 @ 10:41 AM PST [link]  

What is the future of suburbia? There have been all sorts of predictions made in the recent past, from the Atlantic's article predicting that they are the slums of the future, to glossy anticipations that they will grow into the "cities of tomorrow" as exurbs merge into self-sustaining entities. Of course, what actually happens will likely be more complicated than any of us is likely to guess, but that won't stop New Colonist editors Eric Miller and Richard Risemberg from trying! So give us a listen....

The third and final segment of our discussion of the past, present and future of the suburbs is now available in our podcast section. You can click and listen on our Podcasts page or download this podcast through iTunes!

You must have iTunes installed on your computer for the iTunes link to work.

Eric Miller on 05.27.09 @ 02:47 PM PST [link]  

Congratulations on ten years on the internet. The New Colonist inspires so many people. I have received many responses to my article in 2005, "An Artist's Life in New York City." People wanted to know how I survive and combine a day job with my art' and where is a good neighborhood to live that is not too expensive. All I can say to any artist in 2009 is surviving in NYC takes a lot of stamina and perseverance. Be realistic; keep the day job to pay bills and create your art after work and weekends. Use this down time in the economy to build a new body of work. Your work is what defines you not how you earn a living. Some of my highlights since 2005... last year had a TV spot on OvationTV, My Work, My Life, My Art. My work was chosen from thousands of entries. I also had an article written about it in Art Calendar magazine by Kim Hall, Seize the TV. January 08. My work is currently exhibited at the US Embassy in Lima, Peru. The Queens Courier newspaper featured an article by Marianna Nash, Queens Artists Works Hang in US Embassies along with my artist/husband, John Ferdico. Working and living in New York makes you an international artist. Go for it and never stop doing what you love. Diane Leon

Diane Leon-Ferdico

Eric Miller on 05.26.09 @ 02:17 AM PST [link]  

Silk-stocking caveman George Will, in a recent Newsweek article, fulminated against against Ray LaHood, New Urbanism, Smart Growth, Portland, and just about anything that isn't petrogluttonous suburban sprawl. And he managed somehow to do it in the name of "small government," though only the military is more dependent on tax handouts than American automobilism.

Apparently, Portland is hell; apparently, the following is heaven:



This was the San Diego Freeway (I-405) yesterday at rush hour. You'll note that the Mini Cooper has no driver. That's because Gina had plenty of time to get out of the car and compose the photo.

Never mind that a ton of concrete releases a ton of CO₂ just in its manufacture and transport (how many tons do you see in the picture?); no matter that those idling cars are using oil and emitting fumes for nothing; no matter the hours of life being wasted on that road: just think of how much that road cost, and how much watershed it replaced, of how many tax-paying and happy homes could be on that land, or tax-paying and productive business, or schools, or libraries, or parks, or whatever....

Because driving is subsidized, oh Georgie: read what good ol' conservative Texas has to say about it in Do Roads Pay for Themselves?

And let's not forget what ultraconservative Walter Lippman said back in 1939, when the movement to force Americans into automobile dependency was really starting to roll:

G.M. has spent a small fortune to convince the American public that if it wishes to enjoy the full benefit of private enterprise in motor manufacturing, it will have to rebuild its cities and highways by public enterprise.

George, you're not only just plain wrong, you aren't very conservative either: the suburbs are anti-family and anti-community; Portland style development nurtures both, and uses tax money more efficiently, especially in making it easier for people to move freely about.

Weren't family, community, and freedom once values of the right? Who has been transformed, Georgie? LaHood, or...you?

Richard Risemberg on 05.23.09 @ 05:29 AM PST [link]  

Literally, I mean....

An article in the Guardian today reports that China's year-old ban of plastic shopping bags, even if not quite fully enforced, has prevented the consumption of 1.6 million tonnes of petroleum.

Nothing to sneezed at (or perhaps to cough at?), despite the scorn of the usual naysayers at the program's commencement.

I'm sure that shopping by bike as depicted in the photo accompanying the article has saved a good bit more in the same time!

Read the entire article for details.

Richard Risemberg on 05.22.09 @ 06:24 PM PST [link]  

Eric Miller on 05.19.09 @ 09:29 AM PST [link]  

Gina and I came to San Francisco for a few days, to celebrate our anniversary, and I noticed a few things--some for the first time, some that I'd forgotten--that make this my favorite city in the US.

One, of course, is that people walk here--lots of people walk, not just tourists but people evidently going to work, shopping, whatever. The streets are all busy in a very pleasant way, lacking the head-down frenzy of LA's few walkers as well as most of its drivers. It's invigorating to be among human beings acting like human beings, instead of like robot slaves.

People bicycle here, despite the hills and chills. Lots of bikes that are evidently not race toys or boardwalk decoration: bikes with fenders, baskets, lights (and massive locks); bikes with dents and dirt to prove that they are out there all the time. Being ridden by all sorts of folks, young and old, every race, every costume, including, sometimes, formalwear. Bikes locked up everywhere.

A richness of architectural detail throughout most of the city...there's something to stimulate eye, mind, heart on nearly every wall...even newer buildings are not as bland as what I'm accustomed to in America.

Restaurants, stores, shops, bars, cafés, and coffeehouses everywhere, on main drags and along residential streets. Conviviality and good eating abound.

The World's Greatest English-Language Bookstore, City Lights!!!

Superb transit. The Muni trains are comfortable and convivial, the seating arrangements nurture friendliness. The ground-level parts of the rides are pleasurable, and the routes intelligent. Even the cable cars prove to be an effective as well as tremendously pleasurable way to get across town, albeit a bit expensive (and it's best to walk one stop up the line from the tourist-clogged terminals to get on). Friday night we met friends at Ghirardelli Square for dinner and parted at eleven; the cable car got us over the hill in no time.

A spirit that accepts both humanity and risk. Would LA ever in a million years allow riders to hang off the side of a moving transit vehicle, as folks do on the cable cars? No wonder the real innovation of recent years--in IT and the internet, in politics, in civic design--have come from here.

Recycling bins everywhere--on the streets, in parks, at the airport, everywhere.

All that, and the physical beauty of California too. Sure, there are problems--but there are solutions, too, and plenty of them. And life to enjoy while you work out the kinks in the city.

Too bad we head back home today.

Richard Risemberg on 05.17.09 @ 06:21 AM PST [link]  

Sound familiar? Transportation affects everyone, and it can be a hair-pulling heap of frustration. But if we redirect our rage, we can get Congress to make smart transportation investments that finally bring us some relief. http://mycommutesucks.com/ and spread the rage.

Eric Miller on 05.15.09 @ 11:39 AM PST [link]  

Thousands of Americans will head for cities, resorts and beach destinations this summer for a little stimulation, rest and relaxation. With more and more aware of their "carbon footprint" impact on the environment, ten tips from The New Colonist, a web magazine about sustainable city life, will help provide a guide for a small "summer trip footprint," and make it sustainable and fun.

"More and more of us are consciously adopting sustainable practices at home," says Eric Miller, Publisher. "It's important to keep those habits when we travel. Some of them can even make the trip that much more rewarding."

Here are the ten tips for sustainable summer travel:

1. Choose a local over an exotic destination. Thinking of heading to the Caribbean? Consider a local beach, or at least one that doesn't involve flying over water, instead. There are many enticing destinations waiting to be discovered right near home. As an alternative to a cruise or a road trip, try a railtrails bicycle trip. Rail-trails have no hills to speak of and go through generally undeveloped country.

2. Travel to your destination by train or bus. Traveling by air and driving are both major contributors to carbon emissions. Train travel is convenient in many parts of the country and Amtrak serves dozens of fun destinations including San Diego and San Francisco, Ca., Chicago, Il., Portland, Or., Miami, Fl., and much of the rest of the nation. In addition, new bus lines are making bus travel more comfortable and affordable than ever. Try Megabus or Bolt Bus and see how low your fare can go.

3. Visit compact cities where you don't need a car to get around. Many cities offer a mix of city life and still provide access to a beach. New York may not be the first place you think of for a summer vacation, but a day trip to the beach is only a short train ride away.

4. Use Public Transit once you arrive. This saves the headaches of renting, insuring and returning a car in addition to making your trip footprint smaller. Check out the International Public Transport Timetable Directory at www.timetable.ch before you go.

5. Rent a bike to get around. If you're used to riding a bike at home, there's no need to go without one during your trip. If don't normally use a bike, discover how riding one can make exploring a new local fun. Check out http://tinyurl.com/worldbikeshare for a list of world bike-sharing programs.

6. Stay at a locally-owned hotel. Though it can be easier to find a room at a chain hotel, staying local in a hotel or bed and breakfast will bring additional charm to your vacation--and the owners will be more willing and able to recommend local sites that you can reach without the bother of driving. Many
smaller hotels can be found on by clicking on the Travel tab at newcolonist.com. Check out www.bedandbreakfast.com to find those accommodations.

7. Seek out restaurants that use locally-grown ingredients. It may not seem like the easiest task, but even if every restaurant you choose doesn't support local food production, just asking could put the bug in their ear.

8. Ask the hotel not to change your linens daily. Few of us change our linens daily at home and yet we expect this in a hotel. Help the hotel save some water by asking them not to change the linens. Oh, and when in the restaurant, ask them not to bring water if you're not going to drink it.

9. Carry a cloth shopping bag or two when you go shopping. Sure, for some it can be fun to carry a bag with a brand name on it. It conveys a little about who we are. Carrying a cloth bag for the things we pick up in stores also sends a message. If you don't want to bring a supermarket bag, re-use a brand-name bag you have at home, or pick up a cloth New Colonist bag in the marketplace
at newcolonist.com.

10. Turn off lights, television, heat and air conditioning when you leave your hotel room. It's easy not to care as much when you're not picking up the tab. Turning out the lights, heat, air conditioning and television can go a long way to making your vacation sustainable. Also, close the curtains to keep the sun out and make it easier to cool when you return.

Eric Miller on 05.13.09 @ 05:18 AM PST [link]  

Ikea has actually been in Brooklyn for some time now, but today marked my first attempt to travel to its spun out location. As I had heard, Ikea provides free shuttles from several locations. After a quick Internet search, I headed to Borough Hall on teh subway and went upstairs to wait for the shuttle. It arrived ontime and the trip to Red Hook was pleasant and allowed me to see some parts of Brooklyn I hadn't yet visited. The port area provides an interesting contracts between the container ships and the Manhattan skyline. I wondered if anything at Ikea was actually delivered through that port directly to Ikea. I have my doubts about either. It's probably delivered to Oakland California and trucked across!

There wasn't much i wanted at Ikea, though I did pick up a few items and went back to the Shuttle. It was then I noticed some commotion. Other passengers conveyed someone had been accused of breaking a window on a shuttle van and the police were arriving. "It's something I have known for some time, and the police agree with me," and elderly woman said. "Anytime there's a full moon... it has something to do with water on the brain."

At home I Googled this. I found some evidence supporting the woman's statement. Search for yourself and you'll find more. It look's like there was a full moon May 9th.

Eric Miller on 05.12.09 @ 02:22 PM PST [link]  

Press release from the DOT:

DOT 64-09
Thursday, May 07, 2009

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces $742.5 Million in Federal Recovery Act Funds to Pay for Transit Projects in Nine States

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that transit projects around the country will receive $742.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds.

“This money will not only put people back to work and spur the economy, it will also provide an alternative form of transportation for people around the country to get to their homes, work and school,” Secretary LaHood said.

The grants will go toward projects for which the Federal Transit Administration has already entered into multi-year federal commitments known as “full funding grant agreements,” in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington State.

The ARRA grants announced today do not increase the federal commitment to the projects, but expedite funds committed under the agreement between the federal government and the transit agencies.

The arrival of federal funds will allow the transit agencies to save on financing costs while putting additional dollars into the local economy; will supplement local resources, which have declined during the economic downturn, and allow for a quicker investment in the project.

Projects receiving funding are listed below.

Projects receiving funding are listed below.

Arizona ......................Phoenix-Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail ...............$36 Million
California ...................Los Angeles – Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension .........$66.7 Million
Colorado ...................Denver – West Corridor Light Rail Transit .......................$40 Million
New York .................New York – Long Island Rail Road East Side Access .....$195.4 Million
...................................New York – Second Avenue Subway Phase I ................$78.9 Million
Oregon .......................Portland – South Corridor I-205/Portland Mall LRT....... $32 Million
...................................Springfield – Pioneer Parkway EmX BRT........................ $2.9 Million
Texas .........................Dallas – Northwest/Southeast Light Rail Transit................ $78.4 Million
Utah ...........................Salt Lake City – Mid Jordan Light Rail Transit .................$90.9 Million
Virginia .......................Northern Virginia – Dulles Corridor Metrorail Extension
....................................To Wiehle Aveune .........................................................$77.3 Million
Washington .................Seattle – University Link Light Rail Transit Extension .......$44 Million

A pittance compared to what Wall Street got, and is getting, but a good step forward for the Real Economy, and real life, anyway.

Richard Risemberg on 05.08.09 @ 03:57 AM PST [link]  

The second part of our conversation on the suburbs, Rick Risemberg and Eric Miller discuss the changes that are being brought on by the economic situation, the housing crisis, demographic changes and more. We even talk briefly about what's shaping up to be a very interesting California Governor's race. Click and listen from our Podcasts Page

Eric Miller on 05.06.09 @ 12:03 PM PST [link]  

Have we passed the peak? How will things change? Is peak oil too late to stop global warming? Listen to a conversation with Chip Haynes, author of the soon to be released book Peak of the Devil. Click and Listen

Eric Miller on 05.04.09 @ 04:45 PM PST [link]