Climate Capitalism

This NY Times article, “Arctic Shortcut Beckons Shippers as Ice Thaws” discusses some of the benefits of global warming at least for shipping companies traveling between East Asia and Europe.  According to the article two German ships will make  the first commercial trip from Japan to Rotterdam using a route north of Siberia.

The trip will shave off approximatly 4500 mile from the traditional Suez canal route.  While this trip may reduce some CO2 emmissions in fuel savings, there are others that are deciding to take the long way around the Cape Horn of Africa to avoid the fees of the Suez Canal.  NPR’s Planet Money had a great story about how the economic crisis was changing shipping routes.  http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2009/04/those_ships_and_their_long_det.html

New York times reporter, Elisabeth Rosenthal had an article in the New York Times today which makes me rethink my excitement for Seattle’s shinny new light-rail line.  The article highlights Bogotá Colombia’s bus rapid transit system (BRT.)

The basic idea behind BRT sytems is that building light-rail or subway systems are very capital intensive, not very flexible and don’t take advantage of the millions of miles of pavement we already have.  Use of buses instead of trains makes a lot of sense in terms of basic economics and getting the most out of our car-centric infrastructure — but the negative stereotype of “riding the bus” keep us laying tracks and issuing government bonds in cities all over the first-world.

The concept is not new, but BRT system do seem to be gaining some momentum. I remember reading about them in the State of the World 2007 by the World Watch Institute.  One of the overarching themes in the report: traditionally first-world nations have exported knowledge and expertise to the developing world. Recently the roles are starting to reverse.  As cash-strapped cities in the developing world are forced to come up with creative solutions to the problems of urbanization they are creating the new models of sustainble developent.  One of the chapters focused on a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the city of Curitiba, Brazil similar to the one discussed in the NYT article today.  The Curitiba system was origional designed in the mid-1960’s. Like the NYT article, the authors pointed out the importance of building these systems “right.”  These are not your typical city bus.  You need dedicated lanes for speed, platform stations for quick loading and unloading.   Cities like Curibiba and Bogata have figured this out while attempts to uses buses in places like Los Angeles have fallen flat since these key ingredients were left out. It has to feel like riding the subway.

In Seattle, during the 10+ year debate around the new light-rail system, many oppoents argued our bus system was just fine, buy more buses, light-rail was just too expensive. The counter argument was that the roads are the problem.  Buses can’t move in gridlock any faster than cars.  I wonder what would have happened if a true BRT system had be proposed instead?  Perhaps I missed it or perhaps I’m just having buyer’s remorse.

I’ll be interested to follow this topic as more cities around the world wrestle with the collision of climate change,  traffic congestion.  I’m not sure how many American’s will be trading in their car keys for bus passes just yet, but until we get flying cars, there may be more BRT systems in our future.

21st Century Bus Stop?

When I first read Candace Lombardi’s article “In Italy, futuristic bus stops to blend practical, chic” about the twenty-first century bus stop, “EyeStop”, I thought I’d stumbled onto a straggler from April Fool’s day or possibly the antics of The Yes Men.

Upon further investigation, it appears that Apple inspired name is not a fictitious marketing spoof ala the iProduct, but an actual collaboration between MIT, the province of Florence and the local transit authority, ATAF.

The “EyeStop” project is part of MIT’s SENSEable City Laboratory which is exploring the “increasing deployment of sensors and hand-held electronics in recent years,” and exploring “a new approach to the study of the built environment.”

The New York Times had an article today that discussed a surprising trend with New York city’s traffic.  Between 2003 and 2007 traffic has actually decreased while the population has increased. Public transit has taken up the slack.  The financial crisis puts some of these gains at risk.  Read the entire article here: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/nyregion/14traffic.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink