Setting the Stage: Introduction and Purpose
Setting the Stage: Introduction and Purpose
We are at the brink of climate disaster. But you already know this. The United Nations estimates that if we do not act fast, global temperatures will rise by 1.5-2°C by the end of the century, but newer reports estimate that we are on track for an increase of 2.7 °C (IPCC, 2021; IPCC 2018; UN, 2021). This unchecked warming is estimated to result in $106 billion worth of coastal property being below sea level by 2050 (with a 1 in 20 chance of it being as high as $1 trillion), $7.6 billion annual increases in damages caused by hurricanes and other natural disasters, a 10% decrease in crop yield for US farmers, and countless other economic and social costs (The Risky Business Project, 2014). While the level of global warming pledged under the Paris Climate Agreement is a good start, the goal 1.5°C in 2050 would still have negative impacts on every aspect of our life. The outlook is much grimmer if warming were to exceed this level (IPCC, 2018). The social, ecological, and economic risks of global warming are appalling.
Much of the
rise in global temperature is due to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and limiting emissions
is the key to slowing the catastrophic effects of climate change. In fact,
according to the United Nations, reaching the goal of 1.5°C from the Paris
Agreement would require a 7.6% reduction in GHG emissions every year (UN Climate Action Fast Facts). Clearly,
we have a lot of work to do, and it is going to take effort from all of us to
protect our planet.
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| Source: EOS |
Anybody who knows me knows that I am a major transportation nerd. I know I know, what a weird-o I am. I’ve always been fascinated by how people and goods get around. My dream as a kid was to become an airplane pilot, but my color-blindness had other plans for me (and as it turns out, this career path is very climate unfriendly). Having had the opportunity to visit some of the world’s great cities (particularly in Europe), my love for airplanes transformed into a love for public and active transportation1, and environmental concerns are certainly a big reason why. Indeed, transportation accounts for 14% of global GHG emissions, and 29% of emissions in the US. Clearly, to reduce GHG emissions, transportation is a good way to start.
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| Source: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data |
There are obvious potential environmental benefits from being more mindful of the transportation system’s impact on the air we breathe. Americans rely heavily on cars to get around (the number of 2+ car households makes this clear). It is no secret that cars are terrible for the environment, as evidenced by the fact that light-duty vehicles account for 58% of transportation emissions. Thus, a clear benefit comes from getting people out of cars- fewer fossil fuel powered vehicles on the road obviously means less emissions. In the fight against climate change, individual, seemingly unimpactful actions can have amazing cumulative impacts. And you, as an individual member of the transportation system, have great potential to make a difference- and it isn't even that difficult.
The problem is that in America, we are so auto-centric that we have fallen into the trap of believing a sustainable, car-free/car-light(er) lifestyle is unattainable- as if it is some sort of pipedream only attainable in Europe or Asia. Auto-centrism is so ingrained in our culture that many people simply don’t think twice about getting behind the wheel. Many simply believe it is not possible to reduce their use of personal automobiles.
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| Source: Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
My main focus with this blog is to convince you that you can, whether it be by skipping the car and taking the bus, or choosing no-rush shipping options that are more environmentally friendly. While environmentalism is a solid argument for adopting more sustainable transportation practices, I will also bring to your attention some of the economic, social, and health benefits of not only using non-auto forms of transportation (many of which you might find surprising), but of making their development and maintenance top national and international priority. I will also focus extensively on the intersection of transportation and how we use our land in our cities.
In
addition to my transportation nerdiness, I am a big data-geek, so I will make
sound, data supported arguments for why I think things should be (or are) a certain
way. I will always cite my sources, and plan to uphold a level of integrity so
that you can be assured you aren’t just reading some bs from a transportation
geek. The sources I use will be the great work done by academic researchers, government and non-profit organizations, conversations with friends, and trustworthy news outlets. I hope that these arguments will open your mind to the plethora of ways
your transportation choices can improve your life. The climate is in crisis, and public and active transportation are part of our route to a better future.
1 Active Transportation doesn't really have a good definition. I typically think of it as something that you can do both to exercise and to transport yourself. While active transportation usually entails walking and biking, the inherent walking required to ride public transit makes it active transportation in the eyes of most transportation planners.↩
Sources:
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data. EPA. RetrievedDecember 31, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. EPA. Retrieved
December 31, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions
the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. In Press.
IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.
Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. In Press.
The Risky Business Project. (2014). (rep.). Risky Business- The Economic Risks of Climate Change in
the United States. Retrieved December 30, 2021, from https://riskybusiness.org/site/assets/uploads/2015/09/RiskyBusiness_Report_WEB_09_08_14.pdf
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