Transportation policy is one of those topics that can become divisive in a hurry. Anytime you start to talk about making a change, folks will begin to draw lines in the sand. Change can lead to great advances for society, or it can initiate troubling (sometimes devastating) unintended consequences. So I was a little surprised when I read through this article over on Grist, and the concept of demolishing freeways.
The key for this concept, as with many things, is the where - freeways running through densely populated cities rather than the highways running across the country. And after reading through the article, it does make sense to me. There are few things worse than trying to find the right exit in an unfamiliar city while traveling at 65mph or more, in rush hour traffic, and maybe bad weather (yes Atlanta, I'm talking about you). Instead, if you approach on a city street at a slower pace and with many side streets to choose from, it does make it simpler to get around.
As our country continues to grapple with aging infrastructure and a changing economy and population, it is time for us to step back and take a look at what we need. Instead of simply copying what we used to do, we have an opportunity to take a closer look and take a different approach. Another example of doing something different is this article from Treehugger about a proposed highway in Sweeden - they are looking at building it specifically to support electric powered trucks. While still much work ahead to figure out all the details, the point is that by looking at the traffic and its needs the folks in Sweeden might end up with an improved transportation system with a reduced environmental impact.
Change can be scary and disruptive, but it seems clear to me that we cannot continue to do what we have been doing. As we add people to the planet and speed up the rate of material use, we are placing a strain on the planet that it may not be able to bear. It's time to go back to the drawing board and design our transportation from scratch to meet our new needs.
3/19/12
Eraser Paper?
Back in the early 1980s, as the home PC was making its debut, many pundits predicted that the world would soon be nearly paperless. With everything being managed by computer, there would no longer be a need for documents to be typed or handwritten, and so paper would come to an end. Unfortunately, the opposite outcome came to be - computers, printers, copiers and faxes made it easier than ever to create reams of paper products. And so for the last 30 years or so we have battled the paper monster by trying to reduce or recycle, but not so much on the reuse front. A new innovation may help change the equation.
File this one under News & Gadgets - I first read about the "unprinter" at EcoGeek. By using a laser of a different color, scientists were able to remove laser printed ink from pieces of paper. This would erase the print and potentially give you a fresh sheet of paper ready for reuse. I see both pros and cons with this approach - reduced environmental impact through reuse (instead of new paper or recycled paper), but potential issues with the usability of "erased" paper (copiers jam pretty easy now with fresh paper).
I am always glad to see people taking a look at all options to see what can be done to reduce the impact of everyday stuff on the environment. However, I think that it still comes down to each individual deciding to live differently. If we can move to erased paper for most of our needs, that will certainly help short-term. But in the long-term, we simply need to use less - less energy, less water, less resources. So next time before you hit print, take a moment to decide if you really need a paper version of what you are looking at. I have found that I am able to view and use a lot more stuff on the computer than I thought possible - and I am more likely to access something because it is right at hand, and not stored in a file somewhere. I invite you to take a step away from the printer and free yourself from the paper monster.
File this one under News & Gadgets - I first read about the "unprinter" at EcoGeek. By using a laser of a different color, scientists were able to remove laser printed ink from pieces of paper. This would erase the print and potentially give you a fresh sheet of paper ready for reuse. I see both pros and cons with this approach - reduced environmental impact through reuse (instead of new paper or recycled paper), but potential issues with the usability of "erased" paper (copiers jam pretty easy now with fresh paper).
I am always glad to see people taking a look at all options to see what can be done to reduce the impact of everyday stuff on the environment. However, I think that it still comes down to each individual deciding to live differently. If we can move to erased paper for most of our needs, that will certainly help short-term. But in the long-term, we simply need to use less - less energy, less water, less resources. So next time before you hit print, take a moment to decide if you really need a paper version of what you are looking at. I have found that I am able to view and use a lot more stuff on the computer than I thought possible - and I am more likely to access something because it is right at hand, and not stored in a file somewhere. I invite you to take a step away from the printer and free yourself from the paper monster.
2/24/12
Impact of Design
The concept of "green design" gets kicked around in the corporate world quite a bit. If only one could design a product, or its package, with environmentally friendly elements up front then the world would be a better place. And while that's a great concept, there is another role for design that is, perhaps, more important for us to consider.
If you have about 11 minutes, I'd like you to watch this TED talk on a redesign of a critical operating room device.
What struck me about this machine and its design is how it was developed. It was a complete redesign - not from a standpoint of "green" or "earth-friendly", but to achieve its purpose in the part of the world where it will be used. The fact is that humans live in a wide variety of places, each with its own challenges and opportunities. That means the solutions that work in one place won't necessarily work somewhere else. And when we spend our time and energy trying to find the mystical "silver bullet", the one solution that will solve all the world's problems, we miss an opportunity to make the space around us better. We need to embrace this concept and work it into all of our thinking, whether that's energy, food, transportation or housing. Perhaps we'll get around to solving some of our problems sooner rather than later - besides, everybody knows silver bullets are only useful on werewolves.
If you have about 11 minutes, I'd like you to watch this TED talk on a redesign of a critical operating room device.
What struck me about this machine and its design is how it was developed. It was a complete redesign - not from a standpoint of "green" or "earth-friendly", but to achieve its purpose in the part of the world where it will be used. The fact is that humans live in a wide variety of places, each with its own challenges and opportunities. That means the solutions that work in one place won't necessarily work somewhere else. And when we spend our time and energy trying to find the mystical "silver bullet", the one solution that will solve all the world's problems, we miss an opportunity to make the space around us better. We need to embrace this concept and work it into all of our thinking, whether that's energy, food, transportation or housing. Perhaps we'll get around to solving some of our problems sooner rather than later - besides, everybody knows silver bullets are only useful on werewolves.
2/6/12
No Fridge for Fruits and Veggies?
One of the themes that I see play out a lot in environmental publications is a return to things of the past. There are certain tasks in life that cannot be accomplished without things like electricity or refrigeration. But there is quite a lot that can still be done "the old fashioned way" - in many cases it simply is a matter of slowing down or using less.
I ran across this cool article at NoTechMagazine.com that showcases some very low tech ways to keep fruits and vegetables fresh without tossing them in the fridge. The solutions pictured are simple, elegant and help remind us of wisdom from our past that we may have forgotten or might otherwise be lost. I think what struck me most about this article was realizing that the conditions of a typical fridge don't work that well for a variety of common foods - and that often the optimum conditions vary widely depending on the foods in question (for example, carrots and onions).
I have often thought that if I could see the food I had on hand, that it would be less likely to spoil because I would know it was there and use it in time. Storing less food in the fridge might mean that I could do with a smaller fridge, reducing energy use and perhaps wasting less food. Whether or not I am ready to build myself a root cellar or one of these very clever storage units is a question for another time. Meanwhile I'll close with this quote:
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9
I ran across this cool article at NoTechMagazine.com that showcases some very low tech ways to keep fruits and vegetables fresh without tossing them in the fridge. The solutions pictured are simple, elegant and help remind us of wisdom from our past that we may have forgotten or might otherwise be lost. I think what struck me most about this article was realizing that the conditions of a typical fridge don't work that well for a variety of common foods - and that often the optimum conditions vary widely depending on the foods in question (for example, carrots and onions).
I have often thought that if I could see the food I had on hand, that it would be less likely to spoil because I would know it was there and use it in time. Storing less food in the fridge might mean that I could do with a smaller fridge, reducing energy use and perhaps wasting less food. Whether or not I am ready to build myself a root cellar or one of these very clever storage units is a question for another time. Meanwhile I'll close with this quote:
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9
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