I'm Seeing Green

Car-free Market

Market Street in San Francisco is slated to become a greater street by this proposal to ban cars from it. Of course, there's only one lane in each direction through most of the street, and so never all that much traffic, what with the street cars (trams), tram stops, islands, etc. Shoud be interesting nonetheless.

San Francisco's Market Street from the Embarcadero to Hayes Valley would permanently close to all traffic except for city mass transit vehicles under a proposal announced at City Hall on Tuesday night.

Supervisor Chris Daly asked the city attorney to draft legislation to permanently ban cars on Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and the Embarcadero, an idea that has been floated by various city leaders, including former Mayor Willie Brown, for more than a decade.Daly said discussion of a proposal by Mayor Gavin Newsom to close portions of city streets, including a large stretch of the Embarcadero, on two Sundays this year prompted his action.

"It's the city's grand boulevard," Daly said. "Why don't we go for the gold?" Closing the 2.3-mile portion of Market Street would open the often-congested roadway to pedestrians and cyclists, though Daly said there would still need to be places where cars and other vehicles could cross. He said the traffic that now relies on that roadway could shift to Mission, Howard and Folsom streets to the south. In addition to this proposal, the Municipal Railway is currently considering a plan to make major improvements to transit on Market Street and throughout the city. Another idea that has been floated would redesign stretches of the street to create distinct bicycle lanes.

Brown's vision of banning private automobiles on Market Street faced strong opposition from the business community and never materialized. Daly's proposal will face multiple hurdles at City Hall, including approval from the full board and Newsom, before it can be enacted

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Neighborhood Shopping Decline

Is rent increase the sole reason for the constant decline in "neighborhood" shops? It's easy to blame the landlords, who are following sound business practice when an area improves and the market rate for thir properties also increases.

Just in the seven years I've lived in Park Slope, we've lost two local bookstores (and the third is doing OK but not yet flourishing), several coffee shops and other local institutions. Despite the allure of our local writer Paul Auster's chronicle of the 'hood (see OTBKB on this story of a Frenchman's quest to seek out points mentioned in Auster's book Brooklyn Follies.)

This long story in City Limits offers "A range of ideas is proffered to stall the trend of older businesses' extinction - though it could be too late for one block in Chelsea."

Like all of Manhattan, lower Ninth Avenue is changing. With a new landlord and higher rents, the shops on the left probably will be replaced. And the new bike lane inhibits business from customers in cars, says Chelsea Liquors owner Brian Rhee. Photos by Gilberto Tadday

In a Manhattan neighborhood where utilitarian stores have transformed into trendy eateries, meatpacking businesses were made over as designer dress showplaces, and every other storefront becomes an expensive hair salon, a string of old-school, regular-Joe shops is taking a contrarian stand against rising rents and business displacement.

New York City actually enjoyed commercial rent control as part of the price controls introduced during World War II, and the statute stayed in force until 1963 – though the breadth and depth of its impact are unclear.

Other potential zoning tools include community impact reviews, under which new commercial developments, or developments above a certain size, are subject to a comprehensive review before they can open for business. Brattleboro, Vermont has amended its zoning code to require a community review of any retail project that will eat up more than 65,000 square feet. Establishing "neighborhood serving zones" is another tactic: In Palm Beach, Florida, stores over 2,000 square feet require a permit, and the applicant must demonstrate the store is "for townspeople."

Finally, San Francisco has gone so far as to simply ban chains in two neighborhoods and require public review of any new "formula business" that would open in the city.

Some Things Green

Green Planes from Bombardier:

Of course if you use the term "green" to mean "better than the profligate use of energy that our previous product used," these new aircraft are indeed green:

In announcing the launch of the 110- to 130-seat airliners that will seat five abreast, signaled that it is positioning its new jets as challengers to the smallest aircraft in the 737 and A320 lines built by Boeing and Airbus.

"The CSeries family offers the greenest single-aisle aircraft in its class," said Gary Scott, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "These game-changing aircraft emit up to 20 percent less CO2 and up to 50 percent less NOx, fly four times quieter, and deliver dramatic energy savings – up to 20 percent fuel burn advantage as well as up to 15 percent improved cash operating costs versus current in-production aircraft of similar size. The CSeries aircraft will set a new benchmark in the industry, consuming as little as two liters of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometers in its more dense seating layouts."

Now maybe the cost of airline tickets will drop in 2015.

Greener Seafood from Whole Foods:

Whole Foods Market is now requiring farmed seafood suppliers to track fish from hatchery to processing plant, protect sensitive habitats, monitor water quality and discontinue using a number of chemicals.

The new rules are part of updated standards released this week that farmed seafood vendors must comply with. The first set of standards for farmed salmon was enacted in June 2007, and the company released standards for shrimp and other finfish last month.

Whole Foods already prohibited antibiotics, growth hormones, preservatives such as sulfites, poultry and mammalian by-products in feed and genetically modified or cloned seafood, so this is beyond the call of organic duty. Kudos.

Green MBAs

While getting a Master's in Business and being environmentally conscious may have seemed an unlikely combination even a few years ago, business has been playing catchup to environmental issues as it noticed that you can be green and grow at the same time. So, this from GreenBiz (primary source for other two stories as well):

While the corporate world is scrambling to devise strategies to address sustainability, business schools across the country have been incorporating it into their curriculum for the past several years, both in response to student demand and in line with industry trends.

Some schools, like San Francisco's Presidio School of Management (which contributes a for GreenBiz.com), the Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. and the Bainbridge Graduate Institute in Wash. were founded with the idea of integrating the concept of sustainability with business education, but mainstream business schools are also making this shift.

MBA students graduating from these progressive schools will receive a solid grounding in environmental issues. These futuristic programs will prepare them for the reality of tomorrow's markets by equipping them with the social, environmental and economic perspectives required for business success in a competitive and fast changing world.

Cattle Cars and Scooters to Work

Unintended consequences of the rise in the price of gas:

Seatless cars, from the Chicago Tribune:

The cattle car is being reintroduced on CTA trains, even though the transit agency has worked hard in recent years to erase a reputation for treating riders like pork bellies being hauled on a freight train.

Under an experiment announced Wednesday, the Chicago Transit Authority plans to remove all the seats on some cars of rush-hour trains to jam in more riders who otherwise would be left behind on crowded rail platforms.

The strategy is a bit comparable to cramming 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5-pound sack.

Despite fiercely negative reactions among riders, the move is not aimed at punishing commuters, who are parking their cars due to record gas prices and riding trains and buses during the work week and on weekends. But rising transit ridership is causing an acute crunch on CTA trains.
Up to about 90 riders can sit or stand in each car on most standard CTA trains. By yanking out seats and eliminating the aisle, an additional 25 to 50 passengers could be crammed into each car, officials estimated.The seatless cars would be used at only peak travel hours,

The British government banned the Segway Scooterin all public places in 2006, an action considered extreme even by pedestrian groups who've lobbied to prevent the Segway from taking over sidewalks, on the grounds of danger to peds. From the Guardian:

In a classic piece of legislative zeal, the Department of Transport responded to its unveiling by publishing its Regulations for Self-balancing Scooters. These basically refer the Highway Act of 1835 and EU vehicle certification rules to ban it from all paths and roads. The only place you can now use a Segway in the UK is on private land - not much use to the average commuter.

But all is not lost. A group of MPs spearheaded by Tory transport spokesman Robert Goodwill, is campaigning to get the Segway reclassified so it can travel on cycle lanes - and, where cycle lanes don't exist, on the road. The MPs are backed by a campaign group calling itself Legalise Segways, which champions the personal transporter as a way to reduce congestion, pollution, noise and even road rage - how could you possibly be cross with someone on something that looks like a hi-tech lawnmower?

Interestingly enough, the Segway is almost double the price in Europe (£4,399) vs. $4,500 here. So it's even less of a viable commuter alternative there, though perhaps commuting distances are shorter (the Segway has  a range of just 12 miles.)

Wolves Endangered Again

Ah, the legal system reverses the Bush administration once again:

A federal judge has restored endangered species protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, derailing plans by three states to hold public wolf hunts this fall.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula granted a preliminary injunction late Friday restoring the protections for the wolves in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. Molloy will eventually decide whether the injunction should be permanent.

The region has an estimated 2,000 gray wolves. They were removed from the endangered species list in March, following a decade-long restoration effort.

Environmentalists sued to overturn the decision, arguing wolf numbers would plummet if hunting were allowed. They sought the injunction in the hopes of stopping the hunts and allowing the wolf population to continue expanding.

"There were fall hunts scheduled that would call for perhaps as many as 500 wolves to be killed. We're delighted those wolves will be saved," said attorney Doug Honnold with Earthjustice, who had argued the case before Molloy on behalf of 12 environmental groups.

In his ruling, Molloy said the federal government had not met its standard for wolf recovery, including interbreeding of wolves between the three states to ensure healthy genetics.

"Genetic exchange has not taken place," Molloy wrote in the 40-page decision.

Molloy said hunting and state laws allowing the killing of wolves for livestock attacks would likely "eliminate any chance for genetic exchange to occur."

Public Transit on the Rise?

From an Environmental Defense press release:

A leading national environmental group today endorsed new bipartisan legislation in Congress that would offer Americans relief from high gas prices by providing expanded transportation and housing options. 

The bill, “The Transportation and Housing Options for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008” (H.R. 6495), was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). It is cosponsored by U.S. Reps. Chris Shays (R-CT), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Hilda Solis (D-CA).  Both Tauscher and McNerney are members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over this legislation. 

"This timely bill provides Congress with a great opportunity to show it is responding to Americans’ pain at the pump, insufficient public transit and costly housing options,” said Michael Replogle, transportation director at Environmental Defense Fund and a former consultant for the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and the World Bank on sustainable transportation strategies.  "America has less than three percent of the world’s oil reserves, so we will never be able to produce what we need domestically. Our best bet is to use our limited domestic gas supply wisely and facilitate alternatives to driving where possible, as this legislation does.”

“The Transportation and Housing Options for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008” would allocate funds to:

• Expand public transportation and to help transit agencies deal with high fuel prices;
• Encourage pay-as-you-drive auto insurance policies that discourage driving by rewarding low mileage drivers with lower insurance premiums;
• Reduce commuting costs by providing incentives to employers and employees to take transit, bicycle, carpool, walk, or telecommute to work;
• Help local governments create walkable, bikeable communities well-served by transit by providing funding to local governments to support programs to manage transportation demand and for transit agencies to make needed investments;
• Help Americans make smart transportation and housing choices by educating them about their options;

• Spur the availability of “Location Efficient Mortgages,” which make owning a home near transit more affordable for all Americans;
• Make sure the Federal Government leads by example by:
• Upgrading key websites for easier access to services without having to leave home and work; and
• Encouraging federal agencies and offices to participate in local Transportation Management Agencies, which provide transportation options.

“Public transit use and demand for other transportation options are continuing to rise throughout the country," concluded Replogle. “This bill would support current transportation options while encouraging the creation of new and necessary transit alternatives. It would ultimately benefit all Americans by saving them gas money, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, alleviating traffic, and reducing pollution.”

How Green is San Francisco

As California goes, so goes the nation? One wishes. Already California with its surprisingly progressive Governator, is implementing many "green" policies, far beyond those of the federal Government.

And San Francisco is pushing forward on its own. As Gavin Newson, its mayor, writes in the HuffPost: "In San Francisco, we are moving aggressively to combat climate change because we believe we can be a model for other cities."

As President George Bush has steadily rolled back environmental protections -- his shocking commitment to open up our beautiful coastlines to offshore drilling is only the latest outrage -- the responsibility to protect our environment has fallen to cities, states and many dedicated individuals.

San Francisco is one of the greenest cities in the country today because we did not wait for Washington. We are taking action now to green our environment and our economy from the ground up. But we are making so much progress because we are working with so many talented people.

One of our most visionary partners in protecting the environment is Van Jones. Van is the founder and president of Green For All. He is combining solutions to America's two biggest challenges -- social inequality and environmental destruction -- by creating and promoting green collar jobs...

With the help of people like Van we are establishing a new green economy in California while reducing our dependence on foreign oil, slashing the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the environment, and promoting clean and renewable energy. We are ensuring that the neighborhoods that were locked out of the pollution-based economy are locked in to the new green economy...

We have already attained carbon emission reductions that bring city and county levels nearly to 1990 levels, and city government emissions are already below 1990 levels. San Francisco has the highest recycling rate in the nation at 70%. And we have just committed to 75% by 2010.

SF has the coolest tools showing what's green as well. This map site which "introduces you to the area's many environmental education resources by pulling them together and creating a graphic portrait of the region's green reality," is representative. And if you're interested in SF's solar installations, this site is for you (the image above is from the site.).

Wish that New York city's mayor had a similar sensibility.

Free Carbonated Water?

A couple of years ago, while I knew the word "sequestering," I would have been hard pressed to suggest a use for it other than the forced incarceration of juries, to which the word "sequestration" is quaintly applied by our legal profession. Certainly the phrase "carbon sequestration" would've drawn a blank stare from anybody except certain scientists.

Carbon sequestration, or the forced incarceration of carbon gas so that it does not contribute to global warming, is now commonly discussed, though still rarely implemented. Trapping it by pumping the gas deep underground is the plan:

Today, EPA is proposing a rule that supports promising technologies to prevent industrial emissions of carbon dioxide. Secure, long-term underground storage of the greenhouse gas is one way scientific innovation could lessen the effects of climate change.

"Today's proposal paves the way for technologies that would protect public health and help reduce the effects of climate change," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "With proper site selection and management, geologic sequestration could play a major role in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere."

EPA's proposed regulation creates a consistent, national framework for the injection of carbon dioxide underground and protection of underground drinking water resources. The rule would create a new class of injection wells under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program.

The proposed rule builds on the existing UIC program, including extensive requirements to ensure wells are appropriately located, constructed, tested, monitored, and ultimately, closed with proper funding. It would apply to owners and operators of wells that will be used to inject carbon dioxide into the subsurface for the purpose of long-term storage.

Carbon capture and storage is part of a portfolio of technologies available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EPA is coordinating with the Department of Energy on carbon sequestration research and development

Of course, if the CO₂ does migrate to the drinking water supply, would we not all enjoy free carbonated water and thus reduce the use of bottled carbonated water or carbonation systems?

Just a wild thought...

Greening the Lion House

Though the article from CityLimits says that the renovated Bronx Zoo Lion House opened with much fanfare, it's probably below the radar of the vast majority of us.

From the outside, the new Lion House... Photo courtesy FXFowle

However, what's important about the renovation is that:

[a] new city law took effect last year requiring many public building projects to meet tough standards for environmentally healthier construction. Eco-activists cheered its passage for mandating energy efficiency for city-funded projects of $2 million or more – especially because many projects had avoided green upgrades because they were considered cost-prohibitive.

The outer shell of Lion House, a Beaux Arts architectural marvel, was maintained even while the interior was being renovated with animals still in place.

But the debut of a new Bronx Zoo exhibit within a renovated historical building set to be the city's first landmark to earn Gold certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program shows how close collaboration between architects and city, cultural and utility company officials can make even the most challenging of green upgrades work – and save money. Roughly 4 to 6 percent more was spent on the Lion House's green upgrade than would be to renovate a traditional historic building – but the building will earn it back within about seven years due to large improvements in the building's energy, water and light use

Full story here.

California to Green ahead again

The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has said that he might want to be the Secretary of the Environment under an Obama administration, which might seem a strange aspiration for a supposed Republican. But Schwarzenegger is quite eco-conscious, and California is leaping ahead in the green stakes under his stewardship. The latest (via the Guardian):

The state of California yesterday unveiled an elaborate plan to cut pollution to 1990 levels within 12 years, taking on the fight against climate change in the wake of inaction from the Bush administration.

California regulators aim to force companies into either capping carbon emissions or buying permits from cleaner competitors that allow them to exceed the limits.

The system would resemble the "cap-and-trade" pollution reduction scheme that was defeated in Congress this month.

"This is by far the most significant step yet in California's effort to fill the void that's left by the absence of a national policy," Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the state air resources board, told local reporters yesterday.

The California plan, devised in response to the anti-pollution law signed in 2006 by governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, exceeds any climate change measure previously offered by US states or cities.

The standard for electricity derived from renewable sources would be hiked from 20% to 33%. Appliances would become more energy-efficient and new construction more sustainable.