|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Tuesday, 22 January 2008 |
|
The polar bear looks likely to become the first animal added to the endangered species list because of climate change. As global warming continues to shrink the Arctic ice, the bears are running out of terrain and drowning with increasing frequency. Scientists expect two-thirds of the population to die off by the middle of this century.
As NPR reports, the Pittsburgh Zoo has handouts available at their popular polar bear exhibit. In addition to educating the public about the animals, there’s information about global warming and tips to minimize individuals' greenhouse gas output by doing things such as reducing energy use and recycling.
What, you may ask, do polar bears have to do with carectomies? One of the many negatives of our car-driving is the associated contributions to global warming – both directly from the tailpipes as well as through other factors like the paved world we’ve created. |
|
Continue Reading»
|
|
|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Sunday, 20 January 2008 |
|
We at Carectomy are always pleased to come across news of people making the car-free plunge. But when the news comes from Los Angeles, the quintessential car-centric, freeway-laden American city, there’s an extra degree of joy.
As we reported last week, the Cave family recently went Car-Free in the O.C. after a series of car breakdowns pushed them over the edge. The Caves, not exactly the poster children for environmentalism or fitness, outfitted themselves with practical bikes and trailers and pedaled their way to financial solvency.
“L.A. girl” Kathryn Pope was similarly pushed to go car-free by the demise of her aging vehicle.
|
|
Continue Reading»
|
|
|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Saturday, 19 January 2008 |
|
A recent article by No Impact Man reiterates what is perhaps the environmentalist’s most persuasive argument: what’s good for the planet is good for us. This is as true in our diet decisions (natural, wholesome foods versus packaged, processed, nutrient-stripped crap) as it is in our transportation selections.
Although there are certainly other factors at play, and the relationship isn’t linear, I don’t think it’s much of a leap to infer that people would be healthier and happier if they took some deliberate steps away from their vehicles. As we at Carectomy have said before, Cars are More Fattening than Cake.
If you've never heard of No Impact Man, it’s a project in sustainability and an associated blog by Colin Beavan. No Impact Man describes his own project best, so I’ll stop trying. From No Impact Man: A Guilty Liberal Finally Snaps, Swears Off Plastic, Goes Organic, Becomes A Bicycle Nut, Turns Off His Power, Composts His poop and, While Living in New York City, Generally Turns Into a Tree-Hugging Lunatic Who Tries to Save the Polar Bears and The Rest of the Planet from Environmental Catastrophe While Dragging His Baby Daughter and Prada-Wearing, Four Seasons-Loving Wife Along for the Ride.
If you haven’t visited the site, I highly recommend it. Photo via flickr by billaday.
|
|
|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Saturday, 19 January 2008 |
|
Lyon and Paris, France offer the successful bike-sharing models that other cities are scrambling to copy. Their Velo'v and Vélib programs, respectively, offer thousands of bikes available for checkout at automated stations all over the city. Users pay nominal fees for annual memberships and are able to take a year’s worth of short trips (under a half hour) free of charge. Longer trips incur a reasonable, sliding scale which encourage a quick turn-over. Bikes can be checked out and returned at any one of the hundreds of stations.
Although the bike-sharing plans were initially controversial since they involved usurping parts of some streets for increased bike access, the grumbling subsided as citizens have flocked to the bikes and actually helped to lessen car congestion at the same time. More than five million riders checked out bikes in the Velib’s first three months of operation.
Although the U.S. does not have the same history of a bike culture as Europe, biking is becoming more mainstream. Car sharing programs, great tools in achieving a partial carectomy, have been successful. It only makes sense that U.S. cities look towards bike sharing to help answer the growing problems of congestions, pollution, and obesity. Cities with good bike sharing programs are also very appealing to potential tourists.
|
|
Continue Reading»
|
|
|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Friday, 18 January 2008 |
|
Green Thing is a nonprofit organization, based in Britain, that encourages people to tackle one mission, or “green thing,” every month. The principal goal is to reduce CO2 and combat climate change. These monthly initiatives combine weird clay-modeled figurines, pointers, a “ tell me why” section that explains the science behind the suggestions, and fun custom video and audio clips.
Green Thing actions are designed to be easy, effective, and fun. As a general principle, human power is good, machine power bad, with shades of grey in between. So, while things like using clotheslines, or walking rather than driving, may be the ideal, practical site suggestions include running fully loaded washing machines or carpooling. As Green Thing proclaims, “So if you can do something with your own steam power rather than labour-saving machine power, please do it. And if you have to use a machine, use it as efficiently as possible.”
|
|
Continue Reading»
|
|
|
Written by Joshua Liberles
|
|
Thursday, 17 January 2008 |
|
Oregon has just made available new “Share the Road” specialty, non-profit license plates. The plates cost an additional $10 over normal licensing fees, with the extra funds going to the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and Cycle Oregon.
So, partial carectomy patients in Oregon: now when you’re out driving your cars, you can still help to be part of the solution. Perhaps it’s easier for a motorist to ignore the “Share the Road” message emblazoned on a cyclist’s jersey. Of course the cyclist will champion his/her own cause and look to carve out some space on the streets. But when a car-driver displays the message and willingly promotes abdicating some blacktop real estate (and obeying the law), perhaps other drivers will get the message.
|
|
|
