What I learned in school today
MoBikeFed President Rachel Ruhlen is a community blogger for Gatehouse Media. This article appeared Mar 24, 2015.
As my second quarter wraps up, I have a few thoughts about Sustainable Transportation (my online masters program through the University of Washington). Our current transportation system isn't sustainable in any sense. We waste our time and our gas idling in traffic. Our cities are vast parking lots. As our roads and bridges fall apart we are more dependent on them than ever.
What's the solution? That's what my masters program is all about. There are many solutions.
I've learned about electric cars and hydrogen cars and hybrids. Hybrids are a step forward, electric cars are the next step, and fuel cells are the Holy Grail.
I've learned about transit and biking and walking. Even better than clean cars, this type of transportation solves not just pollution but also congestion and parking.
I've learned about mixed use zoning and increased population density. Biking and walking aren't feasible without destinations to walk and bike to, and transit isn't feasible without enough people to ride the bus. Even smaller rural towns like Kirksville could benefit from mixed use zoning and increased population density! A city doesn't have to expand its borders when its population increases, if it can build more densely. That doesn't mean sky scrapers and crime, but could mean accessory dwelling units (such as mother-in-law apartments). Trees and eyes on the street prevent crime, not gates.
I've learned about coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, wind, and solar power. I've learned about tidal power and offshore wind. Natural gas is tremendously cleaner than coal, but fracking is terrible. Nuclear is politically impossible. Solar and wind are expensive, but getting cheaper and cheaper every day.
We won't achieve sustainable transportation entirely by biking, walking, and transit. We won't achieve it entirely by fuel cell cars, either. We'll achieve it by a combination of all of the above (except maybe nuclear power).
As I finish my 2nd quarter (of 6 total) and my 3rd and 4th classes (of 9 total), I'm eager to get started on the next classes, and more eager yet to finish the program and begin to implement what I've learned in making Missouri a better place-- not just to walk and bicycle-- but a better place to move in, whatever your mode of transportation (which ought to be walking and biking as much as possible!)
Read more of MoBikeFed President Rachel Ruhlen's articles on the President Blog page.
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