How to link carism and environmentalism - World Carfree Network

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Message from discussion How to link carism and environmentalism
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Subject: Re: [carfree_network] How to link carism and environmentalism
From: Kirstin Miller <kleig...@flash.net>
In-Reply-To: <7b26039d-c915-4181-9ed4-c54ecb334cf8@googlegroups.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2012 07:55:01 -0700
Cc: carfree_network@googlegroups.com
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References: <7b26039d-c915-4181-9ed4-c54ecb334cf8@googlegroups.com>
To: bobnowi...@gmail.com


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Dear friends at carfree network --=20

It's been a long time since I weighed in! but we're still be working =
24/7 for cities for people and nature, not cars : )=20
I went back and found a report back I wrote for an online journal in =
2003 about the CarFree Cities Conference I attended in Prague with my =
mom --
http://www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/ecocity/miller_pragueGnosis.html  =
- in case anyone is interested, for old times sake. Also, Ecocity =
Builders' next summit will be in Nantes, France next September and it =
would be terrific if the Carfree Network could come and participate and =
propose some learning exchanges on this topic. =
http://www.ecocity-2013.com

But mainly I'd like to comment on Bob's question. Here in the US, young =
people (up to 34years old) are driving less.=20
"A major new report from Benjamin Davis and Tony Dutzik at the Frontier =
Group and Phineas Baxandall, at the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, documents =
this unprecedented trend across a wide variety of indicators.

Their two big findings about young people and driving:

The average annual number of vehicle miles traveled by young people (16 =
to 34-year-olds) in the U.S. decreased by 23 percent between 2001  and =
2009, falling from 10,300 miles per capita to just 7,900 miles per =
capita in 2009.
The share of 14 to 34-year-olds without a driver=92s license increased =
by 5 percentage points, rising from 21 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in =
2010, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Young people are also making more use of transit, bikes, and foot power =
to get around. In 2009, 16 to 34-year-olds took 24 percent more bike =
trips than they took in 2001. They walked to their destinations 16 =
percent more often, while their passenger miles on transit jumped by 40 =
percent."

Here is a full article in The Atlantic about the trend:=20
=
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/04/why-young-americans-are-d=
riving-so-much-less-their-parents/1712/

I live in one of America's "hippest hipster" neighborhoods (Uptown in =
Oakland, California), and the trend is this: young people want to live =
in creative, walkable neighborhoods connected by transit and they don't =
really want a car anymore -- too expensive and a big pain to deal with. =
If they need a car they will join a car club like Zipcar and only use =
one when needed. Otherwise they bike or take transit everyone. They =
don't want to be bothered by the responsibility and expense of a car, of =
babysitting the car all over town, paying fines, parking fees, gas =
prices, and knowing that they are polluting the environment. It's not a =
status symbol like it used to be.=20

I think this trend can be repeated in Canada's cities, even in cold =
climates, that have enough density to support good transit and very =
accessible/walkable neighborhoods. But without the right kind of city =
that makes car free living convenient and practical (in cold climates, =
covered walkways, bridges between buildings, transit options for cold =
weather, and enough affordable housing in city centers for people to =
live car free), people will still have to rely on the car.

Those are my thoughts about it and great question.

Kirstin Miller
Ecocity Builders
www.ecocitybuilders.org=20


On Oct 12, 2012, at 12:41 PM, Robert Dierker <bobnowi...@gmail.com> =
wrote:

> Hello.
>=20
>    I volunteer for several environmental groups in Vancouver Canada.  =
One thing they seem to have in common is a belief that the use of cars =
is a necessary evil within their organizations.  I can send many =
examples, if requested, but I'm sure you've all seen it. =20
>=20
>    Canada and the US are stuck in a well orchestrated car culture - no =
doubt about it - and the natural resources of Canada are now hijacked by =
foreign corporate giants.  Their government lobby efforts and PR =
machines are in full force here.
>=20
>    My great concern, now, is that our new batch of young =
environmentalists can't leave their cars behind.  This is not =
particularly new, but seems to be more pronounced than it used to be.  =
Our environmental movements can't move forward with this kind of base =
line.
>=20
>    I have no particular influence within Vancouver's environmental =
movement, however I want to affect this one component of change: I want =
these groups to weigh the value of each member's opinion and motivation =
with respect to their personal activities with cars.
>=20
>    Before I go I would like to remind any reader that Canada gets =
REALLY cold.  These groups have to define models that will work in an =
individualistic, affluent society at -25c.
>=20
>    How do I do this?  Please help.
>=20
> Robert.
> 604-440-0860
>=20
> --=20
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "World Carfree Network" group.
> To post to this group, send email to carfree_network@googlegroups.com
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--Apple-Mail=_E7DE56D2-A0EB-4D66-AB80-CD2FA72CE20B
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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Dwindows-1252"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Dear =
friends at carfree network --&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>It's been a long =
time since I weighed in! but we're still be working 24/7 for cities for =
people and nature, not cars : )&nbsp;</div><div>I went back and found a =
report back I wrote for an online journal in 2003 about the CarFree =
Cities Conference I attended in Prague with my mom --</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/ecocity/miller_pragueGnosis.=
html">http://www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/ecocity/miller_pragueGnosis.ht=
ml</a> &nbsp;- in case anyone is interested, for old times sake. Also, =
Ecocity Builders' next summit will be in Nantes, France next September =
and it would be terrific if the Carfree Network could come and =
participate and propose some learning exchanges on this topic.&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"http://www.ecocity-2013.com">http://www.ecocity-2013.com</a></div>=
<div><br></div><div>But mainly I'd like to comment on Bob's question. =
Here<b> in the US, young people (up to 34years old) are <u>driving =
less.</u>&nbsp;</b></div><div><p><font color=3D"#3a88fe">"A major <a =
href=3D"http://www.uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Transportation%20%2=
6%20the%20New%20Generation%20vUS_0.pdf">new report</a>
 from Benjamin Davis and Tony Dutzik at the Frontier Group and Phineas=20=

Baxandall,&nbsp;at the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, documents this =
unprecedented
 trend across a wide variety of indicators.</font></p><p><font =
color=3D"#3a88fe">
	Their two big findings about young people and =
driving:</font></p>
<ul>
	<li><font color=3D"#3a88fe">
		The average annual number of vehicle miles traveled by =
young people=20
(16 to&nbsp;34-year-olds) in the U.S. decreased by 23 percent between =
2001=20
and 2009, falling from&nbsp;10,300 miles per capita to just 7,900 miles =
per=20
capita in 2009.</font></li>
	<li><font color=3D"#3a88fe">
		The&nbsp;share of 14 to 34-year-olds&nbsp;without a =
driver=92s license increased=20
by 5 percentage points, rising from&nbsp;21 percent in 2000 to 26 =
percent in=20
2010, according to the Federal Highway&nbsp;Administration.</font></li>
</ul><p><font color=3D"#3a88fe">
	Young people are also making more use of transit, bikes, and =
foot power
 to get around. In 2009, 16 to 34-year-olds took 24 percent more bike=20
trips than they took in 2001. They walked to&nbsp;their destinations 16=20=

percent more often, while their passenger miles on transit jumped by 40=20=

percent."</font></p><div>Here is a full article in The Atlantic about =
the trend:&nbsp;</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/04/why-young-america=
ns-are-driving-so-much-less-their-parents/1712/">http://www.theatlanticcit=
ies.com/commute/2012/04/why-young-americans-are-driving-so-much-less-their=
-parents/1712/</a></div></div><div><br></div><div>I live in one of =
America's "hippest hipster" neighborhoods (Uptown in Oakland, =
California), and the trend is this: young people want to live in =
creative, walkable neighborhoods connected by transit and they don't =
really want a car anymore -- too expensive and a big pain to deal with. =
If they need a car they will join a car club like Zipcar and only use =
one when needed. Otherwise they bike or take transit everyone. They =
don't want to be bothered by the responsibility and expense of a car, of =
babysitting the car all over town, paying fines, parking fees, gas =
prices, and knowing that they are polluting the environment. It's not a =
status symbol like it used to be.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>I think =
this trend can be repeated in Canada's cities, even in cold climates, =
that have enough density to support good transit and very =
accessible/walkable neighborhoods. But without the right kind of city =
that makes car free living convenient and practical (in cold climates, =
covered walkways, bridges between buildings, transit options for cold =
weather, and enough affordable housing in city centers for people to =
live car free), people will still have to rely on the =
car.</div><div><br></div><div>Those are my thoughts about it and great =
question.</div><div><br></div><div>Kirstin Miller</div><div>Ecocity =
Builders</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.ecocitybuilders.org">www.ecocitybuilders.org</a>&nbsp;<=
/div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><div>On Oct 12, 2012, at =
12:41 PM, Robert Dierker &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:bobnowi...@gmail.com">bobnowi...@gmail.com</a>&gt; =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><font size=3D"4">Hello.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp; I volunteer =
for several environmental groups<font size=3D"4"> in Vancouver =
Canada.&nbsp; On<font size=3D"4">e thing they seem to have in common is =
a belief that the use of cars is a necessary evil within their =
organizations.<font size=3D"4">&nbsp; <font size=3D"4">I can send many =
examples, if requested, but I'm sure you've all seen =
it.</font></font>&nbsp; <br><br><font size=3D"4">&nbsp;&nbsp; =
</font>Canada and the US are stuck in a well <font =
size=3D"4">orchestrated</font> car culture - no doubt about it<font =
size=3D"4"> - and the natural resources of Canada <font =
size=3D"4">are</font> no<font size=3D"4">w hijacked by foreign corporate =
giants.&nbsp; The<font size=3D"4">ir government lobby efforts and PR =
machines are in full force here.<br><br></font>&nbsp;&nbsp; M</font>y =
great concern, now, is that <font size=3D"4">our new batch of young =
environmentalists can't leave their car<font size=3D"4">s behind.&nbsp; =
This is not particularly new, but <font size=3D"4">seems to be</font> =
more pronounced<font size=3D"4"> than it used to be.</font>&nbsp; Our =
<font size=3D"4">environmental</font> movements can't move forward with =
this kind of base line.<br><br><font size=3D"4">&nbsp;&nbsp; I have no =
particular influence within Vancouver's environmental movement<font =
size=3D"4">, however I want to <font size=3D"4">affect this one =
component of change: I want these groups to <font size=3D"4">weigh</font> =
the value of <font size=3D"4">each</font> member's opinion =
</font></font>and motivation with respect to their personal activities =
with cars.<br><br><font size=3D"4">&nbsp;&nbsp; Before I go I would like =
to remind any reader that Canada gets REALLY cold.&nbsp; These groups =
have to define models that will work in an individualistic, affluent =
society at -25c.</font><br><br><font size=3D"4">&nbsp;&nbsp; <font =
size=3D"4">How do I do this?&nbsp; Please help.<br><br><font =
size=3D"4">Robert.<br><font =
size=3D"4">604-440-0860</font><br></font></font><div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

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