Author: Owen Murphy

Ever since Henry Ford revolutionized the car-making process with his assembly line manufacture in the 1910s, the automobile industry has been one of the key components of the U.S. economy. Environmentalist, Clive Ponting, points out that the motorization of America was not a fully organic process, because in 1936 “General Motors, Standard Oil of California and the tire company Firestone formed a new company called National City Lines whose purpose was to buy up alternative transport systems and close them down.” Railroads across the country began to shut down despite the fact that car transport consumes six times the energy per passenger mile and the infrastructure uses four times the land area compared to rail. Unlike citizens of other industrialized nations, Americans were increasingly forced to travel by bus or by car as roads expanded and railroad tracks ceased to be built during the 20th century.

Through an analysis of 26 cities from 1960-2000, Australian researchers at the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute have determined that cities “should be supporting the investment in quality rail transit systems and building up urban densities around them, rather than increasing road capacity” if they are “seeking to limit car dependence.” America has been entrenched in a car-dominated society for decades; consequently, shifts in automobile transportation preferences and breakthrough innovations in driving technology are the only alternatives to improving public transportation through expensive rail systems. Though an America with a modern high-speed rail system would be the most efficient and environmentally friendly form of transportation infrastructure, it simply is not feasible given America’s size, lack of government support, and path dependence on automobiles. Under ideal conditions in which “electric vehicle capital costs, battery costs, and maintenance costs are at the low end of predictions, and fossil fuel prices rise to the high end of predictions, a rapid shift to electric vehicles may cost no more than continued use of internal combustion engines,” according to researchers at the Tinbergen Institute and Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets. While America cannot compete with the efficiency of rail travel, it can come close to being on par with rail travel’s environmental impact if investment in renewable energy continues to flow.

The federal government should react to shifts in transportation culture by enacting legislation that requires automakers to synchronize their autonomous vehicles into fleets and platooning systems that improve fuel efficiency, traffic flow, and travel times. Many Americans have a strong connection to their cars, and it will be difficult for Americans to wean themselves off the feeling of independence that automobiles provide. Trends do indicate however, that access is replacing ownership among drivers, and soon the market for automobile ownership will be replaced by a market for ridesharing services. In the new market, journalist Clive Thompson argues that it will be much easier for “a fleet of robot cars to go electric than it is for individual car owners to do so,” thereby indicating that governments should closely monitor how autonomous vehicle companies will work with one another to improve efficiency on the road. A future with start-up assist systems could make traffic congestion near an accident much more efficient by forcing all cars to accelerate at the same time. Platooning, or reducing “headways between vehicles in a string without compromising safety” takes start-up assist to the macro level. The platooning approach to traffic will allow more cars to fit on the road, allow those cars to travel at higher speeds, and improve fuel economies as a result of reduced drag and momentum loss. Made possible through the exchange of braking and acceleration data, simulations have shown significant traffic flow improvements from this use of autonomous driving technology. Perhaps self-driving vehicles will eliminate deaths caused by drunk driving and other reckless behavior as they are adopted as the primary form of transportation.

Community organizers, city planners, and sustainability activists must continue to push for greater governmental support in public transportation infrastructure and aid in the transition to autonomous and electric vehicles as climate change concerns rise. Significant steps must be demanded such as introducing car emissions standards that evolve over time, reducing or removing taxes on the import of electric vehicles, and providing electric vehicles with access to restricted transit lanes. These initiatives in conjunction with fleets, platooning, new parking efficiency, and ideals of car-free cities will change America’s attitudes toward automobile transportation and improve air quality. If the private sector and government entities work together, they can create an American transportation system that is still reliant on cars, yet significantly closer in efficiency and reduced carbon emissions of Japanese and European rail-based transportation systems.

-Owen

When I first heard that Greenbelters would be required to take a course as a part of our sustainable living this year, I was a little annoyed, especially because it would be taking place on Fridays from 2:30-3:20. In the weeks since however, class on Friday is something I look forward to.

The first two class periods we talked about sustainable practices we can commit to in our daily lives. Small things like using reusable water bottles, composting, printing less, and buying products made with sustainable materials can make a large difference in the long run. Dr. Dripps gave our cabins shower timers, smart power strips, and drying racks. I now try to make sure all my showers take less than 10 minutes. With time I’m confident I can get my time down to five minutes, but for now I still take too long shampooing my hair. Using a drying rack instead of a dryer really has not been too hard, clothes simply take longer to dry. I’ve been told it’s better for your clothes, so I will probably end up buying one for myself once I get back home. Our smart power strip is also fairly simple to use, and reduces our phantom power consumption in a way that is much more effective than unplugging our appliances every single time they are not in use.

Two days ago we spent our class period on the Furman Farm picking tomatoes and okra. I came to Furman from what I like to the Washington, DC bubble– a metropolitan area known for monuments, history, and traffic. I didn’t grow up camping or hiking. Before Friday, I had never picked my own food or felt the sting of fuzzy okra spines on my palms. Feeling the sweat on my brow and itchiness on my fingers has given me a greater appreciation for all the farmers who grow and pick our food year round. After picking, I felt proud of my contribution to the 20% locally sourced food Bon Appetit uses in the Dining Hall.

Overall, Greenbelt so far has been a blast. All of my housemates seem to get along really well, and even though we are not the most “green” people on campus, we all envision a sustainable future for the planet. I talked to Jacques about a possible CLP we could do with the Bartram Society and he seemed to be all for it. My roommate Jack is a vegan, and I plan to cook more vegan meals with him. Miles and I enjoy shopping at The Fresh Market and other local markets to stock up on organics and produce. I know it is unreasonable to force everyone to buy into the sustainability movement; however, if we can convince average people that making small changes in their lifestyle and habits is not difficult, we can make sustainability a priority and a feasible task at that.