5 Easy Ways to Help the Environment

I will have to begin this to say that I'm not a treehugger, but I have thought about a lot of common practices in our American lifestyle that are wasteful. Some of this is out of convenience; some of it is out of ignorance. Below I am going to list five easy ways that you can adjust your lifestyle, or make simple changes to help the environment.

1. Adjust your thermostats
Try lowering your home thermostat to 68º Fahrenheit (20º Celsius) in the Winter or 78º F (26º C) in the Summer. Also adjust your water heater to 140º F (60º C) or lower. You will be surprised on how little you will notice the difference. My house is an older house with some single pane windows, therefore I keep my thermostat a bit higher at about 72º F.

2. Switch your regular incandescent light bulbs to Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFL).
CFL's are more efficient than standard light bulbs as they convert more of the energy supplied to actually producing light. I blogged about CFL's in April and I have switched to them in my house as well. They create a nice light and work just as well as regular lights. I have seen my electric bill drop quite a bit because of this change.

3. Turn off lights and appliances
You would be amazed on the amount of money you can save by just making sure that lights are turned off in rooms that are not occupied. Appliances can also be a big drain on your electric bill as well; keep appliances on standby if you have to.

4. Recycle
Recycle all your paper waste as well as cans and bottles. Most communities have curb-side pickup available, but if they don't there are usually convenient drop off points for your recyclables.

5. Transportation
Try to eliminate unnecessary travel by planning out your route and make it as efficient as possible. If possible try to use alternative forms of transportation such as bicycle or public transportation. Even one day a week can make a difference.

Hopefully those of you reading this will take the time to use these tips and help preserve our planet a little bit longer. Most of these tips don't take much to implement, so try them out and you'll be surprised on how you will readjust quickly.

Sources:
Global Stewards
Practical Environmentalist
Development Crossing

Are Traffic Cameras Fair?

I have heard many people protest the idea of traffic cameras to catch those who speed. While I know that they can have some errors, I would rather see them in use to keep people honest. Some say that this isn't fair, but I think if you are breaking the law, then you should pay the consequences. Most don't feel the same way as I do, and it shows when speed cameras become targets of vandalism.

A company in Holland has developed a speed camera that is near indestructible. The Innovative Digital Enforcement Environment, or IDEE, stands at 13 feet tall and can withstand heat, tampering, and impacts. It has sensors connected to the base to alert authorities when it is being tampered with. But at a cost of up to $100,000, is it worth it?

In my opinion, no. People will still find cheap ways to tamper with the cameras, such as spray paint, tape, or Vaseline. The cost of upkeep will be huge and people will begin to learn the locations of such cameras and either adjust their speed around them, or take alternative routes.

If there was a way to hide the cameras so that no one saw them, then that might work, but as long as people are aware of them, they will be avoided or vandalized.

I'm not for speeding as I see it as dangerous, especially on residential streets. I have debated with others over this and most of them say it is their right to go the speed that they choose. Now, I'm not saying that speed limits don't annoy me from time to time, but I believe that if there is a posted speed limit, then it should be enforced.

Enforcement of speed limits is difficult and labor intensive. That is why an automated system works best, but whenever technology advances, so does the general population in finding a way to beat the system.

Chinese High-Speed Rail

By the end of the year China will be operating their first domestically produced high-speed rail line. Operating between the 71 mile (115 km) Beijing-Tianjin route, the new rail line will reduce the trip from 70 minutes to a half hour. Capable of moving 600 passengers, the line will be just in time for the Beijing Olympics next August.

Nine months ago, I brought up the idea that America should have its own high-speed rail. It seems that I'm not the only one with this idea, as Wired magazine wrote an article on the topic. To me, it just seems like this would be the perfect competition to airlines and bus travel, neither of which are looked at fondly.

The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is also looking to increase the awareness of high-speed rail in the central United States. There are many existing tracks that could be upgraded and straightened to create viable high-speed rail lines. In many places tracks have been upgraded and used as high-speed lines and the ridership has increased.

I believe that people would use high-speed rail if it was available to them as a comparable alternative to driving and flying. For most comparisons, the distance is limited to 500 miles, or a three hour flight. I would be more inclined to take rail if the prices were comparable, even if it meant that it would take an extra hour in travel. Passenger rail cars are more spacious and comfortable. They can provide better than an aircraft can, so I would have no qualms about taking rail.

Now, if we could just get the government and investors on board.

Ride the Seattle Slut

People in Seattle have learned that changing an acronym can help change your attitude about things. When the South Lake Union Streetcar's 50.5 million dollar project ran into problems, many residents became resentful and took to bashing the project.

Then, among some of the public, the word streetcar changed to trolley. A local coffee shop began making T-Shirts announcing "Ride the S.L.U.T.". The name has taken off and become a favorite of a lot of the working class locals.

Personally, I think it is a great affectionate name to help promote the streetcar line and help boost their revenue. On the other hand, I can understand the company not promoting it because of the acronym's negative connotations.

There should be another T-Shirt that reads "I rode the Seattle S.L.U.T.".

High Speed Rail in America

One thing that has always fascinated me since I was a kid was trains. I guess that is why I have always been open to the idea of high speed rails in America. I never really have understood the argument that they aren't good here. I've been doing a bit of reading on the subject and what I have found makes me wonder even more why we do not have high speed rail.

The main reason the US does not have high speed rail is because the Federal government will not subsidize it. The last number I checked, Amtrak recieves $521 Million dollars a year from the government while the airlines receive about $14 BILLION and the highway system an obscene $32.3 BILLION. The government does not seem too eager to pony up the money for a rail system in the US. In fact, the budget for rail seems to decrease every year.

High speed rail works best in medium distance situations where flying is just too impractical or expensive. Look at the Northeast section of the US; it has an Amtrak system that now goes from Washington D.C., through New York, to Boston. The train, while not the fastest in the world, peaks at 150 mph along the trip. There are also lines through Pennsylvania that are very effective as well. In fact, there are plenty of places where high speed rail could help alleviate congested airports and roadways.

Take Chicago for example. O'Hare International Airport is one of the most congested airports in the US. If there was an effective rail system that connected it to Milwaukee (then Minneapolis), St. Louis (then Kansas City), Indianapolis (then Louisville and Cincinatti), Cleveland and Detriot, that could help solve some of the congestion in that area. If these rails continue on to other destinations such as Kansas City from St. Louis and then from Kansas City to Oklahoma City, you can slowly make a effective rail network that would be effective for medium distance travel.

Most high speed rail stations in other countries allow you to buy your ticket and board the train in a matter of minutes versus the wait time of up to hours for airlines. Rail is also a more economical travel medium as you can transport more people with less energy through rail than you can through the air.

While I would figure businesses and business travelers would be the ones begging for a high speed rail network, this is not the case. Businesses would have the most to gain from a high speed network of trains. Their employees would be more productive on the trip, because most high speed lines in Europe provide Wi-fi access, comfortable meeting rooms, access to power and good/decent food. While not being cramped in a tiny "business" class section of an aircraft where little can be done as far as productivity goes. It seems to me that that businesses need to be calling up their Congressmen/women and letting them know how much they really want and need a high speed rail system in their state.

High speed rail is not without its disadvantages. It is not good for long distance travel when time is a priority. Airlines can deliver when it comes to speed; therefore, trains will not ever truely take over aircraft. High speed rail is also extremely expensive depending on the terrain. In the UK it can reach up to $33 Million per mile of track on the really hilly sections.

Overall, despite the costs, I believe that America needs and deserves a high speed rail system to help reduce pollution, our dependency on oil, and airline/roadway congestion. If the Federal government would step up and help defer some of the costs of starting high speed rail in America, we could really begin to advance and catch up with the rest of the world who already has the right idea.