Communities can take hundreds of steps to reduce emissions from motor vehicles and green their transportation systems. Some of the better ones: use hybrid fleets; create "Safe Routes to School" projects and participate in "Walk to School Week"; appoint a cycling coordinator, build bicycle lanes, and provide for widespread bicycle parking; and provide a jitney bus service to get commuters to the train. For more information, see Walkable Communities and Walktoschool.org. For information on the new Jitney programs in New Jersey, click here.
See also:
Act Locally: Ten Steps Toward Sustainability:
What is Sustainability?
Step 1: Create a Sustainability Task Force
Step 2: Support Local Business
Step 3: Incorporate LEED and Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings
Step 4: Set A Goal of Zero Waste
Step 5: Enact Environmentally-Friendly Land Use Laws
Step 6: Create Biotic Corridors
Interesting space you have here...a little bird sent me over to have a peek.
Have some ideas I have been ruminating on myself in regards to some of the things you touch on...water conservation is one of them...if for instance we were to retrofit all the houses and apartments in the New York area to either A) have small source point hot water, or equipment the system to have a constant hot water flow through the pipe system so that the water comes out hot as soon as you turn the water on, as a community we could keep hundreds of millions of gallons, if not billions in our resevoirs...average water flow in a shower is five gallons a minute, and most people let the water run 2-3 minutes to get it the right temperature, so you can see the waste potential...further, all that saved water would not have to be run through sewage treatment.
You are right on small mart shopping...I've thought the same about educating our children...think home schooling on steroids if you will, but getting rid of the BIG BOX schools.
Any way, nice read.
Posted by: Royce Penstinger | 12/23/2006 at 04:16 PM