Green solutions come from many directions
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 and is filed under Green Energy.
It has been a year since Mayor Gregor Robertson launched the Greenest City initiative, which concentrates on three general areas, including greener communities. The Olympics jump-started many of the recommended actions to keep us in line with the 2020 goal, but is the environment top of mind for Vancouverites?
To understand what makes a good city sustainable, IBM commissioned a countrywide Angus Reid survey in late 2009. The results for Vancouver were surprising. Residents say being green is an attribute of a city that works well, but they rank environment seventh in a list of priorities.
Topping the list of sustainability issues is transportation — not surprising for anyone who has sat on the Lions Gate Bridge, the Port Mann Bridge or in the Massey tunnel. But fixing traffic problems not only reduces commuting times, it leads to a greener, cleaner city.
In our preparations for the Olympics, Vancouver invested millions in our transportation systems. We all enjoyed the benefits of the Canada Line as it moved thousands of people around the city each day. But now that the Olympic cauldron has been extinguished, we still face the reality that Vancouver needs to better manage the traffic into and out of the city.
The cities of Singapore, Brisbane and Stockholm are all working to reduce both traffic congestion and air pollution through intelligent transportation solutions. Through the use of predictive tools and data analytics, public transportation and automobiles receive information to avoid traffic jams and improve commute times. And with the introduction of new battery technologies, fewer cars and city buses will rely on fossil fuels.
By Scott Hardy, Vancouver Sun
Link to article
