Culture of Convenience: Mobility

Issues regarding mobility vary between each person and their needs.

For many people in the western United States, finding the means to pay for your vehicle is the greatest transportation concern.

When pressed with the challenge of finding a solution to an issue facing transportation that impacts me personally, I came to the realization that convenience may be the root of my problem.

It sounds counter intuitive, right?

Each day, I drive nearly everywhere; to school, to the grocery store, to my job, to the ski slopes, or to my friends houses.

I'm the product of a culture of convenience. What informs many of my decisions is how many minutes I can save in travel time, and how I can reach my destinations in the easiest way possible.

Owning a car is great, it allows you to have access to virtually anywhere that is drivable. Unfortunately, it also burdens your wallet, and plays a large role in sacrificing both the health of your immediate environment and global climate. It too plays a role in eradicating the opportunity for public spaces to be utilized in other ways, and most importantly, distracts people from utilizing a more sustainable means of transportation.

Creating a world that will ensure prosperity for future generations begins with sustainability. Mounting evidence supports the fact that human activity is impacting global climate, due to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A great contributor to this spike in atmospheric carbon is due to our beloved cars and our perceived reliance on them. I say that our reliance of them is perceived, because many of us don't see alternative ways in which we can reach places.

That being said, when you are living in a more dense urban environment, it is likely that these public transportation options are more commonly used and accessible to people. However, in smaller towns, such as the one I was raised in, riding the public bus is stigmatized to be inconvenient and unsafe.

City buses and trains aren't usually utilized by those who own a car, why would it be when convenience dictates our actions?

The transportation issue that I want to discuss in further depth belongs to those of privilege. By privilege, I mean people who have the means to drive a car at their own convenience, and don't experience it as an immense financial burden. To put it clearly, the issue is the perceived dependence of automobiles and peoples' overarching attitude towards public transportation.

As an individual in this position of privilege, I have always been told by my mother that public transportation isn't safe for girls to travel alone. It has been silently, and not so silently, stigmatized to serve "bad people," and "poor people." I've overheard my Mom warning her friends of dangers of drug dealers on the city buses, and that they shouldn't allow their kids to ride them. Having known nothing other than the backseat of my Mom's car, until I got my own license and car, I retained a bias of public transportation that I didn't even know I had.

Although we have city buses in most cities and towns, utilization of these means are often viewed as unattractive and inconvenient compared to travel by car. Unfortunately, my perception growing up is common to many teenagers of privilege in the United States. When there isn't

The culture of convenience dictates our lifestyles, degrades the health of the air we breathe, and even sacrifices physical fitness for luxury. It also influences the mobility of people without much money, if there isn't a demand for public transportation then the city won't feel incentivized to invest in it. This can disadvantage members of the community, and can perpetuate a culture that doesn't readily accept and embrace public transportation.

Ways that we can break this stigma, that some people hold regarding public transportation, would be to help the youth see city buses, public trolleys, or light rails as accessible and useful. We could teach the current generation of children in our public education system to understand the sustainable benefits of these modalities. Similar lessons of teaching children that idling cars can be harmful to health has rallied political will to implement idling laws. When children hold tight to an idea that they see as beneficial for themselves and the environment, they usually accept its importance because it intuitively makes sense to them.

As for adults, we could require companies to incentivize public transportation benefits to all of their employees. I know that the company my Dad works for does this, and results in many of their employees utilizing TRAX. We could also implement more routes of high speed commuter rails to enhance the connectivity of these lines, making them more attractive and accessible to a wider array of people. Of course, drastic and expensive expansions of these routes would need to be backed by public will. This would begin with a new generation that cherishes the culture of sustainability more than the culture of convenience. Hence, educating the policy makers of tomorrow about the benefits of electric trolley lines, high speed commuter rails, and city buses.

We can also make a future with less automobile dependence by implementing a cap and trade model of policy for single occupant vehicles. That way, people would be hyper contentious of their automobile trips, and would inclined to limit their trips in order to save money.

Ultimately, in a culture of convenience, we need to make sustainable lifestyles more glamorous and attainable for people from all walks of life. We could also use the "Theory of Fun" to help people feel more inclined to take public transit. The money generated from the cap and trade model could be used to reward the people who track the distance that they go on public transit, or the frequency of their uses. This would mimmic the Volkswagon speed calculator that tickets people who speed, and reward those that drive the speed limit.

The Theory of Fun could also be used to introduce the idea of active transportation, namely biking, to the people who usually drive everywhere the need to go. We could have priority lanes for bikers, with their own stoplights that could be seamlessly implemented into vehicular traffic. Contributing to the culture of sustainability, this would normalize biking from place to place, and would inspire more people to pedal to their destinations. Not only would this be sustainable, but it would be efficient and convenient.

We've got to get people out of their cars.


If these practices and policies were combined, I feel confident that they would play key roles in blending the culture of convenience and the culture of sustainability.


***Click below for more public transportation benefits!

Street Films Changing Widening American Percepts

Street Films have done it for me, they really have. And what I mean by saying this is that my previous perception of what a street is, and what defines its greatness has done a 180 degree flip since I've seen my first Street Film.

Growing up in the United States, with parents that don't enjoy traveling outside of the country, I've never truly experienced anything other than American intersections. Now that I've peered into many European intersections through the lens of Street Films, I now know what we are missing here, and why so many people feel the need to make their travel destinations in other countries.

As a newer nation, many of our streets and cities have been designed to primarily accommodate vehicles, and are engineered in a template, cookie cutter matter. They are all the same in appearance, and their purpose is the same, which is to move cars.

When I watch the video clips of trams, bikeways, and pedestrian paths all coexisting together in European cities, without vehicle dominance, I feel like I've been missing something my entire life. These streets have an entirely different feel to them, and serve multiple functions in an efficient, beautiful way. People seem happy, and relaxed.

According to the films I've seen regarding pedestrian space built into sidewalks in cities worldwide, businesses and restaurants thrive in these scenarios. Mixed use buildings, ones that have housing, and provide ground level commercial activities are shown to be great economic prospects for communities.

The idea of "urban acupuncture,"or adding elements that can enhance the usefulness, and beauty of an area is mainly thought of as a physical implementation. An example would be a bike lane, an electric trolley line, a new park, or transforming an old building into a newly restored asset to a community. However, there are other contexts in which "urban acupuncture" may be implemented. An example of this could be Bogota's "Ciclovia's," or days without cars. This event spreads the idea of utilizing roads for pedestrian purposes, and helps to glamorize active transportation.

As I was watching this video of Bogota, I learned that this city shuts down 70 miles of vehicular traffic every Sunday from 7am until 2pm. It creates a pedestrian haven, one that inspires people to bike, recreate, relax, and to simply spend time in; and is called a Ciclovia The city employs people to teach free fitness classes to help people exercise and have fun at the same time. It also employs people to secure the safety of people who are biking through the city. Great food vendors and musical performances fill the streets with life, creating a communal sense of living.

For many people in Utah, Sundays are a day of rest, one that consists of spending time with family, and maybe taking walks around their neighborhoods. . . What if we could extend this idea of a neighborhood walk into the city?

By implementing a day of the week to shut down portions of downtown Salt Lake City to vehicles (it doesn't have to be Sunday), it could introduce the idea of pedestrian streets to people in this city, and encourage greater use of active, sustainable transportation.


When we break free of the North American idea of what a city looks like and feels like, we can choose to create and better our public spaces by implementing infrastructure and design that supports healthy, beautiful, efficient cities.

Where the ocean meets the sea. .

ecotone |ˈēkətōnˈekəˌtōn|

nounEcology

a region of transition between two biological communities. 

This is one of my favorite pieces of iPhone-ography, I took it form my flight from Atlanta to San Jose, the Capital of Costa Rica. 

Not only does it capture the stunning grandeur of these cumulous clouds, but it gives us a glimpse of what a physical ecotone looks like from a birds-eye perspective. 

As an arid deserts turns into an oasis along the banks of a winding river, and a city's limits are defined by a body of water, or when two tectonic plates merge and form an epic mountain range, an ecotone is born. 

These spaces of transition can be thought of as harsh lines of radical differentiation and as areas that are completely unique unto only themselves. 

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This summer I was fortunate to have been able to summit Kilimanjaro. This hike took our group eight days, and led us through five different climate zones,.

The first day of the trek is spent ascending through the rainforest, which consists of more vines, flowers, monkeys, and ancient trees than I've ever seen before in my life.

The entire mountain, aside from its arid peak, is full of plant species that are endemic to the region; in the first climate zones these unique species are flowers. As you continue up the mountain there are more endemic flower species, but these are considered "everlasting"flowers. The vegetation between the areas where these different flowers are found abundantly is a great example of a distinctive ecotone.

The margin between each distinctive zone is gradual, but simultaneously individual. As we passed through the rainforest, and moved into the heath and mooreland areas, the air became exponentially drier. But as we made the transition, it didn't feel dramatic. It wasn't until we passed through this ecotone and came out on the other side that the differences between the climate zones seemed as intense as they were.

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Ecotones may be thought of in the way that Merriam Webster's Dictionary defines them, or in the ways that they are exemplified in the physical world, but they may also be looked at in a more creative, emotional sense. 

We can also transform the physical percept of a what an ecotone is into a breakdown of the transitory moments in our lives. What I mean by this is that we can begin to view the chapters of our lives, or spaces between the activities in our daily routines as ecotones. 

We can become more sensitive to the moments that connect the important aspects of our lives, and use this as a tool to gain a broader perspective of the ground we've covered and the lessons we've learned.

Mindfulness of the present as many people call it, could also be called, an awareness of life's many ecotones, or something similar to that.

Brining our attention to the many metamorphoses of our lives; be them in the seasons changing, relationships developing, or simply the morning turning into the evening, can give us the power to recognize the peace and perfection in these variations.

Why, oh why, aren't we following their footsteps?

Climate change isn't something you can "believe" in, as one of my professors at the University of Utah stated last semester in front of my class.
You can't agree with it, its not something that is disputable, especially when the entire GLOBAL community of climate scientists has come to a common consensus on the subject matter. . . That is, those that aren't being paid big money by Exxon Mobil.

Lets take a look back towards the first scientists to voice their concerns about environmental degradation... When did modern science begin to indicate that human activity may have a warming effect on the atmosphere?

Oh yeah, it was 1938, according to the American Institute of Physics).

Many countries have taken serious consideration of their ecological footprint on the planet, and have been making lofty efforts towards curbing their greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other things, to preserve their land and water for future generations.

Efforts made by the United Nations such as the Kyoto Protocol and Agenda 21, and other climate conventions have shed light on the many implications of anthropogenic climate change. Despite the many participating Nations, and more recent Paris Agreements regarding reducing CO2 and initiatives to promote clean, renewable energy sources, it seems that the United States is stuck in a stagnant internal debate regarding the validity of the subject matter.

Talk about frustration for those of us who are consumed in the fear that our children and our grandchildren will be born into an uninhabitable world.

As progressive cap and trade policies are implemented in many European nations, and specific goals are being set forth and publicized, I can't help but wonder why the U.S. isn't on board with these initiatives?!

Following China, the U.S. is leading in carbon emissions, which should make our efforts in the race away from extinction (not to be too dramatic. . ) that much more vital.


Lets take a closer look at what other countries are doing to ensure a healthier future for their citizens:

France has taken initiative in being a catalyst for international policy change, and was the stage for the Paris Climate Conference, which spurred international conversation about the subject matter. This conference is monumental in efforts to combat climate change in that it offers insight as to what a new paradigm of sustainable consumption and production looks like. This country has also set the bar high for curbing their own emissions, and is banning the distribution of plastic cutlery,  which of course spurred plastic producers into a hissy fit.

The European Union has enforced The Climate Change Programme, which requires all countries in the union to either comply with their goals, or to set their own compatible objectives. These largely aim to reduce CO2 emissions and to work towards greater energy efficiency. Despite these grand policy efforts, smaller community initiatives are making great headway in creating livable, green settlements that produce local food, beautiful spaces, while cleaning their air.

Morocco experienced the climatic wrath of human activity when the country suffered from a severe drought in 2015, that stemmed climate change and greatly impacted their agricultural yield, and making their economy take a dip. This unfortunate event spun the government into making hasty policy moves that aim to conserve water use and water infrastructure, transform energy sources to renewable ones, and preserve and manage their natural resources.

Japan's efforts towards mitigating climate change have ranged from goals in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction by utilizing clean energy sources to donating nearly $20 billion dollars to underdeveloped countries to invest in clean energy.

These are but a few of the countries taking steps towards sustainable infrastructure and clean energy. As many people know, climate change is not a localized issue; and will require international efforts to mitigate and remedy its widespread aftermath.

Greater U.S. involvement in combating human climate change critical, especially when we consider the fact that we are one of the greatest contributors to global greenhouse gas levels.



Although we talk about climate change like some sort of impending doom that will only impact those near the seas, the United Nations estimated that approximately 22.5 million people have already had to flee their homes between 2001 and 2008 due to droughts, floods, and food shortages.

And yet, we don't have to see it here. We don't have to think about it, unless we choose to make that google search, or we just happen to see a little blurb about it on the news.

Click these links to learn more about:

Morroco's Sustainability Efforts

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Economic Pillar of Urban Ecology

What does it cost to transition towards green infrastructure?

What steps can we take to finance transition strategies that make our cities hospitable, attractive, and resilient?

I'm not going to be answering these big questions today; however, I will be addressing the challenges, cost, and benefits of implementing eco-friendly design on my college campus. But nevertheless, these questions are vital to address to create the best future of safety and sustainability, in both an economic and environmental sense.

This week, in my Green Communities class, we were given the chance to redesign portions of the University of Utah's campus to create more enjoyable spaces that also serve a beneficial ecological purpose.

Our team talked about adding living, green walls, implementing cobblestone pathways and parking lots to remove impervious surfaces, adding the names of notable U alumni to popular walkways to create a "Walk of Fame," as well as creating a yearly event that mimics Salt Lake City's Downtown Garden Stroll.

But what does this cost, and whats the benefit?.... and how can funding be arranged?!

For a public, research one university, economic support for innovative ideas may come easier than for independent projects, or city experimentations.



Our first idea was to strip several areas of pavement and sidewalks to create spaces that foster natural absorption of water, while reducing pollutants from entering the water supply. This is possible due to the porous composition of these pavers, which filters the water while it returns to the soil.

Surprisingly, one of the greatest sources for water pollution is form storm water. As the water moves across roofs, sidewalks, lawns, roads, and gutters, it often collects fertilizers, harmful vehicle byproducts, animal feces, and other components the reek havoc in waterways.



Permeable pavers are also a beneficial way to allow trees roots to have access to the nutrients and water they need to develop mature roots, providing the tree with enough stability to reach its full growth potential. The spaces between the pavers can also foster an environment for smaller plants to grow, with little maintenance, which reduces the urban heat island effect.


Overall, the implementation of friendly, permeable pavers enhances the experience of the pedestrians who enjoy its beauty, while protecting the environment from hazards elements synthesized from our modern lifestyles.






If the University were to implement the addition of cobblestone/permeable pavers on some of the sidewalks, it would cost approximately $4-6 per square foot for materials, plus the cost of labor and potential maintenance.  Funding for this change could come from the SCIF grant if students collaborated on the project.

Permeable Pavers Cost Estimation

Ecological/Aesthetic Benefit of Permeable Pavers

A great addition that our group thought of was to create a "Walk of Fame" on these new sidewalks in popular areas on campus. These would say the name of a famous Ute, as well as a brief summary of their successes and societal impacts. One of my group members proposed the idea of asking the Alumni association to fund this projection, which seems somewhat promising. 

This would give students more pride in their school, and could provide them with inspiration they can draw upon in their lives. 

Another idea for an eco-enhancement on campus was the implementation of a "Living Wall" on the North side of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.  

This artistic expression of sustainability will provide an incentive for the museum's cafe to host outside seating, and will create overall enhance the pedestrian's attraction to the area. 

 The cost of a green wall project depends on the dimensions of the project. The structure, plants, and irrigation system cost approximately $160 per square meter, according to the Growing Green Guide.

Logistically, university planning code may have to be manipulated in order to allow a living wall to be attached to a building. But, as for funding, if student's rallied together to prove environmental and aesthetic benefits of such a wall, perhaps they could apply for SCIF funding to make it a 

reality. 

Our final idea was to encourage an annual springtime event that would encourage students to build their own green social space. This project would mimic the Downtown Garden Stroll that is already hosted by Salt Lake City. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with the garden stroll, it is an event that hosts an annual competition for citizens to compete for funding for their temporary garden exhibit. It requires that people fill their 8x20ft plot with seating, interactive games, and seasonal plants that will bloom during its exhibit time, which lasts for about a month an a half. 

This project would encourage student innovation and collaboration, and could potentially receive funding from the SCIF program. 

After listening to the presentations of my peers, it seems that there are millions of possibilities when it comes to creating more accessible places and social hubs, while catering to disabilities (something I didn't cover in this blog post) while having a beneficial impact on the environment. Although it is easier to receive funding on college campuses, this shouldn't discourage people from actively working towards a better, more beautiful tomorrow in the places they love.  

Check out this link to see some EPA recommended resources for exploring the cost-benefit of environmentally friendly infrastructure and design. 

https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/green-infrastructure-cost-benefit-resources#costanalysis  

Have you ever seen a green wall?

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:

• the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
• the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs." -Bruntland Report

Our current rates of consumption cannot be sustained, its as simple as that. If we wish to continue to live our lives the way currently do (in primarily first world countries), we can probably do so for the rest of our lives. . . but what about those that come after us?

If we don't work to protect our natural resources, and mitigate pollution now, what clean water and air will there be for our children?

What pristine oceans and forests will there be for them to enjoy?

Stewardship of the Earth is paying it forward for the next generation. It tells the children in our communities that we care about their well being and health. 

"At a time when Americans are confronted with increasingly challenging environmental choices, we learn that our citizenry is by and large both uninformed and misinformed. " - Environmental Literacy in America

Suburban sprawl as exemplified by the United States, despite its beauty and privacy, may actually be the greatest enemy of living sustainably. Low density development that covers vast amounts of land contributes to the tragedy that is automobile dependency. Although it is convenient for many, single occupant vehicles fuel our dependency on limited resources, and contribute to the amount of heat trapping gasses in our atmosphere. We are isolated in our homes, which greatly disadvantages people who cannot afford a car, as well as those that are incapable of operating one. Even to purchase foods, we must usually drive to do so. 

Our expanses of asphalt in urban and semi-urban areas contribute to the "urban heat island" effect. The dark color of our roads and roofs collect heat, which raises the temperature above what is considered normal. This isn't pleasant to experience, and requires more water to be used to maintain our landscaping. 

Another issue with asphalt surfaces is that they are impermeable, which means that the water then collects pollutants, fertilizers, and other harmful components as it gradually finds its way to the nearest drainage or waterfront. This is hazardous to plant, animal, and human health for various reasons, which include: lower water quality standards for human consumption, and aquatic "dead zones," which greatly harm marine life. 

Check out this awesome article shared by Columbia University about Urban Design: Sustainability Problems and Solutions

The greatest thing that we can do for our children is to educate ourselves about living lifestyles that are more harmonious with the natural world. 

Many European municipalities and countries are prioritizing ecological wellbeing when it comes to creating community plans and regulations. They require green spaces in neighborhoods, and preserve wilderness that aids migratory animals. They also incorporate beautiful, green urban designs that have many benefits. They also implement environmental literacy in their school children, so their appreciation of the natural world, and their role in collective stewardship is mandatory. 

Together, we can work together to help American communities recognize the importance of preserving wilderness, and implementing sustainable urban design.