Air Travel is Getting Greener

Before starting in the Masters of Urban Planning Program at San Jose State University, I never thought of the impact airports had on environmental planning. Since most people do not frequent the airport on a daily bases airports and air travel is easily forgotten as a major contributor to planning problems and environmental impacts.

In an effort to do their part in environmental protection, Clean Airport Partnership, Inc. (CAP), a non-profit, was established in 1998 to specialize in environmental quality and energy efficiency at airports. CAP has developed the Green Airport Initiative (GAI) to streamline airports approach to shrinking their ecological footprint and promote sustainable development. GAI is a method provided to airport planners consisting of two phases; the Baseline and Implementation. CAP has received funding from various agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In 2003, CAP submitted “10 Airport Survey: Energy Use, Policies, and Programs for Terminal Buildings” to the DOE. This report provided extensive research on seven major information areas for each of the ten participating US airports. Airport planners can utilize this information to reduce the environmental footprint of US airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has an Environmental Program. It addresses issues of air quality, land use, and GHG emissions. After reviewing their Environmental program, it is my opinion that the FAA is not doing enough to protect the environment. The Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE) is the FAA’s program aimed at reducing GHG emissions. Since it is voluntary, the program does not have teeth and is not effective in getting airports and airlines to make an effort in reducing their ecological footprint.

It is my recommendation that the FAA follow DOE and EPA in supporting CAP and GAI. If all US airports utilized CAP’s guidelines for reducing their ecological footprint they would save money and make a significant impact in the fight against global warming.

The State of California vs. The Environmental Protection Agency

Jerry Brown, California Attorney General, brought a lawsuit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The lawsuit, brought against the EPA in November 2007, is to force the EPA to grant a two-year old waver request for the state to regulate automobile greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This lawsuit is the culmination of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brown’s fight against global warming on behalf of the State of California.



The state, with the support of the governor has passed aggressive legislation aimed at curbing GHG emissions. Most recently AB32, a bill requiring GHG emission to be reduced to 1990 levels, was passed in California. The Clean Air Act was passed by congress in 1970 and at that time congress made an exception for California since the air quality conditions were already severe and predated the federal law. So, California is allowed to create more stringent laws, with the caveat of a waver from the federal government for enforcement.

This situation is unique to the United States. Global warming is mixed up in the division between the rights of the stated and the rights of the federal government. With this lawsuit Brown is maintaining state sovereignty while fighting global warming. Unfortunately, without permission from the Bush administration to enforce tougher California laws, the EPA is not under any obligation to enforce the laws passed.

Since Brown brought this lawsuit against the EPA to grant the waiver, several other states with the same law have joined in the fight. The EPA has promised to make a decision within the next two weeks. If the waver is approved California and the 13 other states with similar law will be able to enforce them.

The enforcement of these laws will mark the beginning of change it the transportation industry. Hopefully this will mean more funding for alternative transportation, including improvements to existing transit systems and new transit systems.

References
Bowman, Chris. “‘Greenhouse’ Ruling: An Exhaustive Look” Sacramento Bee (16 December 2007). Accessted 16 December 2007.
Chea, Terence. “Jerry Brown Makes Climate-Change Crusade” Associated Press (15 December 2007). Accessed 16 December 2007.
Simon, Richard. “Tighter Fuel Standards Clear Senate” Los Angeles Times (14 December 2007). Accessed 16 December 2007.

Cohousing – Is it housing for Socialists?

Cohousing is an alternative form of housing that is economical and better for the environment by reducing an individuals ecological footprint. People living in a cohousing community enjoy their privacy and the benefits of common facilities such as kitchens, dining rooms, laundry, pools, and various activity rooms. Some cohousing communities are more private by having their own home with living space and a kitchen but share laundry, outdoor space, and activity rooms such as a gym.

The first cohousing communities started in Denmark and maintain a socialist outlook on living. As the concept expanded into the world of architecture and planning communities in the United States began to form, the first was Muir Commons in Davis, California. Now there are cohousing communities all over the US and the world. New cohousing communities have the same socialistic motive and are enhanced by the benefits these communities offer such as a reduction in cost of living, consumption, and waste. Future planners with interested in sustainability should explore cohousing as an alternative housing option.

As I mentioned before cohousing has degrees of integration and sharing. Those with detached homes or typically clustered close together to preserve open space. CoHousing Partners uses green building materials and methods to make and orient each of the buildings in their cohousing communities.

In Grass Valley, California CoHousing Partners have developed a community to fit the needs of adults and families. There are different levels of integration and housing size. The community consists of the cohousing lodge for active adults, the inter-generational cohousing, and single-family lots with several acres of open space preserve along the creek. This project meets the various needs of people and families at different stages of their lives while maintaining a more sustainable lifestyle.

For more information visit the Cohousing Association of the Untied States.

“Hot” Planning Topics in the California Legislature

(CCAPA Workshop)

At the 2007 California Chapter American Planning Association Conference (CCAPA) in San Jose I attended the workshop “Hot” Planning Topics in the California Legislature. The presenters worked for CCAPA as liaisons for California planners to the legislative process. Sande George is the CCAPA Executive Director and Lobbyist and Pete Parkinson is the Vice-President for Policy and Legislation.

Two major topics stood out to me from their presentation. One was the discussion of AB32 and the second was the CCAPA Climate Change Task Force. AB32 is specific legislation aimed at addressing environmental regulations and enforcement, while the Climate Change Task Force was formed by the CCAPA and dedicated to innovative ways for planners to address climate change on a macro level.

AB32
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed this legislation, also known at the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, into law August 30, 2006. This bill requires that all greenhouse gas emissions within the state of California be reduced to 1990 levels by the year 2020. That is a 25% reduction from “business as usual” estimates. In this workshop the presenters gave an overview of what the bill is and what it means for planners. They also gave the audience an idea of how the CCAPA becomes involved in the legislative process as lobbyists.

Climate Change Task Force
The Task Force was developed by the CCAPA to address Climate Change issues as they pertain to the planning field. The presenters supplied us with the Task Force’s September 2007 pamphlet “Planning Policy Principles for Climate Change Response.” The pamphlet discusses the role of CCAPA, new legalization such as AB32, and CEQA. They also outlined the role of the state, regional agencies, local government, and CEQA in planning for climate change.

The Northern California Megaregion

“Megaregion” was the cover story of the November 2007 issue of Urbanist, a monthly periodical published by San Francisco Planning & Urban Research (SPUR). After reading the article it is clear how unique the future of regional planning will be in the United States. According to the article the United States has ten megaregions: Cascadia, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona Sun Corridor, Texas Triangle, Gulf Coast, Midwest, Northeast, Piedmont Atlantic, and Florida. The article focuses primarily on the growth of the Northern California megaregion.

Population growth is the biggest threat to the natural environment in California. Currently the Northern California megaregion has 14 million people and is projected to add at least 10 million more by 2050. The natural environment is greatly effected by the built environment, which defines the megaregion. In order to achieve sustainability, the existing natural environment needs to be protected and utilized to the regions advantage. Due to the impact of population growth on the Bay Area, SPUR makes the argument that, in the interest of smart planning, the Bay Area needs to recognize the impact of the surrounding regions.

SPUR has presented a projected map of Northern California's exurban and rural land threatened by development and a growing population. The map visualizes the human influence on the rural landscape. As planners in the Bay Area work to solving planning problems, it is the hope of SPUR that they also think of the integration of the Northern California megaregion. Evidence of increased Northern California integration are land consumption, transportation flows and commute patterns, economic integration, and cultural integration. These indicators are the four areas that planners need to focus on to truly integrate a sustainable megaregion.

Park(ing) Day

Every year City Space hosts Asphalt Shorts, a compilation of short films focusing on urban spaces. Asphalt Shorts IV in San Francisco, shown in a parking lot, contained a short film called Park(ing) Day. The film provided a window into the reclamation of parking spaces in urban cities around the world.



This short film spotlights Park(ing) Day 2006 (full length video) in San Francisco. Park(ing) Day is an annual event created by REBAR, where reclaimed parking spaces all over downtown San Francisco are transformed into parks for the purpose of promoting public open space in urban settings.

In San Francisco there is no law against using a parking space for something other than parking a car. REBAR, an organization focused on unique ways to reinvent the ordinary, has taken the flexibility of the use of a parking space and expanded the idea of what a parking space is to what it could be. A parking space is public space, and with the right twist, can demonstrate the need for open space in urban areas by temporarily creating a park on a parking space.

The first attempt at Park(ing) intervention occurred in November 2005, REBAR reclaimed a small portion of the 70% of outdoor space in Downtown San Francisco devoted to the automobile, for people. Since then there have been 2 more Park(ing) Day’s in San Francisco. Mayor Gavin Newsom donated his parking space to the cause. The phenomenon has expanded to more than 20 cities around the country and the world. Even the Wall Street Journal has picked up on the growing alternative use for parking spaces.

Don’t get left out; get involved with Park(ing) Day 2008!

Environment and Politics

Over the past few years Rolling Stone Magazine has profiled former Vice-President Al Gore. One article came after the release of his highly successful documentary on global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth”. The latest comes at the beginning of Live Earth, a worldwide global warming awareness campaign sponsored by Al Gore.

After read these articles I asked myself what role, if any, will an environmental platform play in United States politics and the rapidly approaching 2008 presidential elections. For years the Green Party has been attempting to bring environmental issues to the forefront of local and national elections. Ralph Nader has run on an environmental platform in the past several presidential elections, but has been forced out of debates and criticized by mainstream America.

Like the Green Party, global efforts have also been made to bring environmental issues to the forefront. In 1997 the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions was agreed upon in 1997 and has since been ratified by 174 countries and government parties around the world. While the treaty is not a tool for enforcement, simply a global monitoring system, the benefits of environmental awareness will be significant.

According to Al Gore, the US and the global community are at the “tipping point” of environmental awareness. Unfortunately, for the US, President Bush has withdrawn the US from the Protocol. Economic investments are a major factor for the Bush Administrations denial of global warming and refusal to participate in the Protocol. While other countries are beginning to discover profitable way to be environmentally conscious, the US is finding more ways to become dependent on the automobile and oil. Hopefully, as stated in the article, it does not matter who will take over the White House in 2008, the pressure from the public and the global community will force the US to plan for global warming.

Environmental Planning Meets Web 2.0

Environmental Planning 240 is my first introduction to the world of Web 2.0. Surprisingly, I have been taking small step into the world Web 2.0 with out even knowing it! Myspace and Facebook are simple examples of widely used Web 2.0 sites. Now my hurdle is to become an active participant and incorporating Web 2.0 into my future in the planning field.

What is Web 2.0?
Arguably, the concept of Web 2.0 has revolutionized Internet users approach the web in terms of uses and possibility. Web 2.0 has acted as a nexus from the Internet of the past, before the dot-com bust; to the interactive Internet of today. Characteristics of Web 2.0 start with the basic interactive nature of a 2.0 web site compared to a Web 1.0 site, which were simply meant for viewing. Tim O’Reilly has managed to come up with a well summed up definition. Examples of Web 2.0 are Blogger, Flickr, YouTube,

Recently the fourth annual Web 2.0 Summit took place in San Francisco. The conference used techniques that make Web 2.0 successful. For example, interactive presentations and audience participation were used to acquaint conference goers with the newest concepts in web usage.

How does Web 2.0 apply to planning, especially environmental planning? This new form of communication provides planners with the resources to access and share information quickly. Some great examples of Web 2.0 were provided during our class activity:
1. Walk Score™
2. RETHINK COLLEGE PARK
3. MontgomeryPlanningBoard.org
4. Providence Tomorrow: Comprehensive Neighborhood Planning
5. plaNYC
6. outside.in
7. San José's General Plan Update
8. climezine.com

Each of these sites may vary in method and layout, but all use interactive formats to engage the viewer, which are most likely planners or people involved with their community. Individuals coming to these sites, who might be uninvolved with the planning industry, can easily learn and become involved in the planning process. Web 2.0 makes planning accessible to the general public and is advancing the planning industry.

Green Festival 2007

Yesterday I attended the Green Festival 2007 at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center. This was the first time I attended anything like this and it was great! The festival had speakers, music, and exhibitors for everything green.

I consider myself an environmentally friendly person. I recycle, attempt to buy organic products, support local companies, and use public transportation on a daily basis. After attending the festival I realize that I am only skimming the surface on living a ‘green’ lifestyle. Upon leaving I asked myself: How I can be greener?

First, what is green? According to the Green Festival, green means “safe, health communities and a strong, local economy.” What I learned is that sustainability is at the core of being green. It is also a general awareness of the connections and impacts that we each have on our community, locally and globally.

The festival introduced a plethora of everyday options that are green. With growing awareness, a green lifestyle may not be as life altering or radical as it once was. I was impressed with the wide variety of green products and organizations working to improve the world environmentally and politically. There are also companies that provide alternatives for environmentally conscious consumers. Alternatives range from telephone carriers (Better World Telecom) to financial services to hotels (Kimpton Hotels) to office supplies (Green Earth Office Supply). The each offer the same services that a typical American is looking for, while doing their part for the environment. By contributing to global sustainability these will be the companies of our future.

Here is a list of just a few of the exhibitors and organizations I found most interesting and applicable to environmental planning: CoHousing Partners, Greenbelt Alliance, SF Electric Vehicle Association, Build it Green, Sustainable Communities, and even PG&E had educational materials.

Please explore a Green Festival near you.

Guest Lecture – Collaborative Planning for Wildlife Conservation

On Monday, October 28, 2007 our Environmental Planning class had two guest lecturers, Lindell Marsh and Christian Marsh. This father, son duo practice law in the sector of Environmental Law, specifically wildlife conservation. Lindell Marsh provided a rich background of wildlife conservation in the United States and the progress that has been made. His son, Christian, explained some important cases that he and his father have worked on to make wildlife conservation a success around the country.

Two major developments in environmental regulation occurred at the national and statewide level: NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) and CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act). Also at the national level were the Environmental Protection Agency – EPA and the Endangered Species Act – ESA. Lindell described how the creation of the EPA was instrumental in the progression of environmental protection. ESA acted as an advocate for those who wanted to come to a court of law and defend the “taking” of habitat necessary for the survival of endangered wildlife and ecosystems. As a result Habitat Conservation Plans began throughout the United States.

Section 10(a)(1)(B): Habitat Conservation Plans of the Endangered Species Act proved to be a key section in wildlife conservation. This piece of legislation uses the term of a “taking” to imply the value of natural habitat and wildlife that would be lost in the event of development. One project they talked about was the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan in the early 1980’s. Lindell described how he represented his clients for over three years and in collaboration with the county, surrounding cities, landowners, developers, government agencies, and conservation groups worked to save this site. Mr. Marsh’s moving comments describing how “reconciliation,” not compromise, made the San Bruno Mountain HCP a reality is an inspiration for future planners and environmentalists alike.

Thank you to Mr. Lindell Marsh and Mr. Christian Marsh for their time and dedication to the environment.