Truth in the naming of new streets

We’ve all seen the signposts telling us that we’re about to turn onto such and such street. In sprawl U.S. of A., the streets are often named after the trees that were felled/cleared to make way for ribbons of sphalt, McMansions and turf farms (and lookie younder at the three-car garage).

Well, instead of such monikers as “Maple  Street,” “Pine Circle,” “Hemlock Avenue” and “Oak Hill Drive,” lets convince the sprawl developers to name their streets in keeping with what really happened.

So, here are my choices for street names for the next sprawl debacle coming soon to a municipality near you: Clearcut Avenue, Logjam Street, Bulldozed Acres Circle, Wildlife Gone Avenue, Carbon Footprint Beltway, Turf Farm Alley, Chainsaw Boulevard, 3-lane Court, Congestion Highway, Engine Idling Motorway, and Backhoe Drive.

Suggestions welcome

The quote of the week

 "An honest and scrupulous man in the oil business is so rare as to rank as museum piece."

Interior Secretary Harold Ickes, 1936

A thought about cars and nature

From the late great writer Ed Abbey: "We've got to close the parks to private cars if we want to keep them as parks. The parks are for people, not machines. Let the machines find their own parks."
Hah. One could easily apply this thought to any number of places/sites/neighborhoods/municipalities/counties/states and make, in the process, real contributions to the betterment of our collective quality of life.

What automobiles emit (and walkers breath)

Most motorists will neither care nor give a damn about these facts. Too bad. My daily fitness walks take me right up to the sidewalk vs. street border of the 5 Corners intersection in Essex Junction, Vt. Walkers like me get to breath all this “stuff” as we do our thing, burning calories not a fossil fuel, aka gasoline.

Vehicle emissions are created from the incomplete combustion of gasoline or diesel. Other factors such as emission controls, engine design, and vehicle maintenance may affect vehicle emissions.
Vehicles emit many pollutants into the air, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds. These pollutants then combine to form secondary pollutants such as fine particulate matter and ozone. While emissions from an individual vehicle may be minimal compared to an industrial source, emissions from many vehicles on the road at one time can have a serious impact on air quality.
Pollutants emitted from vehicles can lead to poor visibility and health problems such as asthma and respiratory illness. Pollutants also can damage buildings and affect the quality of water resources.
Under the Clean Air Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set protective health-based standards for ozone and other pollutants in the air we breathe. Failure to meet the ozone and other standards over a period of time can result in an area being designated nonattainment by EPA. States strive to achieve attainment with the standards to ensure that public health is protected, promote economic growth, avoid the potential loss of federal highway funding, and preclude the time and cost required to develop and implement plans to re-attain attainment status. Learn more.

The most effective way to reduce emissions from your vehicle is to use it less.

• Ride the bus, carpool, and share trips to reduce the number of cars emitting pollutants. If possible, choose nonpolluting travel such as walking or biking.
• Reduce commuting. Choose to live close to your work.
• Organize a carpool at your work. Call 345-POOL for help.
• Combine trips to the same areas. Once you arrive, park your car and walk between destinations.
• Avoid driving during peak traffic hours or in stop-and-go traffic.

All cars emit some pollutants; poorly maintained cars emit the most. A properly tuned car runs better, gets better gas mileage, and pollutes less.

• Get regular tune-ups. Vehicles with worn spark plugs or clogged fuel or air filters do not run efficiently and emit more pollution.
• Keep tires properly inflated and wheels aligned to reduce tire drag on the road. Gas mileage drops 1% for every pound below the recommended level of pressure.
• Do not top off the gas tank. This allows harmful chemicals to escape into the air.

The harder your engine works, the more gas it burns, and the more tailpipe emissions you create.

• Avoid carrying unneeded items. Each extra 100 pounds increases the amount of gas used by 4%.
• Place items inside the vehicle instead of on roof racks. Remove roof racks when not in use. The wind drag from a rack increases gas consumption by almost 1 mile per gallon.
• Drive at a medium speed. Most cars get the best gas mileage between 35 and 45 miles per hour.
• Drive at a steady speed. Avoid stop-and-go traffic and take it easy on the brake and gas pedals.
• Use the air conditioner only when necessary. Air conditioners can reduce your gas mileage by 20%.
• Avoid long idles at drive-up windows or when waiting. Restarting a warm engine takes less fuel than letting it run for just 30 seconds.
• During hot summer months, fuel vehicles in the evening to facilitate dissipation of volatile organic compounds that contribute to ozone formation.

Another railroad tanker derails near Albany, N.Y.

How many more of these will take place before a tanker rupture occurs and a real awful disaster makes headlines? How about we lessen the chances of that ever happening by backing off our addiction to oil?

Crude oil and New York State's capital city

The neanderthal U.S. petroleum biz keeps on trucking, even if it is by rail more than tractor-trailer and tanker. And most folks forget this little fact: It takes burning the fossil fuel to get the tanker full of fossil fueld to the marketplace where other people then burn fossil fuel in order to buy more fossil fuel. Fossil fuel = greenhouse gas. Duh. Read about the ongoing debacle of America's new energy transportation network.

EPA ballyoes greeenhouse gas reduction plan

But this will do nothing to stop or even slow (a teeny, tiny bit) the greenhouse gas pollution factories I see daily during my six-mile fitness walks. This photo, taken during my recent stay in Boise, Idaho, shows what a greenhouse gas factory in motion looks like.

Here's the EPA's morning cheer:
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released its annual Climate Protection Partnerships report, highlighting the steps more than 21,000 organizations across the United States have taken to reduce greenhouse gas pollution while achieving significant environmental and economic benefits. 

“The urgency to act on climate change is clear,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Through investments in cleaner technologies and energy-efficient practices, EPA’s Climate Protection Partners show us that we can cut the harmful carbon pollution that fuels climate change and protects public health—while continuing to grow a strong, sustainable economy.”

The achievements outlined in this report support the goals of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan by cutting energy waste, encouraging energy efficiency, and saving money for American families and businesses. The report, "EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Programs Climate Protection Partnerships 2012 Annual Report" includes accomplishments such as:

-- In 2012, EPA's climate protection programs prevented 365 million metric tons of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—equivalent to the emissions from the annual electricity use of more than 50 million homes.

-- Americans saved more than $26 billion on their utility bills in 2012 with the help of ENERGY STAR® and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of 35 million homes. 

-- Since the Green Power Partnership was introduced in 2001, more than 1,400 organizations have committed to using about 29 billion kilowatt-hours of green power each year. 

-- More than 450 partners have installed over 5,700 megawatts of new combined heat and power since the Combined Heat and Power Partnership launched in 2001. 

-- In 2012, EPA’s methane and fluorinated greenhouse-gas-program partners used EPA tools and resources to prevent emissions equal to the annual electricity use from more than 10 million homes. 

-- In total, more than 21,000 organizations and millions of Americans have partnered with the EPA through the Office of Atmospheric Programs’ climate partnerships and produced significant environmental benefits.

EPA’s climate protection programs continue to advance greenhouse gas reduction goals and deliver greater benefits each year. These benefits can only grow as more businesses, public sector institutions, households, and others adopt the practices promoted by the climate protection partnerships. All of these benefits are the result of voluntary actions by individuals, businesses and industry. 

These reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly important to tackle climate change challenges. The global average temperature for every decade since the Industrial Revolution has been hotter than the previous decade, and the 12 hottest years on record have all occurred within the past 15 years. Scientists have observed changes in precipitation, rising sea level, melting ice and altered weather patterns, including more frequent and intense storms.

The report further outlines the environmental accomplishments of these programs. To read the full report:http://www.energystar.gov/about/sites/default/uploads/files/2012_AnnualReport_Final.pdf?3cd5-e266. To learn more about climate change: www.epa.gov/climatechange/