The offering from Alien Scooters was the only non-automotive transportation system on display.
Last Friday and Saturday, the City of Austin hosted the Austin Climate Protection Conference at the Palmer Events Center. Seen as an “act locally” version of the Copenhagen World Climate Protection Conference, the two day event included sessions on everything from water conservation to next generation electric cars and also featured a large expo with booths from various “green” vendors.
I put the word green in quotes because while every vendor in attendance could make the case that their product on display was more sustainable than conventional products, I was shocked by the dominance of cars in this conference expo. Products from solar panels to turn-key low waste septic systems were on display, but transportation is a huge part of green house emissions so it makes sense that transportation related products would make up over half the displays. Unfortunately, Alien Scooter, a local electric bike and scooter shop was the only non-automotive transportation booth on the show room floor. The bicycle is a critical part of the climate protection equation, and it seems a gross omission. Of course the presence of an enormous parking garage next to the Palmer Event Center while had to fight for space on the single bike rack on the side of the building showed where our city’s priorities are. The belief in a transportation silver bullet seemed to be the message of the expo (i.e., if we just get hybrids, bio fuels, electric, natural gas, hydrogen, etc to work all of our problems will be solved.)
Fortunately, a more comprehensive discussion on transportation occurred during the alternative transportation sessions led by City of Austin Transportation Director Robert Spillar. I attended both Friday and Saturday’s his discussions with panels making up transportation leaders in Austin. In both instances, Spillar began the forum with an overview of the current situation in Austin. Today 40% of ozone emissions in the Austin metro area come from our transportation, and Austin will reach non-attainment under EPA clean air standards this year. This is important as the availability of federal transportation dollars to our community is tied to remaining under EPA guidelines.
Moreover, city staff finished the first transportation analysis of Austin in nearly 20 years and found while in the urban core the number of jobs increased by 20% and number of residents increased 118%, the capacity for cars increased 1%. With this circle of constraint in the downtown/Capitol/University of Texas core that is the heart of our region’s economic engine, we are at capacity for car traffic. If we want to drive more economic growth via jobs, residents, and density, we have to figure out different ways of moving people other than single occupancy cars.
Discussions ranged from increases in gas taxes to building a true light rail system to changing land use patterns, but the universal barrier to change always came back to political will, whether at the Legislature or within an Austin community that embraces broad plans but fights the details when it comes to implementation. Also unanimously from both panels was the idea that there is no silver bullet to solve our pollution or transportation problems. Even if all vehicles were made emission free, we would still be saddled with the traffic congestion and social and financial costs of depending on single occupancy vehicles to handle the majority of the trips. Indeed, climate change seemed to be a secondary point of the discussion and of less importance to the challenges of our region. As the cartoon from the Copenhagen conference said, “What if [climate change is] a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?”
While getting an attendee pass for this conference, I asked the media relations person why the bike industry and the cycling community was so absent from the expo and discussion sessions. The bicycle has been a critical part of making cities like Copenhagen more sustainable. My contact did not have a good answer. While the Robert Spillar led sessions I attended were more encompassing of all solutions, they were only attended by 30-40 people each day. The majority of those in attendance only saw lower emission variations of the automobile as a solution. I’d encourage the City of Austin to include all part of the equation in future conferences.
In addition, this conference was very product sale and policy discussion oriented. While both of these things are helpful, I’d argue educating our citizens on how to actually live sustainably is of more important at this stage. Saturday transportation session panel member Robin Rather mentioned a recent Central Texas poll that found over 60% of residents thought gas prices are going to go up and want to drive less. Clearly, we have a population that wants to live greener but just don’t know how.
Regardless of the reality of the greenhouse effect, changing our community to living more sustainably improves our quality of life, generates wealth, and shields us from the volatility of fossil fuel markets. Hopefully, future conferences will do more to move us closer to that vision.
Related posts:
- Mike Hoffman’s take on the Seattle International Bike Expo ...
- Austin Commuter Challenge press conference tomorrow ...
- Austin Commuter Challenge site is up and running ...
- Innovative transportation policy sacrificed on the altar of bipartisanship ...
- City of Austin launches staff bike share program ...
on Jan 18th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
First I want to say, I am glad you attended… and covered it.
Thanks so much. We needed somebody there!
It is very disheartening to hear about the limited vision on the solutions presented by the show, the panel, and the City of Austin. Especially since we, as a city, are actually investing nicely into some bicycle infrastructure. I am unsure if it was just glossed over when planning the show, or just ignored completely.
As you mentioned, there is no real silver bullet to our looming problems in this city (and country) with traffic, pollution and over population… but as pointed out by a number of other international conferences, the bicycle is and should be an integral part of the solution.
I believe the real first step we need to take is getting the population in Austin less hostile towards bicycles and alternative forms of transport. There is a larger U.S. cultural aversion to alternatives, it stems from our historical legacy in the automobile industry… but at some point we need to give up the ghost.
My question, is how do we convince people to have a more logical conversation?
How can we convince people that, alternatives, such as the bicycle, to single occupancy vehicles are easier and less expensive to take on?
I guess I’m just sad it was a missed opportunity to have that conversation at this conference.
on Jan 19th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
BikeATX,
As I mentioned, the Robert Spillar lead panels were much more well rounded and encouraging. All forms of transportation were discussed and the focus was very much on transit, bikes, walking, and land use patterns. The down side was this was a discussion you had to seek out to attend and only occurred twice for an hour during the whole conference. If you did not attend these sessions, the electric and gas powered cars would be your take away as the solution from this conference.
I think part of the problem is that it was organized by Austin Energy, our city owned utility. They tend to be technology focused in their actions. There is nothing wrong with that and technological improvements have to be part of the equation. I just think leaving out the major alternatives and not providing nuts and bolts education to the public about how to actually live sustainably is a missed opportunity. Maybe they’ll think a little broader next year.
on Jan 19th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
I peeked in there for a sec, but did not have a pass. I laughed a little to myself, realizing that there were likely ten times more bike riders at the tattoo convention in the next conference room over.
Also, thank you for covering it. I was curious as to what went on in there other than the city’s carbon footprint calculator unveiling.
on Jan 19th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
atx406,
The pass thing was a joke. The only way I was given a pass for Friday was because I was media otherwise you had to be put on a waiting list since their website said the panel registrations were full. I only made two session in the afternoon but both were at best half full rooms. Seemed like a way to discourage more people from attending.
The tattoo show folks looked like they were having way more fun!