This week, I'm taking part in a virtual course led by Al Gore for the Climate Reality Project to become a more effective climate activist. One of the tasks in the course was to do some research on climate impacts and solutions, and write about it. I took a look at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection web page, and I had some thoughts.
Governor Phil Murphy is committed to addressing climate change, and the state’s Department of Environmental Protection has a page called Take Action with sections addressed to business owners, households, local governments, and schools, plus a summary of “New Jersey’s Key Initiatives.”
The homeowner section includes a carbon footprint calculator that allows people to see how much carbon they are using, and where. This is a great resource to start your own journey with awareness of your own impact.
To help the environment, the page recommends several actions, including using energy efficient light bulbs, appliances, and heating and cooling systems; driving “green”; installing home solar panels; saving water; recycling; and planting trees.
According to the page, “the majority (42%) of New Jersey’s Greenhouse Gas emissions come from transportation.” To mitigate this, the state is encouraging residents to buy plug-in electrical cars while also planning to buy electric vehicles for use by state offices and as part of the public transit fleet. New Jersey is committed to transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources, so the electricity powering all those electric cars would ideally come from wind and water, not from coal and gas.
The NJDEP site also contains the 148-page 2019 New Jersey Energy Master Plan: Pathway to 2050, and this more comprehensive document includes several references to improving public transit and rethinking streets to make pedestrian and bicycle access more widespread and safer. But the “Take Action” page does not make any reference to these goals.
A third of all car trips in the United States are less than two miles long. If there are safe options for walking and bicycling, many of those trips can be made without using a car at all, which is good for emissions, and also good for people’s health.
It is unfortunate, therefore, that the state’s public-facing recommendations don’t do more to encourage people to take short trips on foot or on a bicycle, and provide information and resources to make it easier for individuals to do so.
The state could create an ad campaign on radio, television, and the web about how drivers can behave to make bicycling safer, as well as reminding cyclists to ride with traffic, be visible, and signal intentions. Municipalities could give out helmets and demonstrate the use of baskets and panniers to carry groceries or schoolbooks. Increasing the number of bicyclists on the roads also makes them safer for pedestrians.
Instead of just encouraging drivers to buy electric cars, the state of New Jersey should build infrastructure, disseminate safety information, and give away gear to bike riders, in order to make the streets safer for everyone, reduce emissions, and improve the health of the population.
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