Four Seasons Loco Coffee and Total Landscaping Talk

[Darkstone42]

I think the most immediate thing we could achieve on cutting emissions would be to ramp up the quality and comprehensiveness of public transit (and also make it free). If you can create a system sufficiently reliable that it's more convenient than driving, you simply get cars off the road for daily commutes, reducing emissions considerably that way. Not to mention that a comprehensive and reliable public transit system would reduce congestion on the roads, and improve access to jobs for poor folks who rely on it to get to work. Wins in several ways.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

We are creeping in the right direction, slowly: Coal no longer dominant source for Ohio electricity

We have a HydroElectric dam in our town and more and more power for this part of Ohio is being drawn from Van Wert Wind Farms: Blue Creek Wind Farm, Ohio - Power Technology | Energy News and Market Analysis

Plans are to continue to expand wind power.

It's getting better across most of the US:

Electric Cars Are More Green Than Ever As Coal Declines

 

[forty_three]

Guess Mike D was getting tired of all that bipartisan support.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think the most immediate thing we could achieve on cutting emissions would be to ramp up the quality and comprehensiveness of public transit (and also make it free). If you can create a system sufficiently reliable that it's more convenient than driving, you simply get cars off the road for daily commutes, reducing emissions considerably that way. Not to mention that a comprehensive and reliable public transit system would reduce congestion on the roads, and improve access to jobs for poor folks who rely on it to get to work. Wins in several ways.

Transit costs a fortune to build in already-built up cities. Even if you're not digging to build the transit you're probably taking away traffic lanes to build it which, obviously, means you're going to make traffic much worse to which you can say "well, then don't drive" except a shit ton of people have no choice but to do so. Increased traffic also means construction vehicles need more time to get to/from job sites which drives up the cost of construction (including, ironically enough, the cost of constructing transit) which increases the cost of living which makes it more prohibitive for people who would benefit most from affordable transit to live near transit.

And then, of course, comes the money. I know taxes are far less in many American cities/states than they are here but people in those places usually live there for that reason. In the cities/regions where you have a population that would be more open to this you have high taxes already as it is. At some point you're trying to squeeze water out of a rock.

For me, it's the opposite that would make this work - charge more for transit. Double the fares. Do distance-based fares. Create a subsidy for lower-income earners so the poor aren't unfairly taxed. Make transit more self-sufficient and dedicate the system to consistent growth and upkeep and people will happily pay the added cost for safe, reliable and efficient transportation.

 

[mooger_35]

more and more power for this part of Ohio is being drawn from Van Wert Wind Farms

Thoughts and prayers for your pending cancer diagnosis.

 

[forty_three]

Thoughts and prayers for your pending cancer diagnosis.

The least of my worries.

Gays Are Utilizing The Power Of Windmills To Waft Homosexual Mist Into Homes

I might get cancer, but I'll be FABULOUS

 

[dash]

The least of my worries.

Gays Are Utilizing The Power Of Windmills To Waft Homosexual Mist Into Homes

I might get cancer, but I'll be MORE FABULOUS

flamboyantly fixed.

 

[puckhead]

somewhere, a fake cow on twitter is breathing a sigh of udder relief.


and devin nunes is still a stupid asshole

 

[Comeds]

Can you sue over a fake internet crab making statements?

 

[mooger_35]

somewhere, a fake cow on twitter is breathing a sigh of udder relief.

and devin nunes is still a stupid asshole

 

[elocomotive]

I think the most immediate thing we could achieve on cutting emissions would be to ramp up the quality and comprehensiveness of public transit (and also make it free). If you can create a system sufficiently reliable that it's more convenient than driving, you simply get cars off the road for daily commutes, reducing emissions considerably that way. Not to mention that a comprehensive and reliable public transit system would reduce congestion on the roads, and improve access to jobs for poor folks who rely on it to get to work. Wins in several ways.

While I don't disagree with what would work, history has shown repeatedly that MOST people will not use mass transit in any reliable way. I think what we will see emerge in 10-15 years is (1) a continued expanse of telecommuting that reduces the number of trips necessary for work and (2) an automated/shared economy hybrid of ownership and mass transit that ends mass transit as we know it and changes "car ownership" significantly for more Americans.

So think about carpools. They are smart but you have to know someone where you live or very close. Have to be okay with sharing tight quarters for the car ride. Everyone has to be on time reliably. Your schedules have to be very similar and consistent. That's a LOT of variables.

Automated cars and reliable algorithms will take this away. Think Uber + self-driving car. I imagine companies will develop a subscription/fixed cost of car sharing. Many people won't own vehicles - just access to rides anytime/anywhere. Basically, you can get a ride within a certain range whenever you need one. Much like Uber, you call for one and it comes within a certain amount of time (probably very quickly if many people buy into this). And it likely looks very different. Maybe it has 6 individual pods each with their own door. You've taken away all the variables that make carpools terrible - it's reliable for time, you can adjust your schedule, you have your own space, and it's not location dependent.

If you have a lot more people telecommuting and a good portion of people now carpooling the 21st century way, you don't have traffic problems, you reduce emissions (esp as electric cars expand) and you kill off the ailing subway and bus systems in most cities. That's what I see coming by 2035ish. COVID-19 probably just moved that forward even faster.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Are they doing the same with drivers licenses?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Good on Trudeau. It’s actually terrifying how many “important” names in Canadian politics were signed to that letter - basically a who’s who of the Mulroney & Chretien years.

 

[forty_three]

3 N.C. Officers Fired After Video Captured ‘Extremely Racist’ Rants in Squad Cars

*shakes head*

 

[dash]

3 N.C. Officers Fired After Video Captured ‘Extremely Racist’ Rants in Squad Cars

*shakes head*

It's just a few bad apples...


...in almost every precinct

 

[jstewismybastardson]

 

[elocomotive]

Facebook is so awful lately.

I'm tired of the opinions of stupid people who struggled to finish high school commenting like they are Constitutional lawyers or experts in complex public policy issues. You don't see me posting about my aspiring career as a model for shampoo commercials.

 

[puckhead]

Facebook is so awful

edited for brevity

 

[elocomotive]

Strawman after strawman. Karen in training!

 

[dash]

Strawman after strawman. Karen in training!

I see a future Fox News host.