The Botany of Desire – full program online

A PBS video available online featuring Michael Pollan and based on his best-selling book, this special takes viewers on an eye-opening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world — seen from the plants’ point of view. Narrated by Frances McDormand, the program shows how four familiar species — the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato — evolved to satisfy our yearnings for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control.

Car Running on Algae Fuel to Cross Country on Just 25 Gallons of Fuel

Algaeus, the world’s first algae-powered plug-in hybrid car, was unveiled in San Francisco and the prototype traveled with a host of other ‘green’ vehicles to New York for the opening of the film “Fuel” to promote alternative fuel.

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The TANGO, ultra-narrow electric car for commuting; 0-60 in 4 seconds

The ultra-narrow Tango NCV (Narrow Commuter Vehicle) is all electric and can accelerate from 0-60 in 4 seconds, with race car roll cage, lane splitting, and perpendicular parking

Made by Comuter Cars of Spokane, Washinton, the very fast two-seater Tango is narrower than some motorcycles, but roomy inside the highly reinforced body. It can “lane split” (drive side-by-side in one lane) and is 100% plug-in electric.

Speed
With over 1,000 ft-lbs. of torque, the Tango can accelerate from zero to over 130 mph in one gear. Without an energy-robbing transmission or differential, it accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about 4 seconds and finishes the standing 1/4 mile in about 12 seconds at over 100 mph.

The Tango’s ability to maneuver through traffic is second to none. Like a motorcycle, it can change lanes to gain advantage in traffic better than any car in history. Where lane splitting is permitted (i.e., driving between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic), the advantage can be staggering. In extremely heavy traffic, a Tango or motorcycle can travel in 20 seconds the distance that cars travel in 20 minutes.

The Tango can do this because it has two motors, with each motor having more Torque than a Dodge Viper V10 engine, starting at zero RPM. Who would think a car this narrow could compete? Consider all the cars we beat! The Tango beat the Tesla Roadster and Shelby Cobra in separate drag races, as well as several Corvettes in an autocross.

Reducing congestion
The Tango can fit in a 6-foot half-lane with more clearance than a truck has in a full 12-foot freeway lane. This virtual doubling of lane capacity can make the traffic jam a fading memory. It can also park perpendicular to the curb, allowing up to four Tangos in one parallel parking space
Safety and Stability
The Tango’s racecar-style roll cage design, its 4-point harnesses, its low center of gravity, and a weight comparable to a midsize sedan combine to make the Tango extremely safe. And with 2,000 lbs. (mostly batteries) under the floor, the Tango’s static rollover threshold is equivalent to a 5-star NHTSA rating, placing it in company with the lowest slung sports cars.

Range
Range from 40 to 200 miles of freeway driving is available, depending on battery selection and your planned driving habits. It is recommended that, at least twice the range of your typical daily trips between charges be purchased. For an occasional long trip, a generator trailer running on any fuel can be attached giving the same range as any gasoline car.

Charging
The Tango can be charged from most any receptacle, as it comes with a number of adaptor cords, and can charge to 80% in just 10 minutes from a 200 amp charging station. Typically, one would just plug in each night to a dryer outlet and get a complete charge in less than 3 hours and be ready for work the next morning. It can charge from any voltage from 100V to 250V without any adjustment.

Roomy
The Tango appears extra small from the exterior because of the lack of a passenger seat to the side of the driver. Actually, the distance from the center of the steering wheel to the inside door panel is 1/2″ more than a Subaru Outback, and only 1/2″ less than a Dodge Ram pickup. Men as large as 6-foot 10-inches tall and 325 lbs have said that they are comfortable in the Tango.

Plug In America – Promoting Plug-in Cars for a Better America

Up-to-date information about all the new electric and plug-in electric cars, trucks & motorcycles.

Plug In America is dedicated to promoting Battery Electric and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles for the public to drive today..

Plug In America’s mission is to drive change by accelerating the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce American dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment.

Rail Race: Maglev or HSR, What is the Future?

ENR: Engineering News Record, July 21, 2009
by William J. Angelo, John T. Harding and Andy Kunz

If we can continually bail out failing airlines and fund airport development, why not invest in a first rate railroad infrastructure that would compliment and enhance our Federal highway system? Many issues remain unresolved such as how fast is fast and should the line be publicly or privately owned? Should we go with ‘proven’ technology or make a quantum leap? And just why is there a high-speed rail gap between the U.S. and the rest of the developed world?

Two opposing Viewpoints, one supporting Maglev development by John Harding, a member of the International Maglev Board, and the other by Andy Kunz, president, US High Speed Rail Association in favor of ‘conventional’ high-speed rail. Readers are encouraged to read both articles then add their own voices to this debate. Steel wheels or maglev – you decide. (see article)

Views on use of Highway Trust Fund for bike and pedestrian paths.

August 4, 2009, Greenwire.com via CarFreeUSA.com

With Congress’ authorizing of emergency funding for the depleted Highway Trust Fund, two Republican senators are criticizing the use of the fund for bicycle and pedestrian paths and “scenic beautification” projects.

Sens. John McCain’s (Ariz.) and Tom Coburn’s (Okla.) criticisms followed release of a report by the Government Accountability Office last week showing that $78 billion from the fund had gone over five years toward “purposes other than construction and maintenance of highways and bridges” — including $2 billion that went to 5,547 projects for bicyclists and pedestrians.

McCain blasted the Transportation Department and lawmakers for earmarking funding for “frivolous” projects that could have been spent on repairs to the nation’s crumbling bridges and highways.

“Over the years, the number of highway bill earmarks has exploded,” McCain said in a statement. “Now, Congress wants to bail out the Trust Fund by saddling future generations with even more debt. Doing so is irresponsible.”

Bicycle advocates fired back, arguing that bike paths and walkways are used for 10 percent of U.S. travel and help reduce air pollution and use of foreign oil.

“What the report suggests is that McCain and Coburn do not see nonmotorized transportation as useful transportation spending,” said Darren Flusche, a policy analyst at the League of American Bicyclists. “They don’t see that bicycling is in fact a form of transportation and contributes directly to livable communities.”

Hawai’i “Complete Streets” Law

On May 6, Governor Linda Lingle signed S.B. 718 into law. Act 054, the Complete Streets law, requires the Hawaii DOT and the Counties to establish policies to accommodate all users of the road, no matter age, ability, or mode of transportation. Additionally, it creates a statewide task force to review existing state and county highway design standards and guidelines and propose changes to procedures and design manuals. Their final report is due to the State legislature prior to its convening in 2011.

To become involved in the implementation of Act 054 and other activities that support complete streets in the islands, contact the One Voice Coalition.

The bill has received attention from many local media outlets, including KMGB9 News, the Honolulu Advertiser, and KHON2.

Introduction to Complete Streets (Slide show)

For more information on the national Complete Streets program..

From bush to bike – a bamboo revolution

BBC News, July 1, 2009, By Kieron Humphrey.

On the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia, next year’s crop of bicycles is being watered by Benjamin Banda.

“We planted this bamboo last year,” he says, “and now the stems are taller than me. When it’s ready we’ll cut it, cure it and then turn it into frames.”

Mr Banda, is the caretaker for Zambikes, a company set up by two Californians and two Zambians which aimed to build bikes tough enough to handle the local terrain. (Full story)

Urban Design Principles: Walkable Streets

By Dan Burden from Walkable Streets Website.

Walkability Items to be rated are always on a scale. A 1-10 scale can be personalized and applied to each of the below twelve categories. Common sense and powers of observation are used to make these determinations. The categories are in no particular order. Never pick a town that you have not visited. Always ask for second and third opinions.

If I were making a commitment to move to a town I would want the town to have high scores on 6 or more of the following 12 categories:

Walkable Communities Have:

1. Intact town centers. This center includes a quiet, pleasant main street with a hearty, healthy set of stores. These stores are open for business a minimum of 8 hours a day. The stores include things like barbers/beauticians, hardware, druggist, small grocery/deli, sets of good restaurants, clothing, variety store, ice cream shop, stores that attract children, many youth and senior services, places to conduct civic and personal business, library, all within a 1/4 mile walk (5 minutes) of the absolute center. If this is a county seat, the county buildings are downtown. If this is an incorporated town the town hall is in the town center. The library is open for business at least 10 hours a day 6-7 days a week. There is still a post office downtown.
    
2. Residential densities, mixed income, mixed use. Near the town center, and in a large town at appropriate transit locations there will be true neighborhoods. Higher densities are toward the town center and in appropriate concentrations further out. Housing includes mixed income and mixed use. A truly walkable community does not force lots of people to drive to where they work. Aspen, for example, is a great place to shop and play…but fails to provide housing for anyone who works there. Granny flats, design studios and other affordable housing are part of the mix in even the wealthiest neighborhoods.
    
3. Public Space. There are many places for people to assemble, play and associate with others within their neighborhood. The best neighborhoods have welcoming public space within 1/8th mile (700 feet) of all homes. These spaces are easily accessed by all people.
4. Universal Design. The community has a healthy respect for people of all abilities, and has appropriate ramps, medians, refuges, crossings of driveways, sidewalks on all streets where needed, benches, shade and other basic amenities to make walking feasible and enjoyable for everyone.
    
5. Key Streets Are Speed Controlled. Traffic moves on main street and in neighborhoods at safe, pleasant, courteous speeds. Most streets are designed to keep speeds low. Many of these streets are tree lined, have on-street parking and use other methods that are affordable means to keep traffic speeds under control. There is an absence of one-way couplets designed to flush downtown of its traffic in a rush or flight to the suburbs. In most parts of the nation the streets are also green, or have other pleasant landscaping schemes in dry climates.
    
6. Streets, Trails are Well Linked. The town has good block form, often in a grid or other highly connected pattern. Although hilly terrain calls for slightly different patterns, the linkages are still frequent. Some of the newer neighborhoods that were built to cul-de-sac or other fractured patterns are now being repaired for walking by putting in trail connectors in many places. These links are well designed so that there are many eyes on these places. Code for new streets no longer permits long streets that are disconnected.
7. Design is Properly Scaled to 1/8th, 1/4 and 1/2 mile radius segments. From most homes it is possible to get to most services in 1/4 mile (actual walked distance). Neighborhood elementary schools are within a 1/4 mile walking radius of most homes, while high schools are accessible to most children (1 mile radius). Most important features (parks) are within 1/8th mile, and a good, well designed place to wait for a high frequency (10-20 minutes) bus is within 1/4 to 1/2 mile. Note that most of these details can be seen on a good local planning map, and even many can be downloaded from the web.
    
8. Town is Designed for People. Look for clues that decisions are being made for people first, cars second. Does the town have a lot of open parking lots downtown? Are a lot of streets plagued with multiple commercial driveways, limited on-street parking, fast turning radii on corners. Towns designed for people have many investments being made in plazas, parks, walkways … rarely are they investing in decongesting intersections on the far reaches of town. Towns designed for people are tearing down old, non-historic dwellings, shopping plazas and such and converting them to compact, mixed use, mixed income properties. Ask to review the past year of building permits by category. Much is told about what percentage of construction that is infill and independent small builder stock versus big builder single price range housing or retail stock.
    
9. Town is Thinking Small. The most walkable towns are boldly stepping forward requiring maximum parking allowed, versus minimum required. Groceries and other important stores are not permitted to build above a reasonable square footage, must place the foot print of the structure to the street, etc. Palo Alto, for instance, caps their groceries at 20,000 square feet. This assures that groceries, drug stores and other important items are competitive at a size that is neighborhood friendly. Neighborhood schools are community centers. Older buildings are rebuilt in place, or converted to modern needs. Most parking is on-street.
    
10. In Walkable Communities There Are Many People Walking. This sounds like a silly statement at first … but think again. Often there are places that look walkable, but no one walks. Why? There is always a reason. Is it crime? Is it that there is no place to walk to, even though the streets and walkways are pleasant? Are the downtown stores not open convenient hours? You should be able to see a great diversity of those walking and bicycling. Some will be very young, some very old. People with disabilities will be common. Another clue, where people walk in great abundance virtually all motorists are courteous to pedestrians. It is true.
     
11. The Town and Neighborhoods have a Vision. Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas are just three examples where neighborhood master plans have been developed. Honolulu sets aside about $1M per year of funds to be spent by each neighborhood. Visionary, master plans provide direction, build ownership of citizens, engage diverse people, and create opportunities for implementation, to get past sticky issues, and deal with the most basic, fundamental, necessary decisions and commitment. There are budgets set aside for neighborhoods, for sidewalks, trails, links, parks. The community no longer talks about where they will get the money, but how they will change their priorities.
     
12. Decision Makers Are Visionary, Communicative, and Forward Thinking. The town has a strong majority of leaders who “get it”. Leaders know that they are not to do all the work … but to listen and respond to the most engaged, involved, broad minded citizens. They rarely are swayed by the anti-group, they seek the opinions and involvement big brush citizens and retailers. They are purposefully changing and building policies, practices, codes and decisions to make their towns pleasant places for people … reinvesting in the town center, disinfesting in sprawl. These people know the difference between a green field, brown field and grey field. They know what Active Living by Design is all about. The regional government understands and supports the building of a town center, and is not attempting to take funds from the people at the center to induce or support sprawl. Often there is a charismatic leader on the town board, chamber of commerce, planning board, there is an architectural review team, a historic preservation effort, and overall good public process. Check out the web site of the town … if they focus on their golf courses, tax breaks, great medical services, scenic majestic mountains, or proximity to the sea … fail to emphasize their neighborhood schools, world class library, lively downtown, focus on citizen participation … they are lost, bewitched and bewildered in their own lust and lure of Walt Disney’s Pleasure Island.

‘Complete Streets’ can pave way for aging population to move around

Viewpoint from Maui News, July 5, 2009 by Mike Morris*

Some are calling the aging of Hawaii the “silver tsunami,” a demographic shift in the next 20 years that will result in 22 percent of our state’s population being 65 years of age or older. This increase in older citizens is going to mean the need to change some of the ways we do business, including making our streets safe for them to walk or cycle.

Unfortunately, Hawaii is already ranked as the most dangerous state in America to be a pedestrian or cyclist over the age 65. We have our work cut out for us. It is going to take a major culture shift in both state and county transportation departments and our community as a whole to make Hawaii’s roads safer and more convenient for people of all ages and abilities, not just the elderly.

Today our roads are designed to accommodate as many cars as possible at the highest speeds and in the shortest amount of time. Many of our communities lack sidewalks and bike lanes, and too many crosswalks require a multi-lane sprint against oncoming traffic.

As our population ages, demand for a greater variety of mobility choices such as walking, cycling and mass transit, is likely to grow. The challenge for planners is to design roads that are safer for mixed use by cars, cyclists and pedestrians.

That is where the concept of “Complete Streets” comes into the picture. The Hawaii state Legislature passed Act 54, the Complete Streets Act, in 2009. It requires state and county transportation departments to accommodate access and mobility for all users of public highways, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists and persons of all abilities. This law could pave the way for better transit services, safer walking facilities and better mobility options for all those more likely to try to move around our communities without a car.

Transportation is one of the keys to making sure that people are able to live independently and in their homes and communities as they get older. A recent study by AARP’s Public Policy Institute warns that two-thirds of American transportation planners and engineers have yet to begin addressing the needs of older people.

“Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America” recommends that federal, state, and local highway and street design guidelines serve older people by 1) reducing vehicle travel speeds at intersections where older drivers and pedestrians need more time to make decisions and execute changes, 2) making the physical layout of roads, crosswalks and sidewalks easier to navigate and 3) making it easier for older drivers and pedestrians to notice, read, understand and respond to visual cues and information.

Because of the time required to make such improvements, Hawaii should plan now for the coming age wave. Federal, state and local transportation planners and traffic engineers should focus on adjusting our roads to become safer and more user-friendly for everyone.

To help kick-start a statewide conversation on transportation planning for the silver tsunami, Jana Lynott, the principal author of the AARP study, will visit Hawaii this month to meet with key stakeholders to engage the public and policymakers on Complete Streets, lay the groundwork for successful implementation of Act 54 and prepare the public for involvement in the pedestrian master planning process and transit oriented development.

A free forum on Complete Streets will be co-sponsored by the AARP and the Maui County Nutrition & Physical Activity Coalition Tuesday at the Maui Beach Hotel from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The time has come to prepare our streets for an aging Hawaii. The unprecedented growth in the number of older residents demands that we act now. This is a great opportunity for Hawaii to become a leader in implementing Complete Streets’ policies. You can get involved in this effort by participating in the Complete Streets discussion at the Maui Beach on Tuesday.

* Mike Morris is president and CEO of the Maui Family YMCA and chairman of the Maui County Nutrition & Physical Activity Coalition, a project of the UH-Manoa Office of Public Health Studies, John A. Burns School of Medicine.