Justmeans's blogshttp://www.justmeans.com/editorials/transportation/3236.htmlThu, 24 May 2012 23:59:42 GMThttp://www.justmeans.com en hourly 1http://www.justmeans.com/Going-against-the-Trend--For-one-Locality-the-Price-of-Public-Transit-is-not-Increasing/48853.htmlSun, 01 May 2011 22:49:51 GMTPatrick Kenney For city, county, and state governments, the question is one of determining what to do in response to higher gas prices that are likely coming to the U.S. during the summer months. $4 a gallon gas prices should of course motivate all citizens to look into alternative forms of transportation like taking public transit. However, what might prevent someone from taking public transit is fee hikes, which seem to be going up annually in light of the poor state of the economy.Even with the poor state o Read Full Article ]]> For city, county, and state governments, the question is one of determining what to do in response to higher gas prices that are likely coming to the U.S. during the summer months. $4 a gallon gas prices should of course motivate all citizens to look into alternative forms of transportation like taking public transit. However, what might prevent someone from taking public transit is fee hikes, which seem to be going up annually in light of the poor state of the economy.Even with the poor state of the economy, however, some places are not increasing their public transit fares. For example, instead of increasing the price of transit, Long Beach is defying the conventional wisdom by spending less money on maintenance of their bus fleet in part because of their hybrid fleets which resulted in a 43 percent reduction in maintenance costs relative to what they spent on the diesel buses.As such, what Long Beach Transit is doing that other public transit agencies like New York, Washington, Oregon, Michigan, and Texas all of whom have decided to hike fares in light of higher gas prices and maintenance costs is spend money and resources on not only a fuel efficient fleet, but also a fleet that will not lead to higher fares for the average citizen. Therefore, what Long Beach Transit shows others is that higher fuel prices should not be an excuse to increase fares for citizens.Rather, higher gas prices as a result of what is often external forces beyond a local government's control should be seen as an opportunity to find and look for ways to make public transit more rather than less affordable for their citizens. Public transit should, after all, be a cheaper alternative than driving one's car. However, it is not cheap if fare prices increase, which in turn leads to lower than average ridership.To avoid lower ridership, the Long Beach Transit system has figured out a way to respond to higher fuel prices--a hybrid fleet that not only consumes less fuel, but also requires less maintenance costs. Lower maintenance costs are definitely something all transit systems should look into as they meet the demands of the 21st Century where driving a car becomes more and more of a hassle and individuals look to alternative forms of transportation. Thus, rather than increasing the cost of public transit, Long Beach has done the opposite of what many of its peers are doing--maintaining a highly efficient and relatively low cost fare for passengers. Hopefully, that lesson will be learned by other transit authorities as they increase ridership and offer individuals an alternative to driving.Photo Credit: Linearcity]]>http://www.justmeans.com/BYD-Celebrates-Success-After-Promising-Taxi-Trials/48820.htmlSat, 30 Apr 2011 13:21:54 GMTRichard Cooke In China, the BYD Automobile Company has quickly worked their way into the upper echelons of the Chinese automobile industry since their founding in 2003 with a variety of very popular vehicle models. The company also has managed to gain the distinction of being the first automobile company to provide a mass produced plug-in electric with their F3DM model. Since then, BYD has hoped to continue working their way into the electric market with the e6 model which has just finished a year of testing Read Full Article ]]> In China, the BYD Automobile Company has quickly worked their way into the upper echelons of the Chinese automobile industry since their founding in 2003 with a variety of very popular vehicle models. The company also has managed to gain the distinction of being the first automobile company to provide a mass produced plug-in electric with their F3DM model. Since then, BYD has hoped to continue working their way into the electric market with the e6 model which has just finished a year of testing with, BYD says, great results.According to BYD, for the past year the Pengcheng Electric Taxi Company has been using fifty of the BYD e6 electric models in order to determine just how effective the e6 would be in real world conditions. According to the results, each of the fifty cars managed to consistently meet the expected 160 mile range and performed admirably under quick charge conditions. The quick charge, which takes approximately twenty to thirty minutes to complete, was expected to have a negative impact on the battery's charging system in the long run. However, with the BYD e6's batteries showing almost no degradation, BYD is confident that their battery system can hold up for quite some time.With the success of the taxi test for the e6, BYD is looking to expand their operations regarding the model in order to find a place for it in the market. Currently, after a series of delays that prevented an earlier release, BYD is hoping to work with car dealerships in the United States to have the e6 ready for sale in the States by the end of the year.Considering the fact that the F3DM has not sold nearly as well as BYD hoped, successful sales of the e6 could be just the boost the company needs to get back on track and perhaps even raise awareness for the F3DM and any future models.Photo Credit: Anthony Kendell]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Rochester-Institute-of-Technology---Innovative-Green-Transportation-Leader/48644.htmlSun, 24 Apr 2011 22:57:38 GMTPatrick Kenney Colleges and universities must have the right leadership that sets the tone for going green in their transportation practices. The Rochester Institute for Technology is a leader in green transportation technology by setting the right tone. To set the right tone, they have named Matt Fronk, a leader of General Motors' Fuel Cell Technology as Director of their Center for Sustainable Mobility.This sets the right tone, because a college recognizes that to be truly competitive in the 21st Century and Read Full Article ]]> Colleges and universities must have the right leadership that sets the tone for going green in their transportation practices. The Rochester Institute for Technology is a leader in green transportation technology by setting the right tone. To set the right tone, they have named Matt Fronk, a leader of General Motors' Fuel Cell Technology as Director of their Center for Sustainable Mobility.This sets the right tone, because a college recognizes that to be truly competitive in the 21st Century and to develop innovative new ideas for alternative transportation, having the right people in place is key. Mr Fronk is thus an excellent choice to head their Center for Sustainable Mobility because he sets the right tone and vision for RIT as it moves forward with various initiatives to promote alternative green transportation mechanisms.In fact, hiring Mr. Fronk was a great decision not only because he was an obvious choice given his background from GM, but he can certainly help to improve upon and expand The Center for Sustainability's Mission of "advancing the development and commercialization of technologies designed to reduce reliance on fossil fuel, decrease pollution from transportation sources, and increase the use of alternative energy applications."Certainly, Mr. Fronk's background and expertise especially in fuel cell technology will help RIT develop innovative ways to expand their current research into what is likely to work today and into the future when it comes to developing technologies that actually reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transportation. RIT, therefore, is not hiding from or simply waiting for some action from the government to compel them to do something about reducing carbon dioxide emissions from transportation.Instead by hiring Mr. Fronk and utilizing his expertise, RIT is really going on the cutting edge--not only develop green technologies, but utilize the talents of an expert to go to the next level with green transportation technology research. Thus, RIT is setting a really good example for other universities when it comes to hiring the right types of people in order to go green. Consequently, going green is not just a slogan, mission statement, or objective, but rather it is also about the talent assembled to get the job done.Mr. Fronk's talent and expertise is clearly going to help RIT move forward when it comes to developing the next in line green transportation. Hopefully, other colleges and universities see RIT's example of hiring the right people to carry out their mission and follow suit. Then and only then can colleges and universities be on the cutting edge of green transportation, by hiring the right talent.Photo Credit: Stahlkocher]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Like-a-Leaf-on-the-Wind--NISMO-s-Racing-Modification-of-the-Leaf-Unveiled/48581.htmlThu, 21 Apr 2011 10:45:34 GMTRichard Cooke Since its release, the Nissan Leaf has enjoyed a great deal of success in the green car market. With a reputation for being amongst the most efficient electric vehicles available it is not surprising that Nissan would have more plans for the Leaf even as they continue to fill orders that were placed last year in the United States alone. Nissan's new plan, however, shifts the focus from providing an electric vehicle to the standard consumer towards something a little faster.A few days back Nissan Read Full Article ]]> Since its release, the Nissan Leaf has enjoyed a great deal of success in the green car market. With a reputation for being amongst the most efficient electric vehicles available it is not surprising that Nissan would have more plans for the Leaf even as they continue to fill orders that were placed last year in the United States alone. Nissan's new plan, however, shifts the focus from providing an electric vehicle to the standard consumer towards something a little faster.A few days back Nissan released photos of the Nissan Leaf NISMO RC. Developed by NISMO, the motorsports division of Nissan, to be a fully race capable version of the Leaf means that the vehicle has undergone quite a few modifications. The NISMO version of the Leaf sports a full carbon fiber body and has been modified to sit lower and fit around racing tires and other equipment. The electric engine provides 107 horsepower and makes zero to sixty two miles per hour in approximately 6.85 seconds.Those specifications are paired with the a speed for the NISMO Leaf of only 93 miles per hour that really does not make the Leaf an ideal candidate for the racing scene depending on where it was to be entered. So, the question that is probably being asked is why NISMO would go through all the effort to develop an electric racing car that could easily be blown away on the track at the current specifications. Despite this, it is entirely possible that this is only the beginning for the model.The future of the NISMO Leaf is uncertain at the moment, but it is expected that Nissan will be providing demonstrations of the model at various shows and racing tracks in the very near future. As Nissan begins to recuperate from the delays caused by the first major earthquakes and resulting tsunami last month it seems that the company is eager to show that they haven't missed a step along the way.Photo Credit: Miki Yoshihito]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Planning-for-the-Future/48491.htmlSun, 17 Apr 2011 22:56:40 GMTPatrick Kenney Going forward, how do localities move forward in the 21st Century? While a lot of metro areas depend largely on the traditional mode of transportation--cars to get to and from their destinations. However, what separates traditional metro areas from those of the 21st Century is one of commitment to green and alternative transportation. While some metro localities continue with the status, some are progressing into the 21st Century in terms of their commitment to green and alternative transportati Read Full Article ]]> Going forward, how do localities move forward in the 21st Century? While a lot of metro areas depend largely on the traditional mode of transportation--cars to get to and from their destinations. However, what separates traditional metro areas from those of the 21st Century is one of commitment to green and alternative transportation. While some metro localities continue with the status, some are progressing into the 21st Century in terms of their commitment to green and alternative transportation, namely in the form of expanding public transit.One such metro area that is planning for the future--21st Century--is the Metro Atlanta area. In fact,the metro Atlanta area has dedicated "more than half of the $22.8 billion in formal applications (to the state), $13.5 billion were mass transit projects, compared with $8.5 billion in road projects, according to AJC." As a result, thinking about the future means making a serious commitment from localities to show that they want something other than what has already been the traditional method of transportation--something different, something green, something unique, and finally something that moves the Metro Atlanta region forward rather than backward.As such, it is great that $13.5 billion of their "formal applications" are for mass transit projects rather than traditional infrastructure projects which have relied primarily on building more bridges, overpasses, and highways. In other words, the Atlanta area is looking at ways to change the notion of what suburbia has come to mean here in the U.S.--miles and miles of endless roads. Instead of endless roads, Metro Atlanta recognizes that suburbia should change its "regional culture" from one of dependence on cars to one that is dependent on green alternative forms of transportation such as mass transit.Changing such a culture clearly begins with the small step of localities such as Cobb County, a suburb of Atlanta requesting funds from the state that are primarily mass transit and other forms of transportation other than more and more road projects which has traditionally been the case. Thus, to alleviate traffic congestion that often plagues suburban communities like Cobb County, there should be rail lines that extend from the city of Atlanta way out into its suburban communities. Such a change appears to be coming with Atlanta's suburbs taking a step in the right direction through their commitment to spend more on the future and less on the past. To meet that goal, instead of requesting money to widen suburban highways, they have made a request for spending on new and innovative infrastructure projects in the form of mass transit.Photo Credit: Calvin Teo]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Daimler-s-car2go-Rental-Program-to-Go-Green/48462.htmlSat, 16 Apr 2011 16:36:30 GMTRichard Cooke Offering vehicles on a rental based pickup service is not entirely foreign to European cities. In fact, for some time now Paris, France has experimented with the idea with their proposed Autolib' program which is based off an already successful bicycle loan system. Now, Daimler is planning on revamping their similar car2go program in Germany to use hybrid cars and electric vehicles.Currently, the car2go program has been in operation since 2008 in Ullm, Germany before expanding to Austin, Texas i Read Full Article ]]> Offering vehicles on a rental based pickup service is not entirely foreign to European cities. In fact, for some time now Paris, France has experimented with the idea with their proposed Autolib' program which is based off an already successful bicycle loan system. Now, Daimler is planning on revamping their similar car2go program in Germany to use hybrid cars and electric vehicles.Currently, the car2go program has been in operation since 2008 in Ullm, Germany before expanding to Austin, Texas in 2010 and serving as Daimler's means of determining the effectiveness of the program. Once data starting rolling in that showed that the program was worth keeping the company began making plans to expand it to Hamburg, Germany and to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. While the new car2go programs will be similar to those that came before, the main change will be the addition of fully electric vehicles.The vehicles that will be added to the Hamburg fleet in particular will be the Fortwo smart car. The vehicle features a fuel efficient gasoline engine and a solar roof that generates enough electricity to power many of the vehicles systems including the interior ventilation systems. Amsterdam's fleet will be slightly different thanks to the fact that it will be receiving 300 fully electric versions of the Fortwo smart cars.In order to support the new fleet, which will be the first fully electric car2go fleet, 300 charging stations are going to be added throughout Amsterdam initially with plans to expand that number to around 1,000 in later years.Thanks to the fact that the current daily rentals of the car2go system are approaching eight per day, Daimler believes these new fleets in larger population centers will be wildly successful while expanding a bit of green vehicle technology to people who otherwise wouldn't be purchasing an electric vehicle.Photo Credit: Guillermo Ramrez]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Is-your-Campus-Bike-Friendly/48338.htmlSun, 10 Apr 2011 22:48:46 GMTPatrick Kenney When choosing a college and university to attend, one of the first things that may not cross anyone's mind is: How transportation friendly is the particular school in terms of alternative transportation? Does the school have bike paths whereby students, faculty, staff, etc. can get around the campus with relative ease on a bicycle as opposed to a car, bus, or some other traditional form of transportation? In other words, the question should be: Is your campus an innovative transportation leader Read Full Article ]]> When choosing a college and university to attend, one of the first things that may not cross anyone's mind is: How transportation friendly is the particular school in terms of alternative transportation? Does the school have bike paths whereby students, faculty, staff, etc. can get around the campus with relative ease on a bicycle as opposed to a car, bus, or some other traditional form of transportation? In other words, the question should be: Is your campus an innovative transportation leader in the 21st Century?To answer that question, the Bike League organization did a study of many campuses throughout the U.S. to see which ones are bike friendly. The organization awarded various campuses either a platinum, silver, gold, or bronze award based on their demonstrated commitment and dedication to being biker friendly.According to the Bike League's study, the college campuses received such awards based on how well they met the following five criteria, which included: Engineering, encouragement, education, enforcement, and evaluation and planning. The two most important criteria, therefore, from an environmentally transportation perspective is whether the college truly encourages its students, faculty, staff, and others to bike in place of driving, etc and whether they also the criteria of engineering--how well designed is the college or university to accommodate bikers versus motorists.It turns out there are some truly innovative colleges and universities who meet the Bike League's study criteria when it comes to being biker friendly. According to the Bike League's study, some of the universities that make it in the top 10 in terms of being biker transportation friendly include Stanford University which received the Platinum award and the Universities of California Davis and Santa Barbara which received the Gold awards.Thus, what separates schools like UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and Stanford from the others is that they have made their overall campus atmosphere and design more conducive to alternative transportation. Thus, colleges and universities in their quest to educate the next generation of leaders, should be leaders themselves and set the appropriate example for what is required in the 21st Century.The 21st Century is one characterized by an eco-consciousness and schools like Stanford University are leaders in the sense that they have recognized this phenomenon and have taken advantage of it. Being biker friendly, therefore, starts with creating the atmosphere, education, and overall leadership from the top down that instills a culture of eco-consciousness. Schools like Stanford University have recognized the value of green alternative transportation and become role models for other universities to follow. Hopefully, other universities will follow suit.Photo Credit: Tukka]]>http://www.justmeans.com/London-Makes-Plans-to-Turn-Black-Cabs-Green/48249.htmlWed, 06 Apr 2011 13:47:57 GMTRichard Cooke Converting forms of public transportation over to green technology is a great way of reducing the carbon emissions in a particular metropolitan area. To this effect, many cities around the world have invested in buses that utilize either hybrid systems or fully renewable fuel sources. London in particular has been working on hybridizing their buses, but now has turned their attention to their famous black cabs.Last week, Intelligent Energy, a global clean power systems company, announced that se Read Full Article ]]> Converting forms of public transportation over to green technology is a great way of reducing the carbon emissions in a particular metropolitan area. To this effect, many cities around the world have invested in buses that utilize either hybrid systems or fully renewable fuel sources. London in particular has been working on hybridizing their buses, but now has turned their attention to their famous black cabs.Last week, Intelligent Energy, a global clean power systems company, announced that several of their Fuel Cell Black Cab prototypes had begun operation on London streets. The prototypes are designed to operate with a combination of fuel cell and electric motor technology to ensure that they give off virtually zero emissions during operation. According to Intelligent Energy, the prototypes have logged nearly 8000 hours in both test track and real world conditions and performed admirably in London traffic. Intelligent Energy has also said that thanks to the specifications, the Fuel Cell Black Cabs have a range of about 250 miles and can reach a top speed of 81 miles per hour. Considering the fact that these cabs are going to be operating in a busy metropolitan area it seems unlikely that their top speed will ever need to be fully put to the test.The Fuel Cell Black Cabs are a part of the overall plan put into place by Boris Johnson, London's mayor, to have an entire fleet of green black cabs by 2012. It is also a part of his plan to increase the support of fuel cell technology throughout the city by installing more hydrogen refueling stations.With London proving friendlier for hydrogen fuel cells it will be interesting to see how far the city can go in their drive to support the technology. It is possible that as long as the support infrastructure is in place to support the public transportation that private citizens will begin to adopt fuel cell vehicles as well.Photo Credit: Jimmy Barret]]>http://www.justmeans.com/What-are-your-Green-Transportation-Ideas/48177.htmlSun, 03 Apr 2011 22:50:48 GMTPatrick Kenney Green transportation may not be as easy as it appears on paper. In particular, for companies of the 21st Century, to compete they must find innovative and creative ways to go green and maintain as well as increase their bottom line. However, the question is: How do companies make green part of their transportation culture and initiatives? In other words, companies may have the question of: Is it possible to have a green transportation goal while simultaneously maintaining a bottom line?Well, it Read Full Article ]]> Green transportation may not be as easy as it appears on paper. In particular, for companies of the 21st Century, to compete they must find innovative and creative ways to go green and maintain as well as increase their bottom line. However, the question is: How do companies make green part of their transportation culture and initiatives? In other words, companies may have the question of: Is it possible to have a green transportation goal while simultaneously maintaining a bottom line?Well, it turns out , individuals in the logistics, supply chain, and transportation industry have come up with a way to solve that problem--by h0lding conferences and forums where such issues can be addressed and discussed. In other words, transportation companies, for example, need to know how to go green not just without losing their competitive edge, not just a lecture on why it is necessary to go green.When the transportation, supply chain, and logistics companies get together at the Green Transportation and Logistics Summit, they look at the issues of innovation in going green in terms of overall transportation by looking at: "What is being done, what needs to be done, how to do it, and how it can be accomplished in a way that increase ROI (Return on Investment)-instead of adding cost to your operation." Consequently, today's transportation, logistics, and supply chain companies should share ideas, goals, and innovative ways to go green without sacrificing profits, etc.Therefore, anytime there is a summit among those in the transportation industry to find innovative ways to go green is a good positive step. Such summits are helpful in terms of generating ideas and opportunities for all who to participate to develop the next best innovation in green transportation taking into account various factors such as what has been done, what can be done, and how obstacles to innovation can be overcome.Consequently, a summit is great if it generates forward thinking ideas in today's green revolution. Often summits may help to bring about the next step for a company whereby they go from having an idea on paper to making it become a reality after learning about the experiences of others. Thus, green transportation ideas are not developed in a vacuum or by one company in the logistics, supply chain, or transportation fields. Rather, it takes ideas from everyone which can often be aired in a public forum. Summits, therefore, if productive and fruitful should be generators of ideas for 21st Century green technology.Photo Credit: MOOOOOPS]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Brazilian-Researchers-Discover-Method-to-Make-Green-Cars-Fruity/47936.htmlThu, 31 Mar 2011 09:00:17 GMTRichard Cooke In the quest to build the greener car, a lot of the focus goes into the type of fuel that will be used to keep the automobile moving and just how efficient the car is at using that fuel source. However, it is worth noting that there are many different ways to work towards creating a green vehicle that is fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Researchers in Brazil have recently begun gaining attention as they have announced their findings relating to bioplastics and their potential applica Read Full Article ]]> In the quest to build the greener car, a lot of the focus goes into the type of fuel that will be used to keep the automobile moving and just how efficient the car is at using that fuel source. However, it is worth noting that there are many different ways to work towards creating a green vehicle that is fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Researchers in Brazil have recently begun gaining attention as they have announced their findings relating to bioplastics and their potential application in the automobile industry.Alcides Leo, a researcher at Sao Paulo State University, recently announced that his team of researchers has discovered a method that allows them to develop a plastic material out of the fibers from tropical fruit. The bioplastic that results from the creation process is, according to Leo, thirty percent lighter than normal plastics and nearly four times stronger. The method used by the team to create the plastics involves creating a sort of powder from the fruit by cooking it and using the resulting cellulose to create the bioplastic. So far, pineapple has proved the most successful fruit for the conversion process but Leo believes that a wide range of fruits including bananas, coconuts, agave and curaua can be used.Although the team at Sao Paulo has yet to produce more than small quantities for research purposes, Leo has said that one pound of the material created by the cooking process can be made into 100 pounds of plastic. With the materials needed to create such a plastic plentiful and easily renewable, Leo is hoping to find support in the automotive industry where the lighter material can be used to increase fuel efficiency in cars.So far, Leo and the Sao Paulo team are only working towards developing these plastics for use in automobiles. However, he believes that the strength of the plastic alone will lead to a wide variety of uses in the future.Photo Credit: Kevin Beecroft]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Georgia-Tech-to-Enter-World-Solar-Challenge-With-the-Audi-TT-SA-EV/47876.htmlTue, 29 Mar 2011 11:16:19 GMTRichard Cooke This October, for the first time since 2009, the World Solar Challenge will be held to see what the best and the brightest from universities and companies around the world can bring together for a race spanning Australia from North to South. With the race months away, information about some of the potential candidates has been popping up on and off recently showing off the usual diversity in designs that range from completely original solar power race cars to modified version of previously exist Read Full Article ]]> This October, for the first time since 2009, the World Solar Challenge will be held to see what the best and the brightest from universities and companies around the world can bring together for a race spanning Australia from North to South. With the race months away, information about some of the potential candidates has been popping up on and off recently showing off the usual diversity in designs that range from completely original solar power race cars to modified version of previously existing automobiles.One such design that is currently being built in anticipation of participating in the 2011 World Solar Challenge is a modified Audi TT Coupe. The project is currently being handled by a group of students from Georgia Tech that call themselves the Solar Jackets. According to the group, the Audi TT that they are designing will be a solar assisted electric vehicle that will utilize a blend of plug-in electric systems and solar power in order to become a truly electric vehicle. The solar portion of the vehicle, which is made obvious by the lines of solar panels that begin on the hood and continue to the back of the car, will be used primarily to power systems such as the power steering, power brakes, and power windows.While the Solar Jackets are hard at work on converting their Audi TT SA-EV, as they have designated the project, they also have their own all original solar racer design that is also meant to compete in the World Solar Challenge this fall. Designed to seat a single driver, the vehicle is powered entirely by "high-efficiency solar cell technology" and is designed to be as quick, power efficient, and light as possible.When the race comes around this October, the Solar Jackets will be among those contestants that will race the 1,877 miles across Australia to claim the prize. Will they be victorious? Only time will tell.Photo Credit: Nuon Solar Team]]>http://www.justmeans.com/How-has-the-Green-Transportation-Sector-Faired-in-the-Recession/47827.htmlSun, 27 Mar 2011 23:02:52 GMTPatrick Kenney Does the green transportation sector exist? Are there really jobs within it? On one side of the debate, those who are environmentalists, business-people, and others argue how the green sector does exist and has created jobs especially in this poor economy. In other words, the recession has not adversely impacted this sector like has others. On the other side of the argument, there are those that argue whether the green transportation sector exists at all.Despite critics claims that the green tra Read Full Article ]]> Does the green transportation sector exist? Are there really jobs within it? On one side of the debate, those who are environmentalists, business-people, and others argue how the green sector does exist and has created jobs especially in this poor economy. In other words, the recession has not adversely impacted this sector like has others. On the other side of the argument, there are those that argue whether the green transportation sector exists at all.Despite critics claims that the green transportation sector is a myth, in reality the green transportation does exist, and according to Oregon's jobs report study, "employment in the green transportation sector outperformed the economy as a whole during the five-year period from the fourth quarter of 2004 to the fourth quarter of 2009." As seen with Oregon's innovative green transportation sector which includes things like public transit, hard-hit by the current recession in terms of ridership, etc, the green transportation sector exists and does indeed offer hope and opportunity for an economic recovery.Furthermore when assessing how well the green transportation sector is doing, it is also important to look at things like how much the wages are in this sector compared to similar ones. According to Oregon's green transportation study, in certain quarters, the wages have actually been reported to be higher in this sector than in others. Thus, the green transportation sector in Oregon and elsewhere has two benefits: Outperforming this long recession and in higher average wages than workers in similar sectors earn. As a result, the green transportation sector is one characterized by both high wages and economic viability especially during tough times like this prolonged deep recession that both the U.S. and world are experiencing.In assessing why the green transportation sector in Oregon is doing so well, the Oregon Employment Department came to the conclusion that the green transportation sector "is relatively steady compared with other sectors, and was likely not as affected by the recent recessionary cycle as other industries." Thus, it appears the green transportation sector is truly part of the new revolution in the U.S.-transitioning away from a carbon based fossil fuel economy to one that promotes a cleaner fuel efficient economy for both current and future generations to enjoy.Oregon, therefore, is a leader in terms of recognizing how green is truly the new gold. Green transportation, therefore, is not only good for the environment, but it is also good especially in down times. Hopefully, other states follow suit and embrace such innovative thinking.Photo Credit: Meurasault2004]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Austin--TX-Leading-the-Way-with-Plug-In-Hybrids/47823.htmlSun, 27 Mar 2011 22:40:29 GMTPatrick Kenney Reducing the amount of oil consumed and still being able to drive--sounds like one of those too good to be true commercials. When first thinking about green and driving a car, the first thought that many people have is one of pollution and the seeming incompatability of driving a car with today's movement to go green. Nevertheless, the city of Austin, Texas has shown that driving a car and going green are not incongruent.As it is going to take the U.S. a relatively long time to get away from the Read Full Article ]]> Reducing the amount of oil consumed and still being able to drive--sounds like one of those too good to be true commercials. When first thinking about green and driving a car, the first thought that many people have is one of pollution and the seeming incompatability of driving a car with today's movement to go green. Nevertheless, the city of Austin, Texas has shown that driving a car and going green are not incongruent.As it is going to take the U.S. a relatively long time to get away from the use of the car, Austin, Texas like many cities have embraced the car culture, but have come up with an innovative way to embrace it--plug-in hybrids. The plug-in hybrid initiative in Austin, Texas is part of Mayor Wynn's initiative down there of "combining the electric utility and transportation sectors." Yes, because of the plug-in hybrid, it is now possible to have a fusion of both the electric utility and transportation sectors. This is important because having a car powered by electricity saves money for the consumer as they do not have to go to the gas station to refuel and instead can recharge their car with a battery like they already may do with various consumer products such as when they use cell phones.The commitment from Mayor Wynn in Texas dates back to 2005 where he submitted as part of his plan "A request to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce to become active advocates for plug-in hybrids." Plug-in hybrids, therefore, are an important part of the green transportation portfolio that Austin, Texas has clearly shown a commitment to with their mayor setting forth a vision.As such, going green with transportation means having a vision that something must be done and then effectively executing that vision with concrete plans and results. In the case of Austin, Texas, their mayor showed all the way back in 2005 their commitment to plug-in hybrids when at the time it was still in the relatively early stages. In the case of Austin, they want to show that cars do not have to fueled by going to a gas pump, but rather they can be plugged in to the electric grid. That is an important development since plug-in hybrid cars are more fuel efficient and enable the consumer to drive while simultaneously helping the environment. Thus, Austin, Texas is an example of combining the best of both worlds--embracing America's appetite for driving with the necessity to go green.Photo Credit: Mariordo]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Green-Transportation-in-California/47819.htmlSun, 27 Mar 2011 21:57:00 GMTPatrick Kenney Going from green to gold requires new and innovative ways of thinking. In particular, it requires making the commitment up front, applying for grants, looking for all available technologies that promote a sustainable green transportation future, and most importantly thinking outside the box. In today's 21st Century green revolution, old, traditional, and conventional modes of transportation are no longer viable. Even "green transportation" along will not do the trick. Rather, new ideas that no o Read Full Article ]]> Going from green to gold requires new and innovative ways of thinking. In particular, it requires making the commitment up front, applying for grants, looking for all available technologies that promote a sustainable green transportation future, and most importantly thinking outside the box. In today's 21st Century green revolution, old, traditional, and conventional modes of transportation are no longer viable. Even "green transportation" along will not do the trick. Rather, new ideas that no one has thought of before will be the key to getting the U.S. to become green.As such, it is great that the East Bay area of California has proposed an innovative system of "heavily used paved trails, where trail connections would complete a nearly 200 mile bicycle and pedestrian trail serving 2.5 million residents of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties." These trails are important because of the linkages they provide to various parts communities, parks, shops, etc. In other words, these trails are a network that connect two counties which are great in the sense that they reduce the amount of cars travelled on the road which in turn further reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted.Consequently, when evaluating whether a community is a leader on green transportation or not, the first and most important criteria is to look at what steps have they taken in moving green transportation forward. The Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa out in California have made it a goal of theirs to link the two counties by trail so that residents can walk to and from places rather than drive, etc.As such, instead of simply doing a conventional thing to go green like green the public buses, shuttles, or mass transit system there, these two counties have come up with some novel idea of having interlocking trails that connect two counties. On these trails, residents will be able to go to wherever they need to go without the hassle of a car or waiting a long time for the bus to arrive. Thus, both Alameda and Contra Costa are innovative in the sense of doing something that other cities, counties, localities, states, etc. may not have thought of.Consequently, part of going green when it comes to transportation is not just doing what everyone else is doing, but rather going above and beyond by finding stuff that has not been tried. In both Alameda and Contra Costa counties, their idea is to encourage individuals to walk or bike more on various trails. Hopefully, such trails can become a model for other communities as they assess their future transportation needs.Photo Credit: Dfrg.msc]]>http://www.justmeans.com/The-Air-Forces-Finds-That-the-Raptor-can-Fly-a-Little-Greener/47436.htmlTue, 22 Mar 2011 09:00:45 GMTRichard Cooke For some time now, the adoption of biofuels in aviation as an alternative to pricey fossil fuels has been on the minds of the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. Each branch has their own plan when it comes to adopting biofuels and each has been testing them out over the years. Last year, the U.S. Air Force flew an A-10 Warthog entirely under the power of biofuels and the U.S. Navy has done testing with a biofuel mixture on board the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Most recently, the Air Fo Read Full Article ]]> For some time now, the adoption of biofuels in aviation as an alternative to pricey fossil fuels has been on the minds of the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. Each branch has their own plan when it comes to adopting biofuels and each has been testing them out over the years. Last year, the U.S. Air Force flew an A-10 Warthog entirely under the power of biofuels and the U.S. Navy has done testing with a biofuel mixture on board the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Most recently, the Air Force announced the success of a partially biofuel powered flight of the F-22 Raptor.The flight, which took place last Friday at Edwards Air Force Base in California, was a part of the Air Force's overall goal to determine the effectiveness of biofuels based on camelina. The formula itself is derived from the weed like plant and is meant to be blended in with standard petroleum based jet fuels in order to reduce the overall cost of fuel. While it is not necessarily the jump to fully adopting biofuels that some are looking for, it is a step forward in the Air Force's plan, which is shared by other branches of the Armed Services, to reduce their overall carbon footprint in coming years.According to the 411th Flight Test Squadron, the successful test involved a variety of exercises to determine the functionality of the blend. The test involved a variety of take off procedures on the ground as well as several in-air maneuvers that culminated in the Raptor flying at Mach 1.5 at 40,000 feet without the use of afterburners in what is referred to as a supercruise.The Air Force is intending to use the results found in the F-22 as a template for use in other fighter craft in the future. With each new success, the military comes closer and closer to finding new ways to achieve their goal of reducing their carbon footprint and fuel costs.Photo Credit: mashleymorgan]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Florida-s-Costly-Mistake/47377.htmlSun, 20 Mar 2011 22:40:12 GMTPatrick Kenney High speed rail--what can possible be wrong with it? It creates jobs which are sorely needed especially in today's fragile economy. It is great for the environment in terms of taking drivers off the road. Finally, high speed rail is part of the wave of the 21st Century's green revolution.So, it comes as a rather interesting and perplexing surprise that the Governor of Florida Rick Scott has recently decided to "send 2.4 billion earmarked" for high speed rail for the state from the U.S. Departmen Read Full Article ]]> High speed rail--what can possible be wrong with it? It creates jobs which are sorely needed especially in today's fragile economy. It is great for the environment in terms of taking drivers off the road. Finally, high speed rail is part of the wave of the 21st Century's green revolution.So, it comes as a rather interesting and perplexing surprise that the Governor of Florida Rick Scott has recently decided to "send 2.4 billion earmarked" for high speed rail for the state from the U.S. Department of Transportation back to Washington DC. Governor Scott's explanation for rejecting the "green" transportation high speed rail dollars include issues pertaining to cost over-runs and concerns about having to return the $2.4 billion if the project failed among other cited reasons. The explanations for rejecting the money have some merit in so far as concerns over whether the project would end up costing more than projected. However, the Governor's decision to reject the money is wrong on many counts.However, for Florida to move forward in the 21st Century, there needs to be forward thinking policies, one that involves visionaries who go into unchartered territory and truly make transformational changes to how Florida uses transportation. In particular, the construction of the high speed rail system would surely help Florida's economy especially in the ever important construction sector both in the short and long-term. In addition, high speed rail also brings great environmental benefits by taking people who would otherwise drive off the roads which in turn reduces carbon dioxide and has proven to work, especially in Europe and China.Some lawmakers in Florida are upset over Scott's decision arguing that his decision shows he clearly lacks vision, which is what is needed in the 21st Century. A vision is something that only a leader can have where they set the tone for everything else. Scott's decision to reject the high speed rail funds shows he is not thinking about Florida's future, but rather about what one lawmaker refers to as a "political decision aimed at thwarting a priority of the Obama Administration."As such, short-sighted politics in terms of, because "Obama is for something," therefore, "I am against it," may have played a part in Scott's decision to reject the high speed rail funds because his other reasons cited do not really make sense--such as the possibility of the project failing. In other words, he does not provide evidence that the project would result in cost overruns even though that is a valid concern nor does he provide evidence concerning how the project would fail other than conjecture. Consequently, Governor Scott of Florida is an example of a backward rather than a forward thinking leader, which is necessary in order for the U.S. to really lead on green transportation.Photo Credit: Yaohua2000]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Which-Cities-are-the-Best-for-Public-Transportation/47369.htmlSun, 20 Mar 2011 22:11:25 GMTPatrick Kenney Many commuters in large metropolitan areas and in big cities both here in the U.S. and globally rely on public transportation for getting to and from places. After all, it is often a hassle to sit in traffic and can be quite inconvenient in a densely packed area to drive a car, not to mention the environmental problems with air pollution associated with driving. So, naturally anyone who lives in or near a city always want to find out who well their city happens to be doing when it comes to their Read Full Article ]]> Many commuters in large metropolitan areas and in big cities both here in the U.S. and globally rely on public transportation for getting to and from places. After all, it is often a hassle to sit in traffic and can be quite inconvenient in a densely packed area to drive a car, not to mention the environmental problems with air pollution associated with driving. So, naturally anyone who lives in or near a city always want to find out who well their city happens to be doing when it comes to their public transit system overall.According to world rankings of the best public transit systems, the best cities include Hong Kong where it receives a ranking of 4 because its system "absorbs most of its residents' transportation needs." Other cities with great public transportation systems include Curitiba, Brazil which comes it at number 1 as a result of things like a highly efficient bus system, a single price system, and what is even most impressive is high usage--whereby 85% of the population uses this public transit system.As such, the lesson from Brazil is that a good public transportation system is not one that simply happens to be located in a big city or is available for use by all individuals. Rather, a good public transportation system is one that uses a highly reliable and efficient system, is relatively cost affordable, and encourages rather than discourages use. In the U.S., there are public transportation systems some of which are ranked well like New York, Portland, Chicago, and Washington DC among others, but overall they are not in the top 10 and do not compare to the Brazil style public transportation system. What they all lack in particular is the concept of affordability in terms of a "single price system."For example, in the DC metro system, there are often differences in prices depending on where one gets on and where they get off. Furthermore, the prices change throughout the day. As such, the single price system in Brazil is quite appealing and makes them ahead of the curve in terms of being a model for not only an efficient public transportation system, but also one that is relatively cost affordable. Often, individuals may avoid taking public transportation because of things like rates that are not stable at least in the U.S., as public transportation costs here vary from city to city and even from stop to stop. Thus, the Brazil system has clearly figured out a way to make public transportation more cost effective.Photo Credit: ?????? ????????]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Nissan--It-s-Electric/47361.htmlSun, 20 Mar 2011 21:28:10 GMTPatrick Kenney The electric car is growing in popularity as an alternative to the traditional car and truck run on gasoline. Given today's green movement and increasing desire to capitalize on such a movement, there has been a movement afoot among auto-manufacturers to go green by mass producing the electric car. The electric car serves as a great alternative to the traditional gasoline powered car especially for environmental reasons.However, what makes Nissan different from just any auto-manufacturer capital Read Full Article ]]> The electric car is growing in popularity as an alternative to the traditional car and truck run on gasoline. Given today's green movement and increasing desire to capitalize on such a movement, there has been a movement afoot among auto-manufacturers to go green by mass producing the electric car. The electric car serves as a great alternative to the traditional gasoline powered car especially for environmental reasons.However, what makes Nissan different from just any auto-manufacturer capitalizing on the hot electric car trend is that their Leaf was that their Nissan Leaf was the first electric car on the market here in the U.S. and what distinguishes it from others is, that according to the CEO of Nissan Carlos Ghosn, it "is the only zero emission car on the market. Other electric cars use gasoline; this one there is no drop." Furthermore, while other auto-manufacturers are just rolling out their version of the electric car, Nissan is ahead of the curve as back when the Nissan Leaf was developed, there was skepticism about the "unproven all-electric technology."As a result, Nissan's CEO had to show back in 2006 that it made sense to invest in something that hasn't been tested before. Sure enough after the Nissan Leaf has been proven to be a highly efficient and sought after electric car, other auto-manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon with their own versions. Consequently, Nissan said back when no one even thought of the possibility of an electric car--"let's try this and see if it will work," and now other electric cars are sprouting like weeds as more and more auto-manufacturers looks at innovative ways to manufacture and take advantage of a hot new trend--that of a mass produced electric car that can take advantage of a new found eco-conscious in this country.In fact, as Nissan's CEO highlights, they have a track record going back to 2006 of recognizing that they should not wait for things to happen, but rather to make things happen on their own even if no one else happens to be doing it. For example, even though many other auto-manufacturers back in 2006 were still investing in largely the fossil fuel dependent economy, Nissan outcompeted its competitors by recognizing that the issue of global warming as well as the need to curb the U.S. addiction to oil are paramount issues that cannot be deflected, ignored, or simply things that should be addressed at a later time. Nissan, therefore, is an innovative company because it recognized well ahead of schedule the need to invest in green transportation. Now others are jumping on the bandwagon after Nissan laid the foundation.Photo Credit: Nissan_Leaf_001.jpg]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Natural-Gas-Deserves-Support-According-to-DOE-Announcement/47225.htmlFri, 18 Mar 2011 10:42:21 GMTRichard Cooke There are plenty of corporations, automobile manufacturers, and private parties in the world that continue to develop new and exciting green transportation technology every day. However, it is nice to see every once in a while when the government decides to step in to try and develop some of these technologies hand in hand with the automobile manufacturers to show their support for the technology.Last week, the United States government did just that when the Department of Energy announced that t Read Full Article ]]> There are plenty of corporations, automobile manufacturers, and private parties in the world that continue to develop new and exciting green transportation technology every day. However, it is nice to see every once in a while when the government decides to step in to try and develop some of these technologies hand in hand with the automobile manufacturers to show their support for the technology.Last week, the United States government did just that when the Department of Energy announced that they would be providing a $50 million loan to The Vehicle Production Group LLC for the development of a new reduced emissions vehicle. The vehicle, called the MV-1, is meant to be a six passenger, handicap accessible multi-purpose vehicle that will run entirely off compressed natural gas. The MV-1 is being designed around natural gas in order to provide a vehicle with reduced emissions and without any need for oil. While it is unknown exactly who the MV-1 will be marketed towards, the fact that it is handicap accessible and large enough to carry a fair amount of people could make it popular with the government itself or companies seeking ways to transport employees.Steven Chu, the United States Energy Secretary, said that he believed it was important for the government to show support for this project in order to prove that natural gas vehicles are worth developing. Secretary Chu also made it clear that supporting the project, which is to be carried out in its entirety at the Mishawaka, Indiana AM General Plant, meant creating jobs in the automotive industry. According to the group running the project, the project at full capacity should be able to produce roughly 22,000 vehicles annually while creating 100 jobs locally in Indiana and over 800 jobs throughout the country at suppliers and manufacturers connected to the project.Whether or not this show of support will spur on the natural gas vehicle industry is unknown, but it is still interesting to see the government showing support for other alternative fuel methods even while others like electric or hydrogen dominate.Photo Credit: Idaho National Laboratory]]>http://www.justmeans.com/A-Violent-Reaction-for-Greener-Propulsion/47198.htmlThu, 17 Mar 2011 11:45:25 GMTRichard Cooke Last week I wrote an article that briefly went over an engine designed by Swedish researchers that would utilize compressed air in order to run more efficiently. Now, another idea that also uses a form of compression has popped up that also seeks to create a greener, more efficient engine, but with one major change: the goal of this engine is to take the compression and unleash it into the engine itself to create the force needed to generate power.Dr. Norbert Mller, an Associate Professor in the Read Full Article ]]> Last week I wrote an article that briefly went over an engine designed by Swedish researchers that would utilize compressed air in order to run more efficiently. Now, another idea that also uses a form of compression has popped up that also seeks to create a greener, more efficient engine, but with one major change: the goal of this engine is to take the compression and unleash it into the engine itself to create the force needed to generate power.Dr. Norbert Mller, an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Michigan State University in East Lansing, believes that the most efficient engine possible is one that uses shockwaves to compress air and fuel inside of an engine. In order to back up his theory, Dr. Mller designed a prototype that would allow him to better explain how his engine design works. The engine itself features a rotor that continually spins and releases a mixture of air and fuel into area surrounding the rotor. The engine is then designed to allow this air-fuel mixture to build up in pressure until it is released in the form of a shockwave that compresses the blend and ignites it before sending it along to create more pressure that would continue to push the rotor. As this reaction occurs time and time again, the engine itself is capable of generating electricity thanks to the incredible amount of force being created.According to Mller, an engine of this design would allow a car to be lighter, thanks to the fact that most engine components would no longer be needed, and highly fuel efficient. He also believes that an engine like this could be designed to run on a variety of fuel types like hydrogen.Recently, Dr. Mller had the chance to present his prototype to the Department of Energy, but still has plans to develop a larger, more powerful prototype in the future. If he is able to generate enough interest in his design, it is possible that these lighter engines could be installed in vehicles in the future to make them greener and more fuel efficient.Photo Credit: Nathan Bittinger]]>