We're losing our Garden

Reaction to the IPCC report is strong.

IPCC is the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. the world's best science is telling us that we need to ACT NOW. To limit our Earth's temperature rise to two Centigrade degrees, we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to 40-70 percent of what they were in 2010. We as a planet need to shift gears. Our current ways of doing things are not sustainable. Do we really want to mess us Garden Earth?

Defossilization is now a new word, pronounced with many different accents, in the world vocabulary of environmental discourse. It means that we need to reduce the burning of fossil fuels to do so many things -- heat our buildings, move around, generate electricity, etc. It's just making it too hot in the Garden. We need to act.

While that threatens those making money in the oil, car and coal industries, it opens great opportunities for others to create new wealth in the transition to sustainable energy. "It's eminently affordable," declared 350.org to those who abhor next taxes to raise trillions of dollars for new infrastructure. Given the IPCC-documented costs that Climate Change is already bringing, defossilization is a compelling investment.

In cities and towns of the New Economy walking, biking and public transit are to be encouraged. Happily, solar powered ATN is a potent addition to the mix, reinforcing existing rail and spreading a fine mesh of service access to most districts and neighborhoods. What will the stations look like? What do they mean for architects, designers and planners? How will community life change?

TOOL UP: Urban and airport progressives will gather in Stockholm this coming September 3-5 to assess the options and take sustainable transportation to the next level at the 8th Podcar City conference. For more info or to reserve a place for your corporate or professional name in the PCC8 Booklet, email lfabian21@gmail.com.