Gas and oil from shale is a bubble, a dangerous one

The Tyee : "Governments and financial analysts who think unconventional fossil fuels such as bitumen, shale gas and shale oil can usher in an era of prosperity and energy plenty are dangerously deluded, concludes a groundbreaking report by one of Canada's top energy analysts."'

Grassroots #publictransit on British Columbia island

Vehicles purchased for transit service project: "A grassroots committee on Gabriola Island have moved forward with a pilot transit service project they say will not only serve the transportation needs of islanders, but reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

'via Blog this'

Most tourists really don't want to drive. #Carfree vacations are popular.

Vancouver: how to enjoy a world-class city without a world-class budget | Cheapflights.co.uk: "One of the great things about Vancouver is you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy its charms. In this article, we’ve chatted with our local guides to create a list of great things to do in and around Vancouver on the cheap, and all accessible by public transport."

British Columbia writer calls for free public transit

https://twitter.com/derrickokeefe

Earth Day should help to focus B.C. election debate on key climate issues | rabble.ca: "If we actually taxed the rich at higher levels, we could afford comprehensive, free public transit systems in all major urban centres. Redirecting the billions of direct and indirect subsidies to fossil fuel industries towards transit and green technologies would also help."

'via Blog this'

Build roads to reduce congestion, hasn't worked, doesn't work, won't work.

The Sidewalk Ballet: "Second only to the Island Highway, Bowen Road is another destructive, dangerous, neighbourhood-killing arterial stroad. This latest project brings to something approaching $20 million spent or to be spent on Bowen Road to address "congestion" at two intersections. Nanaimo seems to think it can be the one city in the world that can road-build its way out the problems created by the car. You may not be surprised to learn that this approach has produced no evidence of its efficacy."

'via Blog this'

Time for a bold green jobs plan for B.C.

Vancouver Sun: "The single-largest source of B.C. greenhouse gas emissions is the transportation sector, and they are still increasing. Traffic congestion costs Metro Vancouver between $400 million and $628 million a year in lost productivity, wasted fuel and increased GHG emissions, not to mention the negative health and quality-of-life impacts associated with traffic congestion and long commutes.

To reduce congestion and emissions, B.C. must expand and revitalize its public transit, highway bus and passenger rail systems. We need to create incentives and build infrastructure to move goods by rail and other efficient, low-carbon methods of transportation. Some of this infrastructure already exists, but much will have to be built, including from carbon tax dollars. Backed by our province’s clean hydroelectricity system, almost every mode of transportation will benefit from some form of electrification.

Economic modelling shows that transport has the second biggest jobs potential of all green-economy sectors. Investments in public transit and railways in North America create between nine and 22 jobs per $1 million invested. The economic benefits arising from reduced congestion, increased community development and urban density are harder to quantify, but are at least as valuable."

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/2035/Time+bold+green+jobs+plan/8197396/story.html#ixzz2PYRPhbQ0