Here’s an article that underscores something I firmly believe: the concept of car ownership, a paradigm of the American lifestyle in the 20th Century, is on its way out. Just as a generation decided it no longer needed a telephone that was hard-connected to a copper wire, an even larger group of people is starting to realize it doesn’t really require a (more…)

As discussed here, the widening divide between rich and poor has meant that new cars are unaffordable for an ever-increasing segment of the American population. At the risk of sounding like Marie Antoinette with her fatal “let them eat cake” remark, new car ownership isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, I’m among the growing number who (more…)

Here’s an interesting graphic that suggests a phenomenon that my colleague Jeff Siegel calls “peak car” – a definitive decline in the number of vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. Granted, there are numerous factors that come together to push a change like this, and there is no guarantee that the trend will continue. (more…)

Those of us who live near major cities spend a great deal of time stuck in traffic, when we’re unfortunately enough to be forced to drive at rush-hour, or encounter some special circumstance like an accident. I’m sure many of us, in addition to the frustration we feel, wonder about the nature and cause of heavy traffic and how it may be avoided. (more…)

Here’s an article co-written by environmentalist superstar Bill McKibben that speaks to the need for better public transportation. The authors point out that transportation generally contributes 27% of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Since transportation is 98%+ based on gasoline and diesel, it comes with a huge price tag in terms of not only CO2 but damage (more…)

People across the world are starting to become aware of the importance of reducing their carbon footprint. Most people do simple tasks like turning lights off when leaving a room or not keeping the water running while brushing their teeth. However fewer have taken the step to use sustainable transportation. (more…)

To hear politicians, the media or the masses (including myself) talk about it, the current high gas prices mark the end of civilization, the fall of America’s world domination, and I’ll assume the reason for Snooki’s pregnancy too.

But are some industries thriving on high gas prices? (more…)

More than 50 percent of the 64,000 new transit buses expected to arrive on roadways worldwide by 2015 will be fueled by alternative sources of energy, compared with 28 percent of new bus deliveries in 2010, according to a report by U.S.-based Pike Research. (more…)

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 (more…)

The year is 2015. One million electric vehicles whoosh along America’s highways and the noise is, well, not likely to inspire fist-pumping rock and roll anthems. But if we reach the goal President Obama has set of one million EVs in four years, it’s the start of a quiet revolution that can ultimately free us from Big Oil. (more…)