Currently Browsing: Environment

Climate Change Conference Call: Switch To High Speed Rail

Posted by Jon C in EnvironmentDec 10th, 2009 | 3 Comments
NZ ON GLOBE: Copenhagen conference hall |Aust. Science Media Center High speed rail and moving freight by rail instead of domestic air and road  have strong lobby advocates at Copenhagen’s climate change conference. A “Train to Copenhagen”, a one-month and 9,000 kilometer-long train journey from Kyoto to Copenhagen to make the point has arrived. And a consortium of 11 European cities is arguing that the UK must now join the high speed rail revolution to reduce emissions . It says that travel by train already produces a much lower carbon footprint than by car or air, and this gap...
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Auckland Students Design Future Transportation (Photos)

Posted by Jon C in EnvironmentNov 20th, 2009 | 3 Comments
Massey University’s Auckland School of Design students have been showing off their ideas of future transportation. The winner was student Harry Henriksen who created this model of a hybrid that morphs between a one-person car and motorbike. He calls it Switch. At the switch of a button, it goes from a car to a motorbike  letting you zip between lanes.  It would run on rechargeable batteries with a hydraulics system and operate with newly emerging electronics technology, used in computer games, for self-navigation and car-to-car (or bike-to-bike) communication. His design is now entered...
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Car Free Day Next Week -But Why No Half-Price Trains?

Posted by Jon C in EnvironmentSep 18th, 2009 | 10 Comments
It’s World CarFree day next week – something I strongly support but I can’t see our authorities here really embracing it. Maxx is holding a pledge contest but where are the real incentives to clear polluted Auckland for a day? I can imagine the arguments why – we have such inadequate public transport here, encouraging more people to use buses or trains would create even more congestion and delays, scaring people off. Well, maybe it might but it might also give people a taste of public transport which is reasonably affordable and beats that dreadful commute around congested...
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Indian trains put Auckland’s to shame!

Posted by Jon C in Development, EnvironmentApr 27th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Delhi Metro*credit below I often hear passengers complaining about our train service calling it third-world and comparing it to Indian cattle trains. The other day, an Indian train guard told one of those complaining that they obviously haven’t been to India lately. And picking up this week’s Time magazine I can see why. Under the tagline the world’s “best place to see a slice of life” the article details the Delhi Metro train service, which was delivered under budget and ahead of schedule. It transports 650,000 people every day and is on time 99.5% of the time (if...
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Passengers get ruder and selfish

Posted by Jon C in Environment, General, passengersMar 18th, 2009 | No Comments
What is happening to people’s manners in this recession? Passengers on Auckland trains seem to be displaying more selfish attitudes by the day. This morning, a young woman was blasting – and I mean as if broadcasting from the Sky Tower at full volume to rise above the train noise – her interpretation of good music, namely gangsta rap, to the whole carriage by holding up her mobile phone speaker so we could all enjoy it. She totally ignored a couple of polite suggestions from people around her to turn it down. Passengers got restless and closed their books as they couldn’t...
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Who cares about the environment- Aucklanders go back to using their cars

Posted by Jon C in EnvironmentFeb 15th, 2009 | No Comments
I’ve been trying to work out why trains I use at peak time have been much emptier since the start of the year. EMPTY: I can't believe my luck at rush hour I’ve tried various different times during the morning rush hour but to my surprise still manage to get a seat. Last year at those times I struggled to even get on the train. Last week was a bit busier but I still easily got the choice of a seat both ways. I have been assuming - * We’ve had several long weekends so people have been taking longer holidays or at times later in January to make use of the extra holiday days *...
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On a day of change, one Aucklander gets the hint

Posted by Jon C in EnvironmentJan 21st, 2009 | No Comments
“Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics..” As Obama was inspiring people to challenge and act the policy of our reliance on fossil fuel, good to see one Aucklander putting his gas guzzler out on his front lawn and putting a “For Sale” notice in the window. Why really needs this endless traffic nightmare in their daily life? We need more of these off the road please Obama, in outlining his new world of change declared: “We...
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