Over the next several days, I hope to offer a series of brief posts about Transportation Demand Management (TDM) - the technical name for what RIDE Solutions does by advocating carpooling, bicycling, walking and public transit. TDM touches on a number of issues, not the least of which are energy and the environment; this is where even modest TDM efforts on a local level, which may have little to know impact on the traditional target of TDM strategies - traffic congestion - contribute to a broader national and global goal of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and protecting the environment. For confirmation, look no further than the Climate Change Guru himself, Al Gore:
Carpooling is among the most efficient solutions out there for cutting back on your personal contribution to greenhouse gases. If just one million more people carpooled every day, it would avoid approximately 20 million pounds of carbon dioxide from direct fuel savings alone -- every day. Carpooling also reduces congestion, which makes every other vehicle on the road more efficient. It reduces the need for more lanes, and it reduces vehicle wear and tear, saving significant resources down the line. As an added benefit, using carpool lanes can drastically cut down on commute time
If you are suspicious of the science behind climate change, ignore for a moment the carbon output from your tailpipe and think about everything else that it generates: particle pollution and ozone-causing volatile compounds that lead to haze and smog. If anything, the local air quality impact from vehicle emissions should be of more concern, particularly for residents of the Roanoke Valley, where we're flirting with non-attainment in ozone pollution and getting pretty cozy with particulate matter as well. The science behind air quality and health is largely undisputed -
lung disease, stroke, cancer, emphysema, broad cardiovascular and even neurological problems have been attributed to ozone and particle pollution. Vehicle emissions are the single largest contributor of these pollutants in most areas; nationally, 50% of all air-quality related pollution is generated by tailpipes. Even a small reduction can have a remarkable impact.
Keep on eye on this space for further exploration of the role of TDM in the Roanoke and New River Valleys,