A page in which all of the posing is exposed for what it really is. Exposure of the facts optional bunch in Orange County.
January 9, 2008
Ahh, my first example, and the timing could not be better.
Chapel Hill just had some sort of love fest meeting about getting green, cutting carbon, etc. etc. The usual eco-junk. (NB: Most will drive their cars to this love fest). Here is the story:
”CHAPEL HILL – Chapel Hill's greenways, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and free transit are “huge successes,” but the town needs to do better, says Mayor Kevin Foy.
Foy spoke of the town's environmental initiatives during a gathering of 15 other mayors and one mayor pro-tem as part of a North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.
The leaders, whose districts stretched from Wilmington to Boone, discussed climate change, transportation and gang-related issues.
North Carolina is home to 8 million people, and over the next decade the state expects to grow by another 4 million, Foy pointed out.
“That's the equivalent of dumping the entire state of South Carolina into North Carolina,” Foy said. “It's more than just money; it's how are your policies? What we are talking about is, what is each of us doing in our cities to reduce carbon emissions?”
The leaders spent the morning learning about the science behind climate change and predicted local impacts; various environmental programs; and ways to work together to build support for climate action policies at both the local and state level.
“I think this was a clear interest in ways the cities can work together for environmental consensus,” said Allen Joines, mayor of Winston-Salem and chairman of the coalition's executive committee.
Julie Robison, mayor pro-tem of Cary, said she plans to get started on implementing some of the ideas discussed during the two-day mayoral gathering, such as creating a citizens environmental committee.
“We have a lot of well-educated people in Cary,” Robison said. “We have a tremendous resource in our citizens.”
Meenal Khajuria, a policy analyst for the coalition, said Chapel Hill was a fitting site to discuss environmental issues.
“They are doing so many innovative things,” Khajuria said. “If you just look around the town, they're so mobile –they're walking everywhere.”
Through a town-gown partnership, Chapel Hill began offering fare free transit in 2002. UNC students voted to raise student fees to increase funding of the transit system, which provides nearly 6 million rides per year. In November 2003, Chapel Hill passed a $500,000 bond referendum to create an “Energy Bank” to install energy efficient public facilities.
Nearby Durham increased the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduced the number of vehicles; launched an employee education program; and converted diesel engines to bio-diesel.
Chapel Hill, Durham, Carrboro and Hillsborough all have signed on as a “Cool City,” a Sierra Club-sponsored program in which local governments vow to move forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming.
The mayoral gathering was an overall success, providing a forum for sharing information, models and networking, Foy said.
“People seemed to have a good time, but also had a productive time,” he said.”
Anyway, they need to start their greening with the buses. At 6:10 am today, I was on Airport Road on my 65 MPG motorcycle (shameless green plug) headed to the library (shameless intellectual brag) to return some books before they were overdue (shameless cheapskate admission). And what, to my surprise, passed me on the right?? Chapel Hill Bus 770, running at least 45 MPH (I lifted off the throttle when I hit 45, after all the speed limit is 35) and totally devoid of passengers to boot!
So, if Chapel Hill is really interested in reducing their Carbon Footprint (for reasons beyond reason) then they need to tell their bus drivers to obey the speed limit, at the very least. Even when the bus is empty.
The irony of the situation is disturbing at best.
