Embrace cleaner personal & public transport
This response involves an exciting rethink about how we move around our towns &cities. It explores transportation hubs where cars, buses & trains come together & link to walk-ways, bike & scooter paths, or emerging fleets of electric ride shares.
How are others approaching this?
There are many ways that people around the world are attempting to embrace cleaner personal & public transport. Below is a small sample. If you have any further examples that you think should be on this list, please get in touch.
Electric buses
Electric buses or trams are a terrific solution as they carry more passengers than cars while emitting fewer emissions and pollutants. China is leading the world in the electric bus rollout - by a long way. In 2020 they had roughly 430,000 electric buses on their roads compared to just 350 in the USA. Recently the NSW Government in Australia has pledged to convert all of its 8000 diesel buses to electric by 2030.
Electric ferries
Not surprisingly, Norway has been leading the way with electric ferries.They recently launched the world’s largest electric ferry that can carry 600 passengers and 200 cars. Other harbour cities like Sydney or Auckland will have to adopt this technology in the years ahead if they are to avoid the dirty marine diesel or heavy fuel oils that are currently being emitted
Electric vehicle ride share
Many car companies are investing in fleets of driverless, electric cars or vans that will move us around cities in the future. We will subscribe to ‘transport networks’ much like we do with Netflix or Spotify. This will be far cheaper than owning a car as parking, fuel, registration and insurance costs will all be avoided. Phoenix Arizona is already experimenting with driverless taxi fleets.
Electric Vehicles grid storage
‘Vehicle to Grid’ as it is known or V2G is another solution that is gaining serious traction. The idea is simple - electric vehicles are large batteries on wheels. Some car batteries are up to 3-4 times larger than the standard battery seen on the side of a house. If that vehicle is plugged into a home via a special ‘bi-directional charger’, then the energy from the car’s battery can be used by the grid in periods of demand and the owner will be paid accordingly. It is estimated that by 2025, all new EVs will be V2G compatible.
Clean transportation ideas
Milan recently announced it will convert 20 miles of streets into pedestrian and bike-only paths. Guangzhou in China, home to 14 million people, has some of the highest walking levels in the world due to a nature corridor it built along the Pearl River that links tourist destinations and sporting venues. And Austria is incentivsing a car-free society by charging residents just 3 euros a day to travel anywhere in the country on bus, trains and subways.
15 minute city
Imagine a city where everything you needed could be found within a fifteen-minute walk or bike ride from your home, including fresh food, healthcare, schools, offices, shops, parks, gyms, banks, and entertainment. The paths to get there are safe, tree-shaded, car free neighbourhoods where people can get to know each other. It’s called the fifteen-minute city and its not imaginary. The Paris mayor has implemented this ambitious plan and it’s underway. Cities in the US, Spain, China and Australia are also taking the concept on board. As the age of the car fades, cities are being redesigned to serve their residents, discovering how much healthier, vibrant, and resilient they can be.
Featured stories
Vehicle to grid demonstration
Some of these solutions are featured in our short film - Regenerate Australia. Find out where you can see the film.
Regenerative Actions you can take on
We believe every one of us has a role to play in Regeneration. If you are interested in helping, here are some actions we have identified that you could take on in your life.
