Pale Blue Dot Goes Green

Focusing on the future by researching and developing sustainability strategies for businesses, households, and eventually for policy. I'm starting with my own business (Pale Blue Dot business solutions) and my own household. I encourage others to do the same! Give suggestions, ask questions and problem solve with me!

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Small Green Travel Experiment

Amtrak and carpool analysis for #greenertravel.

In this post:

1) Rant about Amtrak subsidies and policy which makes buses more expensive

2) A #lifehack on how to make sure you don't get hoodwinked by the Amtrak policies

3) An analysis on whether or not it is worth it to take public transport for so short a distance.

So I tried to head up to the Bay Area and back by only using means of travel which were carpool and public transport. It’s very frustrating, however, to try and negotiate any affordable methods or public transport.

A train from Sacramento to Berkeley area would cost at least $60 round trip and then add another $30 dollars to get back to Chico. No wonder there is such an aversion to public transport. 

Oh... by the way ... a cheeky little #lifehack which combats Amtrack's ridiculous policy which states that "You can't buy a bus throughway ticket without purchasing with a railway segment". 

(Side note - Apparently this is a policy because competitive bus companies have lobbied against Amtrak's subsidized market benefit. So i'm sorry for bitching about you Amtrak when maybe it's not your fault).

Regardless of the reason for the policy, it stands that a person heading North from Sacramento really only can use the buses.There is not an option to go by train (but how amazing would that train ride be, people?).

Normally what people do (since they can't buy their ticket online) is buy their ticket at the Amtrak station and Amtrak just tacks on the extra fee for the closest train-leg of the journey. 

2) #Lifehack

Here is what I cheekily figured out: If you buy your ticket at the station they will charge you from the most expensive journey train leg. Going on a bus from Sacramento to the north (Chico in my case) costs $30 and the ticket is technically from the Davis station. IF you book online from Lodi to Chico (as if you caught the train from Lodi)bits 10 dollars cheaper.

So look at all the options online from nearby stations to your bus connection.  The more run-down cities (like Lodi) might be more affordable than the wankier city connections (like Davis.) -----------------------------------------------------

3) An analysis on whether or not it is worth it to take public transport for so short a distance.

Anyway I don’t think it’s worth it necessarily if you have a car. You can always car pool - there is this service I read about called Zimride which will let me advertise rides and even take payment - might do that next time.

My "Green app"  told me that I’m saving 38 kg of Co2 by taking this bus… As I am currently bored on the bus I might as well to the real math(s).

These are the websites I used to get my data: 

http://calculator.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx?tab=4

http://carbonfund.org/individuals

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/greener-mile/id386792692?mt=8

  Carbon I would have emitted had I not taken green initiative. 

Ok so using data from this one site I calculated that driving my myself I would exert .07 Metric Tons/120lb/ 70kg of co2. (Round trip).

Carbon I actually emitted. 

The carpool situation on the way to sac had 3 drivers so 1/2 the trip and then 1/3 of that = .01 tons/ 20 lbs / 9 kg.

plus!

The Amtrak bus calculator (link shown above) says that I used .01 tons of C02. I think it might be more due to the fact that it wasn't a full bus. The bus probably about 1/3 full so we can add a bit to it for the sake of it not being full.. maybe .03 Tons /60lbs/ 27 kg.

Total for Green Initiative Travel: .04 Tons / 80 lbs/ 36 kg.

 Conclusion:

I saved .03 Tons /60lbs/ 27 kg of CO2. 

I spent about 50 dollars travel costs which is fairly comparable to a full tank of gas these days. So really it *is worth it, I suppose. Considering also that the bus is going to be going anyway, it makes sense to utilize it given that it's never full.

Going to the Bay Area would not be cost effective, however because the train tickets are in high demand and are more expensive.  It would be cheaper to offset and to also try and carpool in that case.

Anyway, food for thought.

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Reading this book.. Sierra Nevada is a case study!

"What does the future of business look like in a sustainability-minded world, and how do we get there are two among many questions addressed in the three-volume set, "The Business of Sustainability: Trends, Policies, Practices, and Stories of Success."

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Climate Change Leaves Hares Wearing The Wrong Colors : NPR

Snowshoe hares rely on camouflage, turning white in the winter to match the snow, and then turning brown for the summer. But a changing climate could mean fewer days with snow on the ground, and more days when they're visible to prey.

[worldclimatewatch-blog]

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Issued at this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, which took place on the Marshall Islands, the declaration calls on countries to list specific, concrete pledges to reduce emissions and aims to accelerate the global response to the climate crisis.

The Pacific islands represent many of the countries most at risk by climate change, and they used the latest summit highlight the threats it places on security, livelihoods and the well-being of their populations, as well as those of other vulnerable nations across the globe.

Also signed by Australia and New Zealand, the declaration highlights the region’s own commitment to tackling climate change.

Speaking after the adoption of the Majuro Declaration, President of the Marshall Islands, Christopher Loeak said:

We want our Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership to be a game changer in the global fight against climate change. Forged on the frontlines of climate change’s devastating impacts, we hope it gives new impetus and accelerates the transition to the low-carbon economy.

We’ve had a strong meeting of minds here on the urgency of the problem, but the real work begins now. We need the rest of the world to follow the Pacific’s lead. I look forward to making that case during meetings with fellow leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.

As chair of the Pacific Islands Forum for the next 12 months, my absolute priority will be to fight for a safe climate future for my people, the Pacific region, and indeed the entire world. We must seize this moment, and rededicate ourselves to ensuring that a new wave of climate leadership takes hold.

[thegreenurbanist]

Years in the making.

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Good on ya amtrak!

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From Facebook's "I Fucking Love Science"

Too true.

[serenastyle]

Hipster spotting #1

Does anyone actually pull up??

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Finding this a bit disturbing that this is labeled 'hipster'.  Every toilet in Australia is equipped with a dual-flush mechanism.  Yes, most people do pull up.  

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This week in green tracking!! I really encourage everyone to get the following apps: "Greener Mile" and "Be Green". I'll do some analysis on each component later on but I have some simple observations for now. Electronics: I spent most of my day using my computer and an external large monitor - I'm very surprised at how little Co2 is emitted from the devices - and relieved! It's hard to run a computer business without a computer. Transportation: my "greener mile" stats show abatement made by biking for the week while I plug in my car miles into the other app. It's ridiculous what percentage of the daily carbon is transportation when I actually drive. That first day was about 9 miles in the car, granted, but it's really made me change my behavior. Food: the graph makes it look like I eat a lot, but the days which have a lot of pink are the days I ate cheese and/or tofu. Basically if you eat animal products you use more carbon. It makes me feel a bit vindicated 'bout being a vegetarian. I'd love to get everyone to start volunteering to use these tracking tools. It was really hard for me to live in the status quo when I was accountable for each action. I definitely took shorter showers every day ... Unfortunately it means that the "yearly estimate" is actually quite low. That roadtrip to Ohio was ridiculously bad. Expect more on these stats soon! I'm also going to see of I can make next week lower.

[phgrowers]

#powerhousegrowers #green #agriculture #horticulture #sustainability #urbanlifestyle #urbangrowing

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This ties in nicely with some upcoming posts about food and carbon

[worldclimatewatch-blog]

In recent years, Bill Nye has emerged as a fearless voice against climate change deniers. The Science Guy has gone from taking on science lessons for children to taking on pundits on cable television on climate change, evolution and science in general.

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<3 forever 

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I always used to drive to the downtown bars at night because I couldn’t be bothered to get a bike light- and I have to bike through some shady orchards! It’s the lamest excuse though- given that I found some old lights in a junk drawer in the house.

The bike lights had no means of being attached so I found some “wreath decorating wire” in a craft box an rigged something up.

Biking leisurely (don’t want to be sweaty for the bars) it only takes 15 minutes. You burn those whiskey calories (a few of them anyway) and you get to look at a beautiful sky on the way back.

I’m going to start calculating the carbon I would have produced had i driven. The app is called “greener mile”. (Omg i just got the pun right now!) For those of you who already have smart phones, I encourage you to download it to start getting in the habit of carbon abatement.

So hopefully the old vb bug will be happy to rest in the carport more often… and hopefully my friends will find a new DD.

Now all I have to do is learn how to bike in heels.

[thotsquiat-blog-blog]

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A US campaign group has launched a petition to have hurricanes named after politicians who deny climate change.

I saw this floating around facebook as well. Golden!

[worldclimatewatch-blog]

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To explain: California’s cap and trade system was set up by the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). Under the program, auctions of the permits occur once every quarter — so four times a year — through 2020. Each permit allows for the emission of one metric ton of carbon in a designated year, and the auctions so far have included permits for 2015 and 2016 as well as 2013. Participants in the program include utilities, oil refineries, oil producers, and large manufacturers, and AB 32 expands its reach to even more sectors of the state economy in later years. Those permits can then be bought and sold amongst program participants according to whoever feels they’ll need to emit more carbon or who thinks it will profit them more to seek the permits and emit less. The idea is that, when all is said and done, the total amount of permits sold for a given year will decrease from 2015 on — effectively tightening the screws on carbon emitters until greenhouse gases have been cut 15 percent in 2020.

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Got given a plastic cup against my will - I'll make sure to recycle it. Also I'm really unsure about this book... It's all a bit idealistic. Do any of you have opinions about Thomas Hartmann?

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Craig Ruark Greeting Kat, Best Wishes on your education; documenting your journey sounds interesting and something that might be valuable to pass on to others. If you are looking for other reading material might I suggest "Marketing Your Green Side" ' http://sustainablyverdant.wordpress.com/marketing-your-green-side/ 

Comments from Google + network

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Another visual of me almost reading one of my books.  Didn't feel like buying it at Barns in Noble - let's see if I can get it used!

(Food for thought: Is it more sustainable to buy a used book (and have it shipped) or more efficient to buy a book from a corporate bookstore? hmmmm.)