Posted by Founder, Bicycling Monterey
Climate Change: Bicycling is part of the mix in climate hope
Short link to this post: https://bit.ly/ActOnClimateBike
Below learn how transportation choices impact carbon emissions, plus other information about climate change.
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But first: save the date for September 20, 2019—and make use of resources below, shared by Bill McKibben.
Here's where to go to start signing up/organizing for all-ages climate strike Sept 20 https://t.co/tgH8861MBD
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) May 24, 2019
As we start organizing for all-ages climate strike Sept 20, a free new book (w/intro by @GretaThunberg) on the nuts and bolts of organizing. Download herehttps://t.co/nMen61LKxl
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) May 24, 2019
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Image above © Monterey County Weekly — “Wheel the Earth” text © Mari Lynch
As stated in “Wheel the Earth: HER Helmet Thursdays cuts carbon emissions and costs,” “Earth can’t wait until we all have enough time.”
Since that history of the HER Helmet Thursdays Project was published in the Earth Day 2010 issue of the Monterey County Weekly, the project passed its 9th anniversary. Thanks to the businesses and organizations in HER Helmet Thursdays, including the early leaders / charter participants.
In the January 17, 2019, Monterey County Weekly, senior writer David Schmalz wrote: “Humans are transforming the Earth in ways that pose an existential threat to our civilization, and many of the other creatures we share this planet with.
“Central to that transformation is climate change, which is being driven by greenhouse gas emissions – whether from cars, planes, factories or power plants.” Read David’s story, “Local agencies are wrestling with how to adapt to a warming planet, and the crises it will create.”
Transportation
and climate change
“We can’t afford to ignore significant climate mitigation measures just because they are politically difficult,” writes Meredith Hankins in a Dec 5, 2018 article in Legal Planet, “We’re Never Going to Meet Our GHG Transportation Goals Unless We Radically Rethink Our Cities.” She refers to the following “groundbreaking” report from the California Air Resources Board (CARB)—the “2018 Progress Report on California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act”; check it out: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2018-11/Final2018Report_SB150_112618_02_Report.pdf
Why bike or bike-and-ride in response to climate change?
The Guardian reported 1/1/18, “Vehicles are now America’s biggest CO2 source but EPA is tearing up regulations“: “Emissions data has placed transport as the new king of climate-warming pollution.”
U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Information Administration data https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/#consumption; a 1/19/17 @energy report “Power sector carbon dioxide emissions fall below transportation sector emissions,” stated “On a 12-month rolling total basis, electric power sector CO2 emissions are now regularly below transportation sector CO2 emissions for the first time since the late 1970s.”
Some related posts on the Bicycling Monterey site
- When no one is looking, who cares about climate change?
- Bicycling and ecotourism / good earthkeeping right at home
- We’re all heroes on this bus
- Bicycle advocacy: What you can do
- Former ER doc attending to the health of the planet: Blessed Earth
[The info directly below was originally added to this post October 23, 2016.]
- “Transport is a major contributor to overall greenhouse gas emissions – in most nations the second-biggest element after energy generation,” Peter Walker in The Guardian, “How cycling could help the Paris climate talks change the world,” 12/1/15.
- Bloomberg writer Eric Roston reported in “America’s Energy Revolution Hits a Historic Milepost,”10/31/16: “In February [2016], U.S. transportation emitted more carbon dioxide than the fossil-fuel-heavy power sector for the first time since 1978.”
- Angie Schmitt in StreetsBlog USA, “How Much Can Bicycling Help Fight Climate Change? A Lot, If Cities Try.”
- Advocacy Advance, “Climate Change and Bicycling: How bicycling advocates can help craft comprehensive Climate Action Plans.”
- Rails to Trails, “The Short Trip with Big Impacts: Walking, Biking and Climate Change.”
- Tony Dutzik on the League of American Bicyclists blog, “From Mode Shift to Frame Shift: How Cycling Can Hep Solve Climate Change.”
- Cherry Allan on We Are Cycling UK, “Climate change.”
- Robert Annis in Bicycling, “Bicycles Can Be a ‘Huge Part’ of Combating Climate Change.”
- Bobby Magill on Climate Central, “Shifting Gears to Cycling Would Be Big Climate Boost.”
- And the City of Monterey, on their Transportation Alternatives page.
“Think globally, act locally”— support local bike advocacy: https://bit.ly/GiveFAQs
Below, see a gallery of people who have started reducing carbon emissions right where they are—by bicycling in Monterey County.
Answer to the question: If we have global warming, why is it so cold? Here's our post with experts explaining the connection between climate change and extreme weather. https://t.co/C63CgdSKU1 #ActOnClimate
— Earth Day Network (@EarthDayNetwork) April 3, 2019
Check out this gallery of people reducing carbon emissions through bicycling.
Salinas, Monterey County, California
Monterey, Monterey County, California
Carmel, Monterey County, California
The Alisal/East Salinas, Monterey County, California
Carmel Valley, Monterey County, California
Greenfield, Monterey County, California
Pebble Beach, Monterey County, California
Del Rey Oaks, Monterey County, California
Sand City, Monterey County, California
Seaside, Monterey County, California
Pacific Grove, Monterey County, California
Marina, Monterey County, California
Castroville, Monterey County, California
Big Sur, Monterey County, California
Moss Landing, Monterey County, California
Archive of some past events
A Monterey Bay Regional Climate Action Compact Climate Summit took place at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) on Thursday, October 27, 2016. See James Herrera’s story in the Monterey County Herald to learn more about that summit. In this post, Bicycling Monterey encouraged attendees to bike or use a bike-and-ride option, such as Monterey-Salinas Transit, to get to the summit. And since October 27, 2016 was a Thursday, before or after summit activities they could make use of HER Helmet Thursdays discounts for people who bike.
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The below was previously published 9/21/14.
People’s Climate
We stand with the world family.
We all share the same mother.
Bicycling is part of the mix in climate hope. That’s one reason Monterey Bay Aquarium–an educator on climate change–includes biking as a transportation option. There are many good reasons to bike, not least of all—as the City of Monterey points out—the environmental impact of cars!
Very special thanks to the poster artist,
Favianna Rodriguez. https://favianna.com
for permission to republish her art.
