Land Use and My Bicycle

(By SASHA ABELSON, Guest Blogger to the Climate Program)

 
When I first moved to LA I told people I hoped to find a job close to home which did not involve an hour commute to and from the office. The response to this statement was generally one of uncontrollable laughter.   I, however, did not think it was funny.

I was born and raised in New York City and the idea of walking to work was not a foreign concept to me.  In fact, in all of my years as a New Yorker, I was able to get to each place of employment on foot.  I always enjoyed my walk to work, and I appreciated the fact that it was indeed possible to walk to work. 

I am now a resident of LA and my current commute takes me approximately 10 minutes - on my bike.  I will always remember that I am one of the lucky ones! A colleague of mine just explained to me how she spent 3 hours last night traveling the 19.1 miles to her home. 

My goal to live near work goes beyond the desire to avoid traffic and arrive at the office with windswept hair and tanned forearms.  It has to do with effective land use, and a need to have a relationship with the land that is both environmentally friendly and economically viable.  Nearly 40% of California's greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation.  As the population continues to grow and sprawling suburbs continue to be developed, the state's greenhouse emissions will continue to soar unless it dramatically changes the way it builds cities and suburbs

An article in the LA Times discussed a report, "Growing Cooler: Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change."[1]  This report concluded that compact development such as mixing housing and businesses in denser patterns, with walkable neighborhoods, could be as effective at lowering emissions as some state and national climate policies.  According to the study, compact development would allow consumers to spend less on gas while saving money in taxes that would otherwise be spent on pumping water and building new roads to far-away suburbs.

Frankly, I am thrilled with my 10 minute commute, my once monthly trip to the pump, my lower CO2 emissions, and my not-so-LA-approach to urban planning and land use.  Who's laughing now?

[1] http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/21/local/me-climate21