CAR BUSTERS BULLETIN >>>=20
_____________________________=20
Edition no. 42 - January 2003 - English version
...............................................
This bulletin was compiled by Ivana Jakubkov=E1. Thanks=20
to everyone for their submissions and sorry if yours didn't=20
make it in here: it's probably too good to be shared.
Contents:
World News
- JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR ASTHMA
- UK: CYCLING'S DEAD, LET'S BUILD MORE ROADS!
- "DEBUNKER" OF GLOBAL WARMING FOUND DISHONEST
- ALPS TUNNEL UPDATE
Announcements
- ROAD PROTEST IMAGE GALLERY
- STUDY OF CAR-FREE AND MOBILITY-MANAGED HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
- (IF YOU MUST DRIVE) MAKE YOUR OWN BIODIESEL=20
- WALK21 IV CONFERENCE: HEALTH, EQUITY & ENVIRONMENT=20
- BIKE WISE WEEK 2003
- JOB OPPORTUNITY AT EYFA
- BUILDING A NEW CITY TOUR
Car Busters Announcements
- TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III: REGISTER NOW!
- CAR BUSTERS MAGAZINE NO. 16 RELEASED
- IVAN ILLICH MEMORIAL MAGAZINE (NO. 17) - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Things to Read
- HIGH AND MIGHTY
Disclaimer
=20
_______________=20
WORLD NEWS >>=20
__________________=20
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR ASTHMA
[from the latest Carfree Times at=20
<
http://www.carfree.com>]
A group of Japanese asthma sufferers has won=20
US$638,000 in a suit against the Japanese government=20
alleging that road-related air pollution in Tokyo either=20
gave them asthma or exacerbated existing asthma. The=20
plaintiffs live within 50 metres of major roads and=20
highways in central Tokyo.=20
The court cited the failure of the national government,=20
the Metropolitan Expressway Public Corp., and the=20
Tokyo metropolitan government to properly build and=20
manage Tokyo's roads. "The extent of the violation is=20
very serious. The large volumes of exhaust that are=20
continually released have caused and exacerbated=20
bronchial asthma, which can endanger a person's life,"=20
the court said.=20
UK: CYCLING'S DEAD, LET'S BUILD MORE ROADS!
[spotted by Peter Day on BBC News, Dec. 12 and Dave=20
Morris in The Observer Dec. 22]
The biggest road-widening programme in 20 years has=20
been outlined by the UK government as part of a plan to=20
improve transport. Notorious bottlenecks on the M1 and=20
M6 motorways are to get an extra lane, taking them to=20
four lanes wide. The transport package is worth L5.5=20
billion for England's roads, rail and bus infrastructure, but=20
at about the same time the government admitted that=20
road congestion could worsen by a fifth over the next=20
decade.
Unlike environmental and public transport groups,=20
motoring groups welcomed the plan. The RAC (Royal=20
Automobile Club) said it was "a realisation that an=20
integrated transport policy includes road building."
Shortly after this announcement, The Observer=20
newspaper published an extensive article on the decline=20
of cycling in the UK. Fewer people are using bikes to get=20
to work or school than ever before: on rural roads and for=20
primary school children the level is so low it has officially=20
fallen to 'zero percent of trips' in national statistics.=20
Overall, only two percent of trips are now taken by=20
bicycle in the UK, compared with 85 percent by car. This=20
represents a decline in cycling by 25 percent and in=20
walking by almost 30 percent since 1990.
The government has spectacularly failed with its goal=20
of increasing cycling levels four-fold to reach eight=20
percent of all trips by 2012, which would have matched=20
the level Germany was at in 1996. Instead, it will now try=20
to triple cycling by 2010, which still looks like wishful=20
thinking, although the government is putting in record=20
levels of funding. It has just begun a nationwide=20
assessment of all councils' performance on cycling to=20
find out why it is still declining.=20
One senior consultant to ministers said: "Some places=20
are great. But the prevailing attitude in most authorities is=20
that the car is king, money is for road building, bikes are=20
at best an afterthought and at worst a threat to road=20
safety and traffic flow. The government simply has not=20
had the balls to get to grips with this because they are=20
afraid of the motoring lobby and now they are off=20
spending billions widening roads again."
Read the full version of the article at=20
<
http://www.observer.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,864328,
00.html>.
"DEBUNKER" OF GLOBAL WARMING FOUND DISHONEST
[spotted by Jason Kirkpatrick in the Guardian, January 9]
Bjorn Lomborg - the director of Denmark's Environmental=20
Assessment Institute and a leading would-be debunker=20
of mainstream scientific opinion on issues like global=20
warming and overuse of natural resources - has been=20
found guilty by a Danish government committee of=20
"scientific dishonesty" after a year-long investigation.=20
The committee was appointed to look at four=20
complaints against Lomborg's book "The Skeptical=20
Environmentalist," which argues that life for humankind=20
had never been better, pollution levels were falling, and=20
there were enough resources for current levels of=20
prosperity to continue. It also claims that the "colossal=20
sums it is planned to deploy on reducing global warming=20
will be money ill spent."=20
Professor Lomborg's contrarian views made him a=20
favourite of the rightwing establishment after the book's=20
publication. On its election in March last year, Denmark's=20
rightwing government made him the director of its=20
Environmental Assessment Institute.
"This is the very message of the book: children born=20
today - in both the industrialised world and developing=20
countries - will live longer and be healthier," the book=20
concludes. "They will get more food, a better education,=20
a higher standard of living, more leisure time and far=20
more possibilities - without the global environment being=20
destroyed. And that is a beautiful world."
The complaints: "Lomborg is accused of fabricating=20
data, selectively and surreptitiously discarding unwanted=20
results, of the deliberately misleading use of statistical=20
methods, consciously distorted interpretation of the=20
conclusions, plagiarising of others' results or=20
publications, and deliberate misrepresentation of others'=20
results."
However, the committee is not quite so harsh in its own=20
conclusions, accusing Professor Lomborg of not=20
comprehending the science rather than intending to=20
mislead or being grossly negligent.
ALPS TUNNEL NEWS
[submitted by Anne Lassman of Initiative Transport=20
Europe <
www.ite-euro.com>]
Since the reopening of the Mont Blanc Tunnel on June=20
25, 2002, in an alternating system for vehicles over 3.5=20
tonnes (one hour in one direction, then one hour in the=20
opposite direction) a lot of things have happened and=20
demonstrations have taken place. Here's a brief outline=20
of important events both past and future:
* October 2002: Michel Charlet, Mayor of Chamonix, was=20
charged in connection with the tunnel fire in 1999. He=20
has always been outspoken about road transport and the=20
threat posed by the tunnel and his investigation is viewed=20
in Chamonix as a punishment for his non-compliance=20
with orders and pressures from the French authorities.=20
This tactic was used on Charlet in 2001, when he was=20
charged for an avalanche tragedy (the first time a mayor=20
will be tried in France for a natural disaster!).
* December 14, 2002: A big demonstration in Chamonix=20
protested against the likely removal of the alternate traffic=20
system. Protesters were removed from the road by=20
police.
* January 3: A demonstration was held in Courmayeur=20
for the same reason. A large turnout surprised the police=20
and showed signs of Italians' growing committment in the=20
fight against road freight. The new president of the Aoste=20
Region is campaigning alongside environmental=20
organisations to keep truck traffic down and to retain the=20
alternate system, which has kept the traffic well below=20
the pre-closure average. Despite that, legal pollution=20
levels in the very narrow Chamonix Valley are already=20
being reached. Any increase in traffic will push many=20
pollutants above accepted thresholds.
* January 17: The Somport Tunnel opens in the=20
Pyrenees. A sad day for mountain lovers all around=20
Europe. Another success for the road and the oil lobbies.=20
A demonstration is planned that day at Bedous, from=20
12:00 onwards.
* January 20: Bruno Rebelle, President of Greenpeace=20
France, and Eric Lano=EB, President of R=E9agir (Maurienne=20
Valley, Fr=E9jus Tunnel) are on trial in Albertville following=20
the October 2001 occupation of the motorway leading to=20
the Fr=E9jus tunnel, by 1,000 demonstrators and 20=20
environmental organisations. Protesters are faxing letters=20
to the courthouse and a demonstration will take place in=20
Albertville on the day to support Rebelle and Lano=EB.
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
_____________________________
ROAD PROTEST IMAGE GALLERY
[submitted by Road Alert]
Just thought you would like to know we have uploaded=20
some of our picture archive online. If you visit=20
<
http://www.roadalert.org.uk> and click on the gallery link=20
you can view 93 pictures from M11 Leytonstone and A46=20
Batheaston protests. If you require any of the images for=20
publishing, send an e-mail to <info@???>=20
with the image number and we will send you the full size=20
version.
STUDY OF CAR-FREE AND MOBILITY-MANAGED=20
HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
[submitted by Dr Jan Scheurer, formerly of Institute for=20
Sustainability and Technology Policy, Australia]
A full illustrated version of my PhD thesis, titled 'Urban=20
Ecology, Innovations in Housing Policy and the Future of=20
Cities: Towards Sustainability in Neighbourhood=20
Communities' is now available online at=20
<
http://www.istp.murdoch.edu.au/publications/projects/ja
n>. The dissertation contains the first international=20
empirical comparison study of carfree and mobility-
managed housing developments, discussed in a broad=20
policy context.
(IF YOU MUST DRIVE) MAKE YOUR OWN BIODIESEL=20
[submitted by Low-Impact Living Initiative]
On February 7-9 Low-Impact Living Initiative (LILI) is=20
organising a course on "How to Make Biodiesel" in=20
Redfield Community, Buckinghamshire, UK. Cost: L150=20
waged, L100 unwaged. Discounts for 'Friends of LILI'. All=20
meals and accommodation included.
This A-Z course covers everything from what biodesel=20
and its environmental benefits are, its cheap and safe=20
production, including practical sessions: plant design and=20
construction using readily-available materials; making=20
biodiesel
For more details contact LILI at tel/fax: (01296) 714184=20
or check out their website <web:
www.lowimpact.org>.
WALK21 IV: HEALTH, EQUITY & ENVIRONMENT
[submitted by Ellen Vanderslice]
The 4th International Conference on Walking in the 21st=20
Century (May 1-3, Portland, Oregon, USA) will bring=20
together activists, practitioners, decision makers and=20
academics in public health, transportation, and=20
community planning. Together we will explore how=20
walking is integrated into our infrastructure, our=20
institutions, and our daily lives. We will rethink the=20
context for walking and refine the tools we use in our=20
work. Please join us in Portland, May 1-3, 2003!=20
Registration for "Walk21 IV: Health, Equity &=20
Environment" is now open. Best rates are before=20
February 1.
Register at <
http://americawalks.org/walk21/> or check=20
out <
http:// www.walk21.com>.
BIKE WISE WEEK 2003
[submitted by Robert Ibell of Cycling Advocates Network=20
of NZ Inc.]
February 15-23; New Zealand
National Bike Wise Week aims to lift the profile of cycling=20
and encourage more people to take up the activity as an=20
integral part of an active lifestyle. The aim is to see an=20
increase in the number of cyclists and increasing=20
numbers of New Zealanders enjoying healthy lifestyles.=20
At <
http://www.bikewise.co.nz> you will find resources to=20
help you organise events to celebrate cycling, e.g. How=20
to Run a Bike Day, Planning a Bike to Work Day, Being a=20
Cycle Friendly Employer, The Commuter Challenge and=20
Planning a Bike to School Day.
You'll also find details of the nationwide Bike Wise=20
Business Battle. It aims to encourage employers and=20
employees to use their bike as a means of transport.=20
National trophies will be awarded by business sector and=20
there are plenty of other prizes, awarded on the basis of=20
number of participants and distance travelled.
JOB OPPORTUNITY AT EYFA
[submitted by Eyfa]
Eyfa, a European-wide network of individuals and=20
grassroots groups active on social and environmental=20
issues, is looking for a creative, inspired and energetic=20
person to come in January 2003 to join the core team in=20
the Amsterdam office. They need a new person that will =20
manage the European Voluntary Service project, work on=20
networking and approaching new groups and persons,=20
and take part in general administration of grants,=20
reports, our network committee, organising meetings,=20
developing our web page etc.=20
For more information, please send an email with=20
subject heading: "eyfa core-team job application" to=20
EYFA as soon as possible at < eyfa@???> or=20
phone: +31.20.6657743.=20
BUILDING A NEW CITY TOUR
[submitted by Paul White of ITDP <
www.itdp.org>]
Within three years, Enrique Penalosa, former mayor of=20
Bogot=E1, Columbia, transformed his city from a congested=20
and dangerous mess, where many citizens did not have=20
access to transport, into the world's leading model for=20
sustainable urban design.
Now, on the Building a New City tour, Penalosa will share=20
this inspirational story and describe how Africa's leaders=20
can follow "The Bogot=E1 Model" for livable cities.
The two-week tour, organised by the Institute for=20
Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), begins=20
January 15 and will bring Penalosa to four of Africa's=20
leading cities: Dakar, Senegal; Cape Town=20
and Pretoria, South Africa; and Accra, Ghana. Traffic=20
congestion, inadequate public transport, poverty and=20
poor access to jobs and services are increasingly=20
problematic in each city and local leaders have asked for=20
help in replicating Bogot=E1's success.
Under Penalosa's leadership from 1998-2000,=20
innovative transport strategies such as a successful=20
busway, bicycle paths and restrictions on private car use=20
were used to equalise all citizens' access to mobility and=20
began to relieve the traffic congestion and air pollution=20
that was choking Bogot=E1. His administration also built=20
parks, planted trees and promoted the use of public=20
space.
______________________________=20
CAR BUSTERS ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
__________________________________=20
TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III: REGISTER NOW!
[Hosted by Car Busters, March 17-22, Prague, Czech=20
Republic]
You've heard all about this conference in past bulletins; if=20
not, see the link below. Officially the registration deadline=20
for participants is January 31. Please register as soon as=20
possible to ensure there's space for you:=20
<
http://www.carbusters.org/conference>.
=20
CAR BUSTERS MAGAZINE NO. 16 RELEASED
"We shape our tools and they in turn shape us" - and=20
some of the shapes people are now becoming look=20
decidedly unwieldy. Issue 16 of Car Busters Magazine=20
looks at a phenomenon that Ken Avidor (artist, author of=20
"RoadKill Bill") calls "Automorphism," and sees how our=20
minds, bodies and culture have been affected by=20
decades of growing car dependence.
The issue also includes all the usual lively, hard-hitting=20
sections you've come to expect =97 Industry Watch, World=20
News, Car Cult Review, Book Reviews and more - albeit=20
with a much later release date than normal.
To get a copy, see=20
<
http://www.carbusters.org/resources/magazine.php>, or=20
to subscribe, see <
http://www.carbusters.org/join_us>.=20
The submissions deadline for issue 17 is February 31.
IVAN ILLICH MEMORIAL MAGAZINE (NO. 17) - CALL=20
FOR SUBMISSIONS
Following on the December 2 death of radical=20
philosopher Ivan Illich (author of "Energy and Equity"=20
among many others), we at Car Busters have decided to=20
devote part of issue 17 of our magazine to his life and his=20
thoughts on transport(ation). Therefore we'd now like to=20
send out a call for letter-to-the-editors-length personal=20
accounts of how his ideas have influenced our readers.=20
Please send them as soon as possible, and by February=20
31 at the latest.
___________________=20
THINGS TO READ >>=20
__________________=20
HIGH AND MIGHTY
[submitted by Daniel Swartz]
High and Mighty - SUVs: The World's Most Dangerous=20
Vehicles and How They Got That Way; by Keith=20
Bradsher; 468 pages; ISBN 1586481231
Bradsher, a correspondent for the New Your Times,=20
investigates the politics behind the rise of SUVs and=20
provides a lot of well-researched data on how dangerous=20
they are. You probably already know that SUVs (or 4x4s)=20
are classified as light trucks so that they don't need to=20
comply with the 1990 Clean Air Act's rather stringent=20
standards, and that's why their mileage is so appalling.=20
But did you know that Ford Explorer's pricier cousin, the=20
Lincoln Navigator, is considered a truck for the purposes=20
of calculating the 10 percent luxury tax the 1990=20
Congress slapped on cars with price tags of $30,000 or=20
more? That law, like many others, exempted "light=20
trucks", in this case those with a gross weight over 6,000=20
pounds. The Navigator grew to that size as Ford added=20
luxury features but included in the price no luxury tax=20
because it's not a car, stupid, it's a kind of luxury truck.=20
___________________=20
DISCLAIMER >>=20
__________________=20
Grrr, Bradsher has stolen from us a brilliant title of Car=20
Busters' next publication! Unfortunately we hadn't=20
trademarked it in advance so now we'll have think of=20
another name for our thrilling bestseller-to-be about the=20
excitements of our e-mail bulletin production. Oh, yes,=20
the influx of your submissions gets us high and the=20
selecting and editing process gives us a sense of might.=20
We are all addicts and regularly have fierce fights over=20
this task so you'd better keep filling us in or we'll all die of=20
withdrawal. The next bulletin is coming soon 'cos we=20
want to get back to the first-week-in-a-month scheme=20
and we hope you won't let us down.
____________________________________________
CAR BUSTERS
Kratka 26, 100 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic
tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-816-727
<info@???> - <
http://www.carbusters.org>
____________________________________________
Car Busters Worldwide Contact Directory
Register your group on-line now:
<
http://www.carbusters.org/directory>
Towards Car-Free Cities III Conference
Hosted by Car Busters, March 17-22, 2003, Prague
<
http://www.carbusters.org/conference>
"La bicicletta =E8 il veicolo pi=F9 rapido nella via della delinquenza;=
perch=E8
la passione del pedale trascina al furto, alla truffa, alla grassazione!"
-Cesare Lombroso-
