Put the brakes on global warming, and leave the car in the driveway

By Mary Bandziukas
info@riverdalenature.org

What if you broke your arm and couldn't drive? Those among you who don't own cars will shrug and say, "no biggie." But if you rely on your car to get around, you might experience a momentary jolt at the thought.

Think about the places you go in an average week. If you had to, could you walk or get there using mass transit?

Reducing the miles you drive is worth considering. Sheryl Eisenberg, writing for the Natural Resource Defense Council's This Green Life, observes that cutting down the number of miles you drive will result in cleaner air, lower global warming emissions, greater energy independence, better water quality, less habitat destruction and saved lives. By walking more, you will also improve your health.

A report released last year by ClimatePlan, a coalition of conservation and planning groups in California, clearly makes the case that people drive fewer miles in places with more compact development patterns and a variety of transportation options.

Despite its semi-rural ambiance, Riverdale really does function more like one of these compact places. At four homes per acre, Riverdale's lowest density is still twice as dense as the twohouse- per-acre density permitted in Yonkers, our neighbor to the north. Sidewalks, pleasant streetscapes, stores relatively nearby and a dearth of parking in commercial areas all encourage walking or biking.

Local and express buses, the subway, and Metro-North offer a variety of ways to go farther afield

Yet, Riverdale is a neighborhood of drivers. New York City's Mobility Needs Assessment 2007-2030 identifies Riverdale as a "driver hot spot," meaning that "compared to other Bronx residents, [Riverdalians] are four times more likely to drive to work in Manhattan."

According to the assessment, driving has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Safety Council as the single most polluting activity committed by most Americans. In New York City in 2005, mass transit produced three percent of overall greenhouse gas emissions, while automobiles and light trucks produced 18 percent.

In leafy Riverdale, even mundane errands can be a walk in the woods. The next time you find yourself headed for the car, stop and consider if it's really necessary to drive.

Mary Bandziukas, a Queens resident, has worked for more than 15 years as an urban planner and environmental program manager. She has been a consultant with the Riverdale Nature Preservancy for the past decade.

Sustainable Riverdale appears in the third issue of the month. It is the work of the Riverdale Nature Preservancy, done in conjunction with The Riverdale Press and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Have an issue you'd like to see addressed? E-mail newsroom@riverdalepress.com, and put Sustainable Riverdale in the subject line, or write to The Riverdale Press, 6155 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471.

This is part of the November 20, 2008 online edition of The Riverdale Press.

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