In Europe, and the UK especially, drivers are slowing down. British bus and
train drivers are being re-trained to drive more smoothly, and efficiently;
EasyJet and BMI – the first of several airlines – are reducing flying speeds
on some routes by 2%, while the journey times of cross-channel ferries will be
increased – both measures implemented to reduce fuel consumption. In America,
public transport use has risen dramatically, and as J. Harry Wray mentions in
his interview on page 26, “the car is in the decline.” Bicycle sales are
sky-rocketing, while the automobile industry has suffered one of the most
financially crippling years on record: Ford recorded a quarterly loss of US$8.7
billion, while GM will close four Hummer factories, resulting in decisions to
switch production from gas-guzzlers to more efficient models.
All fantastic news, but are we actually witnessing a minor revolution in the
public’s attitude towards transportation and the environment?
"Every time we lift our feet off the accelerator, we are improving GDP and
employment," stated Miguel Sebastián, Spain’s minister for
industry, after the Spanish government proposed a plan to cut the speed limit
on dual carriageways to 80 km/h as part of a bid to save EUR4.14 billion on oil
imports. Whether the plans succeed is yet to be seen, but Sebastián
encapsulates the thought behind the growing trend that we’ve seen over the last
three months: slow down, use less oil, and you’ll save money.
It’s undoubtedly sound advice, but is it being given for the wrong reasons? Any
environmental benefit seems to be merely a by-product of the economic equation.
Are we simply witnessing a global cost cutting exercise? With relation to the
automobile, Roger Bysouth asks on page 22, “is this just car culture adapting
to survive?” It’s maybe too soon to tell, but one certainty is that these are
the first tentative steps of an inevitable post-peak-oil behavioural shift; a
shift currently led by the public’s wallets, if not their hearts.
However, as successfully demonstrated by Lund Municipality on page 10,
behavioural changes are often followed by attitude changes. So, maybe we should
be asking what attitude changes could follow this behavioural shift, and where
they could lead. Could we see a return to the unsustainable past? Could car
culture simply evolve? It’s a possibility: crude oil excreting bacteria,
bio-diesel from algae, and the British International Motor Show’s “Green
Village” centrepiece – filled with electric cars and the new Lotus Eco Elise
(with hemp interior) – offer convincing evidence. After all, some people are
deeply entrenched in car culture. Or, could it lead to a sustainable future,
with public attitudes towards the environment changing for the better?
Anything’s possible, and whatever the reason may be for this current change in
behaviour, it’s clear that now is the time to ensure that these changes
continue to develop in a sustainable direction, and to do so people must
develop the right attitude towards transportation and the environment. So, it’s
never been more necessary to provide an example of the trend’s logical
conclusion; something this years’ Towards Carfree Cities Conference in Portland
(page 16) attempts. It’s time to be more active than ever: to provide the
philosophy, thought and economic structures, frameworks and impetus to stop
unsustainable attitudes simply adapting and to help them develop sustainably,
to ensure that we progress towards a sustainable future. Which also,
thankfully, means there’s never been a better time to get (naked?) on your
bike…
Sam Fleet