I've got to hand it to Margaret Wente - "The War Against Cars" is a pretty catchy title, so I'll use it for a title post on some news stories I've found about reducing the auto-centrism of the world.
The Competition for Talent Goes Green (TreeHugger)
"There's a war on talent out there," says Dave Mowat, chief executive officer of Vancouver-based Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, which offers employees the works when it comes to commuting options. "As employers, we need to take advantage of everything we've got to attract and retain talent."
Some Toronto companies who are offering incentives to attract car-free employees include PMA Landscape Architects (offers employees membership in a car-sharing program so when they can't bike to work they have an option) and BCE (lets employees "hotel" in offices all over the country so if they don't have to go downtown that day, they can go to a closer suburban office and use a desk). The Globe and Mail article referenced by TreeHugger also lists many ways employers can ease the commute for their employees.
London Mayor Wants $45 Fee From Pollution-Making SUV’s (StreetsBlog)Mayor Ken Livingstone has said he wants a sliding scale, with lower charges for low-emission vehicles and higher charges for "Chelsea tractors." The mayor said he wanted to encourage Londoners to buy low-emission cars to help cut carbon emissions and protect the environment.
Contested Streets (Spacing Wire)
It's not just the environmental effects of cars that suck, but also the social effects. Cars create people who are cut-off and divided from eachother, seperated not only by glass and steel, but their neighbourhoods by highways, "arterial roads", and parking lots. Contested Streets is a documentary film that is meant to show the political leaders of New York that major cities around the world are adopting the philosophy that is is a right to walk or bicycle in your neighbourhood and not get hit by a truck. It is not a privilege. Reading the comments of this post I've also found out that Contested Streets will have its Canadian premiere at the October 26 screening of Streets To Screens, the fundraising cinema series of the Toronto Public Space Committee. Everyone is invited to join us at the Bloor Cinema — tickets are $9.
Lessons From... Portland (New York City Streets Renaissance)
This video is a great one about what happens when a city says "no" to a new highway cutting their city in half and instead uses the space to create parkland and awesome biking trails... even using some of the old partially-completed highway exit ramps! It seems like the cancelling of the Mount Hood Freeway in Portland was like the cancelling of the Spadina Expressway here in Toronto... it made their city beautiful and livable. Video by Clarence Eckerson of BikeTV.
Discuss this topic and a lot more on the BikingToronto Forum
