3 ms·

So no roads? I don't normally think of mass famine as sustainable, but I suppose it is in a way. I'd like to opt out, personally.

paulryanrogers 3y ago
Who is proposing no roads? We need more rail, more trolleys, more buses, lower speed limits, to close loopholes for polluting trucks, and mixed use roads built for pedestrians, bicycles, and smaller motorized vehicles. SUVs and trucks should be taxed so much they're impractical to own, apart from a legit business need. Not encouraged to proliferate through outdated regulatory loopholes. Roads should serve everyone, including those incapable of driving and those with respiratory challenges. They should not only serve the rich, deceived, and unimaginative who cannot stand the thought of any other solutions.
chongli 3y ago
There are alternatives to roads for moving people and cargo. Railroads, for one. If we really wanted to minimize ecological disruption without shutting down the logistics network of the economy (taking the economy with it), we would build elevated rails across the landscape. Wildlife could safely traverse underneath them so there’d be a lot less interruption of territories and trails. The downside is cost. A more modest solution is wildlife tunnels and bridges [1]. These aren’t nearly as expensive as elevating a railroad for many miles, but they do allow wildlife to safely cross in some places. They help to reduce habitat fragmentation which is a huge challenge for migratory species and those with large territories. They don’t much for pollution, however. Electric cars might help with that somewhat, but the local issue around roads is pollution from tire and road wear, salt/de-icing, debris, litter, and runoff. All of these local pollution sources won’t be alleviated and some (tire/road wear) are exacerbated by EVs due the dramatic weight increase. Elevated rails would be amazing though. They could accommodate very high speed trains, allowing an even faster transportation network, while also cutting down on all of the issues listed above. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_crossing?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_crossing?wprov=sfti1

paulryanrogers 3y ago

Who is proposing no roads? We need more rail, more trolleys, more buses, lower speed limits, to close loopholes for polluting trucks, and mixed use roads built for pedestrians, bicycles, and smaller motorized vehicles. SUVs and trucks should be taxed so much they're impractical to own, apart from a legit business need. Not encouraged to proliferate through outdated regulatory loopholes. Roads should serve everyone, including those incapable of driving and those with respiratory challenges. They should not only serve the rich, deceived, and unimaginative who cannot stand the thought of any other solutions.

chongli 3y ago

There are alternatives to roads for moving people and cargo. Railroads, for one. If we really wanted to minimize ecological disruption without shutting down the logistics network of the economy (taking the economy with it), we would build elevated rails across the landscape. Wildlife could safely traverse underneath them so there’d be a lot less interruption of territories and trails. The downside is cost. A more modest solution is wildlife tunnels and bridges [1]. These aren’t nearly as expensive as elevating a railroad for many miles, but they do allow wildlife to safely cross in some places. They help to reduce habitat fragmentation which is a huge challenge for migratory species and those with large territories. They don’t much for pollution, however. Electric cars might help with that somewhat, but the local issue around roads is pollution from tire and road wear, salt/de-icing, debris, litter, and runoff. All of these local pollution sources won’t be alleviated and some (tire/road wear) are exacerbated by EVs due the dramatic weight increase. Elevated rails would be amazing though. They could accommodate very high speed trains, allowing an even faster transportation network, while also cutting down on all of the issues listed above. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_crossing?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_crossing?wprov=sfti1