Kiwi Cap and Trade
Reuters is reporting that New Zealand just approved a national cap-and-trade system to reduce climate pollution. Here are the interesting tidbits:
Trading of carbon credits begins in 2009 and Wednesday's parliamentary approval means the system is the first national cap-and-trade scheme outside of Europe.
Neighbouring Australia has set a 2010 deadline for its scheme to begin operation.
And:
The New Zealand trading scheme will phase in sectors across the economy and includes all emissions from forestry from 2008, transport by 2009, stationary energy such as coal-fired power stations by 2010 and agricultural waste by 2013.
About 60 percent of New Zealand's power comes from hydro-electricity, while agricultural emissions, such as methane from livestock, comprise about half the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions.
It's happening folks. Cites, states, regions, and countries are taking the lead on this stuff. They won't all do it the same way -- and they won't all do it perfectly -- but the game is on.
What really perplexes me, however, is that New Zealand and Australia can reduce carbon when China isn't doing it first. Don't they realize that China pollutes more than they do? Isn't it obvious that if China won't do something first, then western countries shouldn't either?
Hat tip to Eric Hess.
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Seattle's Bus to the Airport Actually Does Exist
Over at Crosscut, an otherwise interesting article by Peter Lewis on travel to Seattle's airport is blemished by this bizarre claim:
A check of Metro Transit's bus service to Sea-Tac shows fares at less than $3 from central Seattle, but those routes generally involve transfers and take an hour or more.
Well, not exactly. From downtown Seattle, the bus is by far the cheapest option to SeaTac. And it's nearly as fast as a cab.
I give you... the 194.
Behold its radiant glory.
Depending on the time of day, the 194 picks up travelers in the downtown every 15 or 30 minutes and arrives at SeaTac in 30 minutes. (Between those departures, the 174 also leaves from downtown, but it takes 45 minutes to arrive at the airport.) With the recent fare hike for Metro buses, the 194 costs exactly $1.75 during peak periods and $1.50 during off-peak periods. Better yet, the 194 is mostly immune to congestion because it travels via the bus tunnel through downtown, the bus-only express lanes through SoDo, and then the HOV lanes on I-5. From downtown, the 194 requires no transfers. (Neither does the 174.)
Without any fanfare, the 194 operates very much as a low-tech version of bus rapid transit. That is to say: it's often over-crowded and slightly smelly, and yet it's also very inexpensive, reliable, and frequent. It takes good advantage of dedicated lanes and better loading platforms, and yet it's also wildly imperfect and crammed with the suitcases of clueless travelers. But lest ye carp too much about taking the bus to the airport, please remember what our options are. Airport parking is either pricey (if on-site) or inconvenient (if off-site). Airport shuttles are expensive, require advance planning, and are often crowded and slow. And taxis are expensive and prone to not showing up on time.
The bus is the better option hands-down. And it's amazing to me that our excellent airport bus service is overlooked and ignored by pretty much everyone who talks about airport travel connections. That's not helpful.
Update below the jump.
