Why Are Nordic People So Happy?

Perhaps one explanation is that Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark are all rapidly transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy so their citizens can breathe clean air and know they are playing an important role in dealing with the climate crisis.

At least that was one possible reason given at a recent panel discussion at the Capitol Visitor Center hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute and the Nordic Council titled "Shaping a Low-Carbon World: Lessons From Nordic Countries."

The panelists included Fridtjof Unander, Director of Energy and Petroleum, Research Council Norway; Jes Brinchmann Christensen, Managing Director, Danish Board of District Heating (DBDH); Mikael Möller, Head of Industrial Policy, Swedish Plastics and Chemicals Federation; Pekka Sauri, Deputy Mayor, City of Helsinki, Finland; and Gudni A. Jóhannesson, Director General, National Energy Authority of Iceland.

Moderator Juliet Eilperin of The Washington Post, provided the following facts about each country:

• Sweden -- Was one of the first countries in the world to introduce a tax on carbon dioxide in 1981 and it applies to both households and industry. Sweden has a vision to be carbon neutral by 2050. They are really focusing on the transportation sector with the goal of increasing the share of renewables to 10% by 2020 and have a car fleet that is independent of fossil fuels by 2030.
  
• Finland -- One of its primary sources of renewable energy include bioenergy like wood and wood-based fuels as well as hydropower, ground heat and solar energy. Its goal is to increase its share of renewables to 38% by 2020 and aims to cut its emissions by at least 80% from the 1990 level by 2050.
  
• Norway -- It is the sixth largest hydropower producer and is going to overfulfill its commitment under the Kyoto Treaty by 10% by cutting 30% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 1990s by 2020. Norway aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
  
• Denmark -- Known for its wind power, today Denmark is energy independent and between a quarter and 30% of its electricity comes from wind.
  
• Iceland -- Gets 82% of its energy needs from domestic renewable sources. It is known for its geothermal energy. Today about 97% of households in Iceland have access to geothermal district heating.

Here is video of the full presentation:


Shaping a Low-Carbon World: Lessons from Nordic Countries from Laura Parsons on Vimeo.

'Inside' the Economic Meltdown

The villains are many and the heroes few in Director Charles Ferguson's examination of the events that led up to the 2008 financial crisis that still resonates to this day in foreclosed homes, lost retirement savings and the most painful global recession in decades.

"Inside Job" points the blame at the big players in Washington and Wall Street for placing a rigid free-market, deregulation economic ideology above common sense policy decisions and for failing to recognize the many warning signs that the credit default swaps, subprime mortgages, derivatives, etc... would all come crashing down like too many cocaine binges by Wall Street big shots.

The greedy, narcissistic culture on Wall Street was allowed to swindle the American people because of back-bending politicians in Washington greased by Wall Street money. Many of these leaders in the White House, Congress and regulatory agencies were either former Wall Street execs themselves or had strong ties to the financial services industry.

The victims, as usual, are the working class and middle class all over the world.

Ronald Reagan, George Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Alan Greenspan, Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, Timothy Geithner, Henry Paulsen, Ben Bernanke. The list goes on and on. And yes, President Obama is called out for speaking tough on Wall Street but then appointing Geithner as Treasury Secretary and Summers as an economic advisor (although the documentary fails to mention that Paul Volcker is an economic advisor and Elizabeth Warren has been appointed as an advisor to the new Consumer Protection Agency housed in the Federal Reserve -- both pro-regulation consumer advocates.)

Perhaps the most disturbing part of the film is its examination of how the financial services industry has hijacked academia through big money and high-profile faculty who espouse the free-market, anti-regulation philosophy that puts Wall Street profits above all else.

Here is the trailer:

Electric Motorcycle Rolls into D.C.

Siemens and Orange County Choppers are showcasing their new electric motorcycle -- the first custom electric American chopper -- at this weekend's Green Festival in and around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.

Some features of the Siemens Smart Chopper include new and recycled materials, LED lighting, range of 60 miles on a single charge and an on-board charger that can be plugged into any 110-volt outlet for a recharge time of 5 hours (1-2 hours at a charging station.)

Capital Bikeshare: Downtown to U Street Corridor

I finally got around to trying out the new Capital Bikeshare -- the largest bike-sharing program in the nation -- and it exceeded my expectations. The compactness of D.C. and plentiful bike lanes provides an environment conducive to bicycling short distances, which is exactly what CB is set up to do.

Before the trip I checked out the Bike Station Map website, which provides real-time information on exactly how many bikes and docks are available at each station. I found out that the closest station to me was at 13th St. and New York Avenue and that there were two bikes available.

I grabbed my helmet (CB doesn't provide helmets but encourages riders to wear them) and walked over to the bike station location. Sure enough there were two bikes waiting for me. I slid the small key card provided to me when I became a member and waited a few seconds until the green light turned on, indicating the bike was unlocked from the dock.

The shiny red bikes are very visible to cars and pedestrians. They are also heavy and sturdy to withstand the beatings they take riding around the city. The unique design, color scheme and weight also discourage any would-be bike robbers. There are three gears so obviously CB bikes are not meant for speed or going up big hills. They are meant for short distance commuting at cruising speeds.

I hooked up with the bike lane at Thomas Circle and continued on the bike lane that runs along the revitalized 14th Street Corridor to the bike station at 16th and New Hampshire Avenue, which I knew had plenty of available docks from looking at the Bike Station Map App on my Droid Smart Phone.

After locking the bike into the dock, I walked down the historic U Street Corridor all the way to the 9:30 Club at 9th and V where I briefly worked during my senior year at George Mason University some eleven years ago.

I then had probably the tastiest Gyro I've ever had at The Greek Spot on 11th, just off U.

Then it was back to downtown so I grabbed another bike at the 10th and U Bike Station and biked down U Street to 14th Street and finally returned to the original bike station at 13th and New York Ave.

The round trip was about 3 miles and was an overall positive experience. CB has the potential to transform the Nation's Capital into the most bike-friendly city in the country. As word spreads about how convenient and easy it is, more people will give it a try and CB should grow exponentially.

One suggestion would be to add more bike stations downtown and expand CB to parts of Northern Virginia such as the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro Orange Line Corridor, Old Town Alexandria and even Tysons Corner. And also install bike stations in Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, Rockville and other urban areas in Maryland.

A Better Alternative to AAA

AAA has been getting a lot of bad publicity lately regarding its negative stance towards bicycle lanes. Recently the American Automobile Association argued that the new Pennsylvania Avenue bicycle lanes will increase congestion, even though the District of Columbia Department of Transportation's modeling has predicted the bike lanes will actually reduce traffic congestion.

But thankfully there is a greener alternative to AAA and it is called the Better World Club, which labels itself as "America's environmentally friendly auto club."

While they don't yet offer the major discounts for Amtrak and vacation spots that AAA offers, they do offer roadside bicycle assistance, something AAA would never dream about offering in their car-first thinking.

And Better World has special rates for eco-friendly cars such as hybrids, electric and biofuel vehicles. Here is more info from their website:

"BWC has benefits that you won't find anywhere else. We aren't a member of the Highway Lobby. We donate 1% of Gross Revenue to the environment, and provides a free carbon offset to insurance clients. We discount membership fees for hybrid drivers... AND we have the only nationwide bicycle roadside assistance!"

Of course BWC has a long way to go to even begin to compete with AAA -- 20,000 members as of 2006 versus 53 million members of AAA. But as people demand more bike-friendly communities this number is poised to grow if AAA continues to disrespect bicycling as a commuting option.

And the list of partners is growing as well. BWC currently partners with Adventure Cycling Association, Car Talk, League of American Bicyclists, National Wildlife Federation, Organic Consumers Association, Washington Area Bicycle Association, and Working Assets.

Making Pedestrian Crosswalks Safer

A virtual raised crosswalk in Sweden.

At one time or another we are all "pedestrians" or "drivers" or "bikers" or "passengers." And we most likely at one time or another have either been stuck in city traffic and blocked a crosswalk because we couldn't make it completely through the intersection. And we also have probably been on the other side as a pedestrian trying to cross the street only to have a vehicle blocking our way.

It is an awkward and frustrating experience for both the driver and the pedestrians. But what to do about it?

Well, as in a lot of other innovative ideas, the answer could come from across the pond. Many European cities have been experimenting with traffic calming measures including raised pedestrian crosswalks.

Raised crossings slow down motor vehicle traffic and increase pedestrian visibility.

Another idea being implemented in some places is LED lighting, or in-pavement lighting (pictured below). When pedestrians are walking across the street the pavement lights turn on, adding an extra visible warning to drivers that pedestrians are about to cross the street.

Raised pedestrian crosswalks, in-pavement lighting and other safety measures when implemented will make it easier for both pedestrians and drivers and hopefully reduce the annoying circumstances of cars blocking crosswalks in rush hour traffic.

Green D.C. Headlines: Metro Maps 30-Year Plan

Metro mapping 30-year plan for system growth
Summary: Imagine a new series of north-south Metrorail lines connecting Union Station and Judiciary Square to the Waterfront, or streetcars gliding up and down Constitution Avenue. Metro officials are considering those ideas, as well as new bus rapid transit corridors and other transportation services, as they begin to craft a 30-year plan to handle the Washington area's projected population and employment growth.

Rosslyn’s Future, as Foretold by an Office Building
Summary: If Thursday’s groundbreaking for the 1812 North Moore Street office tower was anything, it was a vote of confidence in the DC area, and Rosslyn specifically, as a commercial center.

New Research Shows Americans Don’t Walk Much
Summary: For the year 2009 alone, the top five walking commuter cities were Boston (14.1 percent commuted by foot), Washington (11.1), San Francisco (10.3), New York (10.3), and Philadelphia (8.7). The city with the lowest commuter walking share for the year was Fort Worth, at 1.2 percent.

Solar Hero Dr. Hermann Scheer Dies
Summary: Hermann Scheer was able to see beyond the energy status quo and envisage a different energy future. A Social Democrat member of the German parliament since 1980, Scheer was instrumental in introducing Germany’s solar roof programmes and Renewable Energy Law (which included the feed-in tariff).

Big Oil goes to college: a conflict of interest?
Summary: Have hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from major oil companies compromised the ethics of energy research at such institutions as UC Berkeley, UC Davis and Stanford?