Sustainable Mass Transit
Sustainable public transportation reduces CO2 emissions, helps produce numerous financial benefits, creates urban centers of productivity, and reduces dependence on foreign oil. As for carbon-based transport, the amount of oil used per passenger is greatly reduced by the use of any type of sustainable public transport compared to the use of standard cars that rely on fossil fuels.
Fuel technologies such as biofuel and biodiesel, in addition to electric vehicles, represent a new trend in environmentally sound and economically beneficial public transportation. The greater the quantity and quality of public transport, the greater the opportunity and incentive for people to look beyond traditional car use. Biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel, are now standard additions to or replacements for traditional gasoline in much of the world.
One of the most promising modes of public transport is the railway, especially the electric urban train. Light rail provides several benefits related to profitability; the low maintenance needs and low energy demand of light rail make this form of transportation very efficient. The environmental benefits include the reduction of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, as well as the reduction of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.
Traffic congestion is greatly reduced in any urban setting, and light rail systems may ultimately replace highways. Light rail creates jobs by producing a new source of capital and by creating busy new economic centers. Light rail not only replaces the use of fossil fuels, but the cost of developing light rail systems is about half the cost of building highways.
Another exciting sign of progress in transportation is the increased development of hybrid, electric-only and hydrogen cars. As for a complete exit from dependence on Middle Eastern oil, first world nations must embrace the technologies now available that offer alternatives to fossil fuels. The newest and brightest of these technologies is hydrogen fuel.
Hydrogen is used in public transport vehicles in some countries in Europe (especially Norway, Germany and Iceland) and in Japan, just to name a few countries. A great benefit of hydrogen fuel is that it produces absolutely zero emissions, with water vapor being the only by-product.
Hydrogen nozzles are being tested in Europe by an organization known as Clean Hydrogen in European Cities (CHIC). Some of the cities included are Cologne, Berlin, London, Oslo and Milan. CHIC considers these cities to be leaders in hydrogen fuel cells for transit. If this program is successful, hydrogen-based transit will spread throughout Europe and ultimately globally.
