Oliver Wendell Holmes said that “a moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” I expect that we will someday look back on 2008 as a major turning point in the arena of Climate, Energy, and Health. Whether precipitated by the amazing fluctuations in oil prices, the interest among the presidential candidates in addressing climate change, the increased recognition that compact land development forms can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or because of a host of other factors not yet fully known, the year of 2008 appears to have been our “moment of insight.”
Here are a few of the notable milestones that occurred along the way:
- January: Crude oil prices begin the year at $90 per barrel; gasoline averages $2.76 per gallon nationwide.
- February: Oil prices close at over $100 per barrel for the first time on February 19.
- May: Campaign discussion of climate change increases as Congress begins debating “cap and trade” legislation as part of the Boxer-Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008.
- July: Oil prices peak at $147 per barrel on July 11; gasoline averages over $4.00 per gallon nationwide.
- August: The new book Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt achieves Top 10 status on the New York Times bestseller list. In addition to becoming the first bestselling book delving into the good, the bad, and the ugly of the traffic engineering profession, it discusses such topics as the safety and design of our streets, the complex psychology of driving, and why building new roads doesn’t necessarily reduce congestion.
- September: In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signs Senate Bill 375, which sponsor Darrell Steinberg suggests “will be used as the national framework for fighting sprawl and transforming inevitable growth to smart growth.” While there is some debate over how much land use reform the Bill will actually create, SB 375 is still notable for what it contains: regional targets for greenhouse gas emissions tied to land use, requirements that regional transportation funding be consistent with new greenhouse gas reduction plans, and possible CEQA exemptions for projects that conform to these regional plans.
- October: In the weeks leading up to the election, Barack Obama announces plans to “create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s.” Also in October, the Rails to Trails Conservancy and Bikes Belong release “Active Transportation for America,” which builds a strong case for increased federal investment in walking and bicycling.
- November: Better Place, a Palo Alto-based startup, unveils plans to develop an electric vehicle recharging network in the San Francisco Bay Area and California in partnership with the Cities of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and others. A similar announcement is made for the State of Hawaii two weeks later.
- December: On December 31, even though crude oil prices stand at $39 per barrel and gasoline averages $1.61 per gallon, there is continuing evidence that Americans are still electing to drive less and ride transit more than they did in 2007.
Here’s to 2009 being a continuation of the insight gained in 2008. Happy New Year!
