• Part-time farmer and head of Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors, Bruce Boyd writes about the economic impact of developing a system for local food, which is lacking in most Midwest farming states. Ohio can learn from Illinois which recently passed a Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, which provides a framework for developing infrastructure for processing, storing, and distributing locally grown foods; preserving farmland, especially on the urban fringe; retraining farmers to meet the growing demand for organic food; and establishing farmers’ markets in Chicago neighborhoods to bring healthier food choices to these communities.

  Read Boyd’s suggestions for creating a local food system.

• The first certified "green" restaurant in Ohio—the GreenHouse Tavern—is looking for artwork made of recycled/reused material by local artists. They will be opening in the winter of 2008 on East 4th street, in downtown Cleveland. For more information, contact Everest Curley at everestcurley@gmail.com
• Is eating less beef the best thing you do for the environment? According to a 2006 UN report, globally, greenhouse gas emissions from all livestock operations account for 18% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, exceeding those from the transportation sector.
• Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has called for restoring passenger train service along the 3-C Corridor (Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati). The Ohio Environmental Council wants you to let Governor Strickland and your Representative and Senators in Washington D.C. know here that you support restoration of train service along Ohio's 3-C Corridor.

What should Cleveland do to make its 3,300 acres of vacant land more desirable?

The Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative and Neighborhood Progress, Inc. are engaged in an innovative planning process to help the city answer that question. They are finding a course of action that could turn former heavily urbanized areas of the city into farms, gardens or natural areas that one day might supply local food, absorb rain water, produce renewable energy and employ city residents.

Ultimately, they hope to figure out where and how to best restore ecological function and create new value in land that was long ago written off as damaged beyond repair.

Read more.

We know that one-third of the carbon emissions in the U.S. come from the end of a car, SUV or truck tailpipe. We know that any plan to reduce our carbon footprint must include a shift from using personal vehicles to alternatives like bus, train, biking and walking. One of the tasks of the GreenCityBlueLake Institute Climate Change project is figuring Northeast Ohio’s carbon reduction goals and how much change in our transportation habits we need to make to contribute to that goal.

When we think of a healthier balance of transportation, we often look to Europe with its dense, walkable cities, web of rail lines and families biking everywhere together. But, a comparison of Europe vs. America’s 'mode splits' between cars and cleaner forms of transportation may surprise and even serve to modify our expectations of how many car trips we need to reduce to be among the world's leaders.

From 1996 to 2006, passenger car trips grew at a much faster clip than trips by rail, bus or motorbike in 27 European Union nations, according to a report (418 KB pdf) from the European Commission. In Germany, 83.9% of trips are made by car, 6.4% by bus and 1.5% by urban rail (France is 83.9% car, 5.2% bus and 1.5% metro/urban rail).

In Europe, 4.602 billion passenger kilometer miles by car were logged in 2005 compared to 7.253 billion in the United States. More than half a billion passenger miles (or 9% of all trips) came by bus in Europe vs. a quarter of a billion miles by bus in the U.S.

RTA is holding hearings this week on how to address its budget crisis. The transit agency is considering cutting routes—including all of its community circulators—and raising rates ($1-2 on daily passes; $3 on five-ride passes; and $20 for monthly passes). They explain the causes and what you can do to help:

At a time when more and more commuters in Northeast Ohio are turning to transit for shelter from high gas prices, these same high fuel prices are also causing RTA to face a budget crisis of its own. Over the last five years, RTA’s fuel costs are up 400 percent, while state funding for transit is down by 63 percent. Between 2007 and 2008 alone, the cost of diesel fuel for RTA buses will nearly double. And while ridership has steadily increased, the fares paid by riders cover only 20 percent of RTA’s total expenses.

RTA is not alone in this battle with surging oil prices. Transit authorities across the country are being forced to make tough decisions, with many forced to make drastic service cuts. In Ohio alone, service was cut by 50% in Youngstown, 32% in Akron, and 17% in Dayton, with possibly more cuts to come.

If you value public transportation, your voice is needed. Let the Governor, your state representative, and your state senator know that you believe the State of Ohio should provide more financial support for public transportation. Also, contact your U.S. congressional representative and Senators and ask them to support additional funding for public transportation. The goal is to keep transit affordable for all and minimize further service cuts.

Go to www.jointheride.com to help save your ride.

Go here to see the dates and times of RTA’s hearings.