What is climate change?
How do HOV lanes help to reduce GHG emissions and climate change?
What is the State of Washington doing about climate change?
What else is the Department of Transportation doing about climate change?
What is climate change?
The average global surface temperature has increased a little more one degree Fahrenheit during the past century, and most of that gain has been during the last two decades. Even small temperature changes are linked with extreme ecological and weather changes. Washington State is considered to be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the average temperature is expected to continue rising unless action is taken.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are considered the primary culprits behind climate change. GHGs include carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases which create a “greenhouse effect” on the planet by trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Although some GHG emissions occur naturally, most of them are thought to be the result of the burning of fossil fuels.
Most urban areas burn the majority of their fossil fuels in the production of energy (for instance in gas or coal plants), and a much smaller percent of their GHGs comes from transportation. This is not true here, however, since the Pacific Northwest gets most of its energy from hydro-electric power. Almost half of the GHGs in Washington State come from vehicle emissions.
How do HOV lanes help to reduce GHG emissions and climate change?
Since almost half of Washington state’s GHG emissions are from transportation, reducing single occupant vehicle trips is a good place to start. HOV lanes have been shown to encourage people to carpool, vanpool, or take the bus rather than drive by themselves. Every two-person carpool reduces the amount of GHG emissions created by that trip in about half. Every eight-person vanpool reduces the amount of GHG emissions created by that trip by about 88 percent, and a full bus can reduce a trip’s GHG emissions by 99 percent.
If you drive an average car, every mile of driving you avoid eliminates a pound of carbon dioxide being put into the atmosphere. Cleaner and “greener” vehicles with lower (and sometimes even no) GHG emissions are coming onto the market, so the above calculations are not exact. Until all vehicles have zero GHG emissions, however, HOV lanes will play an important role in supporting sustainable transportation choices. Forming a carpool with someone from your household, your neighborhood, or your place of employment, joining a vanpool, or taking the bus are all ways for you to make an important contribution towards helping the planet.
What is the State of Washington doing about climate change?
On February 7, 2007, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the Washington Climate Change Challenge, Executive Order No. 07-02. Governor Gregoire’s Climate Change Challenge sets three different targets for GHG emission reduction goals in the State of Washington:
- 2020: Reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels.
- 2035: Reduce GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 25%.
- 2050: Reduce GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 50%.
The Challenge also sets goals to increase the number of clean energy sector jobs and reduce expenditures on imported fuels by developing Washington resources and supporting efficient energy use.
What else is the Department of Transportation doing about climate change?
Here are some of the ways that WSDOT is actively engaged in the climate change initiative:
- To help accomplish the above goals, the Governor created a climate change stakeholders committee called the Climate Advisory Team (CAT). The CAT formed two distinct groups of advisory committees: Technical Working Groups (TWGs) and Preparation & Adaptation Work Groups (PAWGs). WSDOT was invited to, and actively participated in, the Transportation TWG, the Human Health PAWG, Water Resources & Quality PAWG, and the Coastal & Infrastructure PAWG in 2007. In 2008, WSDOT was invited to, and will be more directly involved in, the Climate Advisory Team itself
- The Washington State Senate passed SB 5412 in April of 2006. SB 5412, Section 6 (4) directs WSDOT to develop strategies to gradually reduce the per capita number of miles driven by vehicles.
- WSDOT is conducting its own assessment of sustainability practices. The annual Sustainability Plan & Progress Report (pdf 1.8 Mb), published in October 2007, outlines the Department’s efforts to promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Sustainability is closely linked to the climate change discussion because the main causes of climate change are the result of unsustainable practices. Sustainable development is the idea that consumption, production, and business practices should provide for current needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
- WSDOT proudly stands on a 30-year record of supporting carpooling, vanpooling, and transit through the funding, building, and maintenance of the freeway HOV system, and continues its nationally-recognized Transportation Demand Management and Commute Trip Reduction programs. These programs all help to reduce the number of vehicles on the roadways during peak congestion.
- WSDOT has published a newly-updated Washington Transportation Plan. This Plan offers policy guidance and prioritization for funding of transportation projects through the next 20 years. Climate change is specifically mentioned in Section II.B (page 47) of the Plan, citing the link between transportation, GHGs, and global climate change. This section states that “reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources is a necessity” and outlines the steps being taken by the Governor and Legislature which affect WSDOT, including a goal of reduced fuel use by 20 percent and increased bio-diesel usage from all state agencies by June 1, 2009.
- WSDOT also publishes a quarterly summary of performance measures called the Gray Notebook. Air quality sections appear in the second quarter of 2006 and 2007. These sections cover the prevention of air pollution during construction, the reduction of air pollution by reducing congestion and improving the efficiency of its ferry vessels, the development of alternative fuels, fuel conservation efforts, use of LED lights, and retrofitting of WSDOT maintenance vehicles.