Bridge to Interstate Collapse: the proposed Columbia River Crossing, 12
lanes (!) - Hello, peak oil?
The following letter I wrote to The Oregonian newspaper, on the occasion of an anti-road protest in Portland, is on
their website and is in their Friday print edition. I
was factual but unfortunately lacked compassion for the car-dependent many,
whom I do
not want to alienate or give extreme negativity. In activism one can rush
too much, as in sending a time-sensitive letter.
The letter doesn't suggest I have a positive vision for communities,
including Sail Transport Network, Pedal Power Produce, permaculture,
depaving, community support, and ecological restoration. So I regret
getting in people's faces more than necessary, when trying to “make a
difference.” By my tone, the audience I ended up writing for was small.
An attitude that is rigid and offers no solution isn't welcome, and
rightly so. I put my foot in my mouth, so in a workshop in Portland next
month I trust I will offer a much clearer message.
I admit, I hate big roads. But far from being some angel of minimalism,
I've generated more gasoline consumption than almost anyone – because of
my previous career. And when I lived in L.A. I used to daydream about an
additional freeway to go diagonally across the San Fernando Valley to
quench my thirst for convenience. My regret: at my former family
business Lundberg Survey and my own Lundberg Reports, I ran large market
research projects regarding the U.S. gasoline market. This usually meant
a fleet of contractors' cars as survey-vehicles. I don't think being car
free, despite its advantages and the pollution-reduction for 20 years of
being car-free, offsets the gasoline consumption I previously generated.
Dated Thursday online for Friday's paper:
artist rendering
Dear Editor,
The protest against 12 lanes of pollution to be constructed over the
already ailing Columbia River was not limited to what was covered in
Monday's story. The words "oil" and "petroleum" were absent.
Most of the protesters are aware that the vehicles to fill the added road
capacity would only exacerbate oil dependence and climate extinction. Most
Portlanders are against war for oil, so this is another reason to prevent
the traffic-generating, incredibly costly project.
Global peak oil has hit, so if this boondoggle is built it will basically
be a bike lane not long from now. The biggest environmental groups of the
state are silent about this -- unsurprising when driving cars continues to
be considered a kind of right.
JAN LUNDBERG
Arcata, Calif.
(I had put under my name "Oil-industry analyst, CultureChange.org," but
this got cut. In between the last two sentences was a point that got cut: "$18 billion are planned by Governor Kulongoski for new and wider highways, in part to accommodate population growth." -- perhaps the biggest environmental groups are no longer silent about that. Lastly, I gave a Portland address but the editor noted Culture Change is based in Arcata.)
My letter should have concluded, "More importantly, cars are not nearly
as necessary as many people believe."
It's heartbreaking that Portland's mayor is kind of a green guy who put
his stamp of approval on the bridge scheme (the British term “scheme”
connotes project). Mayor Sam Adams thinks that if the structure is built
with some renewable energy features, and if there's added convenience and
safety for the non-motorist, then this kind of development is acceptable.
Many disagree, but not enough. They have pointed out the drawbacks of the
bridge to fossil fuel nowhereland. Objections are environmental, quality
of life, and financial. And oil and war.
The protest got good coverage in the Oregonian which discussed some of the
transportation issues [go to our website version, link below].
Two days before the protest I was on an expedition to see farms for
involvement in Sail Transport Network and Pedal Power Produce. The trip
was successful -- a good thing when you were described on the radio as
making the journey by bike when I actually rode in a car! It was a very
short interview on KBOO-FM. Good exposure -- and I was upbeat.
The positive approach can help get people involved now in serious
preparation for the rest of petrocollapse. And to begin a thriving
sustainable culture, as soon as we gain more unity of purpose.
[note: links to road fighting groups to appear here shortly.]
* * * * *
"Hundreds rally against 12-lane I-5 bridge project" by Dylan Rivera, The Oregonian
April 5, 2009: oregonlive.com
"EPA cites lapses in study of I-5 bridge's impact on pollution, sprawl"
by Dylan Rivera, The Oregonian, July 11, 2008: oregonlive.com
"Schwarzenegger's green mask falls as he pushes road boondoggles" by Jan Lundberg, 15 January 2009, Culture Change Letter #228: Exposed: "Green" West Coast Governors
This report is Culture Change Letter #248
ANNOUNCEMENT: Soon we'll offer a report on Arcata, California's road
building scheme that threatens a big frog population near my former family
home.
Culture Change mailing address: P.O. Box 3387, Santa Cruz, California, 95063, USA, Telephone 1-215-243-3144 (and fax). Culture Change was founded by Sustainable Energy Institute (formerly Fossil Fuels Policy Action), a nonprofit organization.
Some articles are published under Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. See Fair Use Notice for more information.
