Monday, December 29, 2014

People in Asia suffer from #climatechange caused by western car culture

Nothing is being done to stop greenhouse gas emissions. Instead the west continues fighting energy wars to support US autosprawl.

At least 24 killed in Malaysia, Thailand floods as 200,000 evacuated | Al Jazeera America: "Severe flooding in Malaysia and Thailand has killed at least 24 people and forced the evacuation of more than 200,000, according to official data reported Sunday."

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Trillions wasted on #autosprawl. Planners: "oops."

BetterCities : "How did the transportation planning and engineering professions go so wrong? In the Journal of the American Planning Association, Eric Dumbaugh of Florida Atlantic University explains how some tenets of modern street design grew out of conjecture, not science, that seemed reasonable at the time. Research that did not fit with the prevailing model was disregarded as aberration. This thinking was not questioned as long as US real estate markets and public opinion favored suburban expansion.

Now the market and public sentiment has shifted and new tools like Walk Score are breaking the foundations of conventional traffic engineering. After trillions of dollars invested, this must be embarrassing."

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

#IslamicState forces Saudi Kingdom to take desperate gamble

Russia has been rising in power as the US is bogged down by resistance in Ukraine, Iraq, and Syria. Saudi oil is running out, costing more every day to pump water in and out. Cheap oil is the cornerstone of western power.

Now they have to use the last of their oil and risk financial chaos to weaken Russia. The cheap oil in Kirkuk, Iraq, may soon be controlled by the Islamic State. This would be a tremendous blow to western power.

The Islamic State is like a third player in a chess game. The US wants regime change in Syria, but now is forced to support its enemies.

The gamble will fail and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself will fall to the Islamic State by September 2015.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Gasoline price not the biggest factor in #publictransit usage

NYTimes.com: "Increased transit use also reflects an increasingly urban lifestyle by younger residents who demand more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly communities, Ms. Scott said.

More transit use is one sign of a shift away from a suburban lifestyle that characterized a previous generation but may not be compatible with newer ones, Ms. Scott said.

“It’s not sustainable, and people know it now,” she said. “It’s a picture of what America was 30, 40 years ago. We’re painting a new picture in terms of where we’re going, and it’s very consistent with providing quality transit.”"

Thursday, December 18, 2014

#Publictransit gives your city "global appeal."

Why cities need public transport to be competitive | CityMetric: "There’s one last element in how public transport helps make cities more competitive: that’s what we call the “global appeal” of a city. Public transport networks and infrastructure play an essential role in city tourism development, as it is often the prime means for visitors – whether on business or for leisure – to get about the city, to access heritage and cultural sites, and to access local businesses. Research from the American Public Transportation Association has shown that cities with rail transport from nearby airports to the city centre are more attractive for both business travellers and international conferences and meetings, thus benefiting local economies."

Monday, December 15, 2014

Resource Insights: The high cost of low-priced oil

Comment by North Coast : "Make use of the temporary glut and low prices to prep for much tighter oil supplies in the future, and unaffordable prices.

Now is the time to arrange your life for much lower energy consumption. That means weatherize your dwelling, or sell your place in your car-dependent town or suburb, and move somewhere where you could imagine doing without not only a car, but with half as much energy available to do absolutely everything.

This would be a good time to invest in what truly viable renewables exist, and in learning skills that will help you live with much less, and do more with what you have. It would also be a good time for our authorities to stop allocating money to energy-hog infrastructure that will be rendered obsolete by steeply reduced fossil fuel supplies in the future, such as highways and airports, and invest in rail (NOT "high speed" either), and water transportation. But I doubt they will do this. Instead, they'll double down on "investment' in systems dependent on cheap fuel."




Sunday, December 14, 2014

It's important to expose #falseflag operations

As the system of debt and energy-waste continues to collapse, more and more people rise up and fight back. The elites are seeking the support of the middle class to crush the poor. They stage hostage situations for maximum media effect. They have their police set fires and break windows and then blame the "savage mobs."

They also have agents posing as "conspiracy theorists" putting out anti-government statements and then confusing analysis to lead people astray. It takes work to sort through all the propaganda. But this is work that we must do.

See our page on recognizing trolls. We will do another soon on recognizing false flags.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Last of easy oil being used for economic war

Lower oil prices are not being driven by lower costs. They are a combination of falling demand and economic war between US/KSA vs Russia/Iran.

In exchange for lower price, we will get higher unemployment and more war. There will never be more easy oil -- the cost of extracting oil will continue to rise, regardless of the price.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Cars need a $37 billion/year raise in road subsidy

Report Says $163 Billion Needed Annually for Transportation Infrastructure | Construction Equipment: "To meet the combined surface transportation needs, it would require an investment of $163 billion investment per year in surface transportation over a six year period. Despite the investment needs, currently only $83 billion is invested in roads and bridges, while just $17.1 billion is invested in public transit."

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Capitalism is destroying the biosphere -- warning signs flashing.

Peak Prosperity: "There are a hundred flashing red warning signs coming to us from the environment, the Earth, and all of its supporting ecosystems.   Either we get off the 'growth at any cost' express train or we risk wrecking important, valuable, essential and beautiful species, ecosystems and support systems that we rely upon for our health, our wealth, and our happiness. 

Once again, you and I do not have any particular need for constant exponential economic growth. It is only our money system that has that demand.

Friday, December 5, 2014

US most brutal regime on earth, but US people don't see it

In the US, children have been taught for years that Columbus was a great man who discovered America. In reality, he was one of the most brutal murderers that ever lived.

That is just the beginning of the lies.

If the US corporate TV media would show pictures of victims of US military for just 1 minute per hour, it would change the world.

Photo from @PMagouirk

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Class division and the myth of renewables

Do you know how much fossil fuel is built into a wind turbine? Most renewables are just a distraction from what must happen. The energy hogs, less than 20% of the worlds population, have to:
  • stop wasting energy
  • stop developing
  • stop killing poor people
  • start sharing
Renewables will not solve the energy/climate problem. They are a hoax to continue the waste. Why? Because profits.

Read more about wrong solutions here: http://fptwrosol.blogspot.com

Monday, November 24, 2014

Young people in the US cannot afford cars

TransUnion: Auto Loan Delinquency Rate and Debt Rise Again: "CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Nov 24, 2014) - Auto loan delinquency rates jumped nearly 13% in the last year to close Q3 2014 at 1.16%. At the same time, auto loan debt rose for the 14th straight quarter to $17,352. The latest TransUnion auto loan report also found that delinquency rates increased most for the youngest population subset with those under the age of 30 seeing a nearly 18% rise."

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Social media is controlled by the coupon-clippers

Many people use social media to try to save ourselves from energy waste and energy wars. The solutions we suggest threaten the income of bond holders.

They control social media and their strategy is to eliminate anonymity.

If they succeed, the discussion can be turned away from ideas and to personalities

Then they can apply the carrot and stick.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Congress would rather you drive to work than take public transit

The Washington Post: "The federal tax code has a weird way of favoring people who drive to work over those who take public transit there. If you're a driver, the federal commuter benefit allows you to spend up to $245 of your pre-tax income each month on parking at work. If you pay to take the bus or train instead, the benefit is only about half that — $130."


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Cars are a waste of money. Here is the documentation.

We have collected links on our "library" blog. These documents provide ample research to show what should be intuitively obvious. Cars waste. They waste money, resources, and finally, the biosphere.
Here is the link to the library http://fptlib.blogspot.com

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

The Fossil Fuel Bailout: G20 Subsidies for Oil, Gas and Coal Exploration

Oil Change : "by providing subsidies for fossil-fuel exploration, the G20 countries are creating a ‘triple-lose’ scenario. They are directing large volumes of finance into high-carbon assets that cannot be exploited without catastrophic climate effects."

Monday, November 10, 2014

You were a #freetransit advocate, Rev Billy, what happened?

truthout : "The "transportation sector" has not slowed down even with bankruptcies and throat-cutting air bags and sudden electrical shut-offs at high speeds. We are still driving 250 million vehicles in the US, increasing the miles and number of vehicles every year, with the knowledge that we are killing ourselves. Then again, we put the poison into the Earth as individuals. It is a personal decision to keep driving. So there is an intriguing opening here – the fact that driving could be stopped as a wave of personal decisions."

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Car culture is falling and taking us down with it in Alabama

AL.com: "You need not be a fan of urban buses or high-speed trains to have concerns about transportation funding and infrastructure in Alabama. There's also a crisis looming for folks committed to roads and bridges. Federal and state gasoline taxes, which support these projects, haven't been adjusted since the 1990s and aren't indexed for inflation. Unless policymakers act, rising construction costs and dwindling funds will lead to more potholes and greater risk of a bridge collapse.
Transportation policy affects nearly every aspect of life in Alabama, from urban traffic jams to rural residents' ability to get health care. Whether a person cares about foreign oil dependency or wants ideas for job creation, transportation policy touches on economic concerns as well as social justice.
Every merchant wants customers to be able to get to the store to do some shopping. Every employer wants workers to be able to get to work on time. And every Alabamian wants to be able to get around, whether the trip is a crucial errand or just a social call.
Transportation is at the core of these overlapping concerns. Yet our current system seems to suggest that if you don't have steady access to a car or truck (along with the money to buy insurance and put gas in it), your time matters quite a bit less.
This is no way to run a state. Elderly Alabamians who can't drive shouldn't be cut off from the rest of society. Folks who can't afford a vehicle shouldn't be forced to rely on family or neighbors to get around. People with disabilities ought to have the option of taking a quick, reliable and reasonably priced bus to their destination. Other places aren't perfect, but many have figured this out and offer mass transit options that create more opportunities for everyone to participate in modern life."

Friday, November 7, 2014

China, Latvia, Estonia, Italy at free public transport conference in Żorach

Zory information: "In Żorach held International Conference. Free public transport in the world. The debate was attended by representatives of cities from all over the world. Among other things, the Chinese Chengdu, Estonia Tallinn, the Italian Trentino and Latvia Jurmala.
 
On 6 November 2014. Twinpigs Western town in Żorach has become an arena for exchange of views on free public transport. The conference was addressed mainly to representatives of local governments, but also institutions and companies involved in the transport industry. The purpose of the meeting was to disseminate knowledge about free transport. Cities that have implemented such solutions, presented their benefits. In addition, it was an opportunity to exchange experiences and engage in a debate on issues of the functioning of free transport. International Conference was opened by the Mayor of Zory Waldemar Socha."

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

US betting a lot of chips on the shale "revolution" and money printing

Zero Hedge : "As the chart below shows, US trade excluding Petroleum, just tumbled to $48.3 billion, essentially matching the worst print in the history of the series, suggesting that portrayals of the US as a resurgent export powerhouse are completely erroneous, and that instead the US is as big a net importer of goods and services, aside from the Shale revolution of course, as ever."

Oil prices: high? bad, low? ......also bad

Resource Insights: : "It turns out that between consumers who can't afford to pay higher and higher oil prices and companies which can't afford to produce the extra oil we'd like at lower prices, we are stuck in an ever-shrinking no man's land, a price band really--one that will eventually disappear as the average cost of producing the extra barrel of oil the world desires goes beyond what consumers including businesses can and will pay."

Thursday, October 30, 2014

WTI $75 the tipping point to start shutting down shale oil production

Goldman via ZeroHedge : "Our oil forecast calls for a slowdown in US shale oil production which our North American Energy equity research team led by Brian Singer estimates will occur at $75/bbl WTI prices.

They estimate that the WTI oil price at which average wells in the Eagle Ford, Bakken and Permian Basin plays achieve an 11% IRR ranges between $70-$80/bbl. More importantly, they believe that funding gap constraints below $80/bbl WTI will ultimately drive the slowdown in production."

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

How and why to fund #freetransit from externalities of the auto

From the website of CarfreeFrance, an analysis of public transport funding and why going to fare-free makes sense. If you do not read French, this is very readable in Google translate.

Driving down, #autosprawl subsidy up. Business as usual in US.

(US PIRG): "Eleven proposed highway projects across the country – slated to cost at least $13 billion – exemplify the need for a fresh approach to transportation spending. These projects, some of them originally proposed decades ago, either address problems that do not exist, or have serious negative impacts on surrounding communities that undercut their value. They are but a sampling of many questionable highway projects across the country that could cost taxpayers tens of billions more dollars to build, and many more billions over the course of upcoming decades to maintain."

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

#Freetransit "costs too much," but US spends $8.3M/day to drop bombs on muslims

Arab News: "WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said in updated figures on Monday the average daily cost of the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants has risen to $8.3 million, or a total of $580 million between Aug. 8 and Oct. 16."

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Fatal flaw of #degrowth movement

Humans have been divided by capitalism into two groups, the haves and the have-nots.

The degrowth movement is dominated by the haves, and the message is "we have to live with less."

This message falls on deaf ears with the have-nots -- the only group with the power to implement degrowth.

Fatal flaw.

Friday, October 24, 2014

US cannot afford any more welfare for cars

We try to document the direct and indirect subsidy for the auto-and-sprawl system on this blog and also here. One of the biggest "hidden" costs of this system is the US military. The autosprawl interests in the US use its military to maintain control of energy sources and routes -- giving more attention to high net-energy locations, such as Kirkuk, Iraq.

It costs the US taxpayer about $2M to kill one Islamic State fighter. Even if that were affordable, it will not work, as ten more join for each one killed.

This waste of money is necessary to prop up the billionaires who rely on the autosprawl system for their wealth. If the US loses control of energy prices, these billionaires will suffer huge losses.

The people of the US should stop wasting this money. They cannot influence their federal government, but they can act locally by implementing free buses in cities and towns. This policy will actually save money as all the hidden costs of cars and sprawl start to go down.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

World recession driving oil price war

As Oil Prices Plummet, Saudi Arabia Faces a Test of Strategy - NYTimes.com: "Others say the kingdom is facing lower prices no matter what it does because it cannot control the causes of the price dive, which include the drilling frenzy in North America and falling demand in Europe, Japan and much of the developing world. So it makes sense for the Saudis to defend their share of the global market, oil experts say."

Saturday, October 18, 2014

The US has all the oil it needs -- time to stop killing Muslims

The only reason the US needs to control world energy prices is because it has a car-dependent infrastructure on which the fortunes of the top billionaires depend.

The simple answer to this is: default, degrow, decarbonize, and decolonize.

Default: stop bailing out the wealthy
Degrow: urbanize, educate, and drop the birth rate
Decarbonize: make public transit free and gradually eliminate the private auto
Decolonize: stop invading other peoples countries to steal resorces.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Democracy? People want #publictransit, Congress does not.

Montgomery Herald: Opinion: "More than two-thirds of Americans tell Mineta that they’d like the federal government to increase investment in public transportation.
Despite this support, lawmakers have not increased revenues for our surface transportation needs since 1993. Lawmakers passed a stopgap measure that restored $10.8 billion to the Highway Trust Fund and Mass Transit Account in July. This will only keep the fund afloat through May of next year."

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Shift to mass transit could save more than $100 trillion

ScienceBlog.com: "More than $100 trillion in public and private spending could be saved between now and 2050 if the world expands public transportation, walking and cycling in cities, according to a new report released by the University of California, Davis, and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Additionally, reductions in carbon dioxide emissions reaching 1,700 megatons per year in 2050 could be achieved if this shift occurs."

Monday, October 13, 2014

The most obvious strategy for reducing energy wars -- reduce demand

Resource Insights: World War III: It's here and energy is largely behind it: "One of the most obvious strategies for responding to these conflicts--deep, rapid and permanent reductions in fossil fuel energy consumption through efficiency measures, conservation, and expansion of renewable energy--does not seem to be a prominent part of the policy mix. Such a reduction would not necessarily cause these conflicts to disappear; but they might become far less dangerous since the major powers would be less interested in them and thus less likely to make a miscalculation that would lead to a larger global conflict."

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Biosphere supports economy which determines morality

What comes first, the biosphere or human economics. If you got that wrong, you can stop reading now. What about morality? We humans invent gods and place them above all creation. Without economics, i.e. food, water, shelter, etc., all the talk about superior beings doesn't mean much.

At this time as our species is nearing a major contraction, all the three are under threat. We are collapsing on all fronts.

We should bring the three areas into alignment. Find a path that satisfies people's desire for a better environment, better life, and spiritual bliss.

The auto and sprawl are the enemy in every case. They promote wasteful, selfish living. What power can bring them down? We say this: make urban buses fare-free, move to town, educate all children. As a result, birth rate will drop. Walking and bicycles will gradually replace most of the buses. Selfishness will be exposed as harmful and useless.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

#Freetransit idea spreading fast across Poland, ridership is up, congestion down.

Here is a 22 minute video from Tallinn TV on the benefits of free public transit in Poland. Staring at minute 12:33 it is in English.
"It's not more expensive, it is cheaper, and ridership is up by 4 times."
It will cost more as more people ride, but it is the best use of public funds. It is only 1.5% of city budget (Zory).

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Low Oil Prices: Sign of a Debt Bubble Collapse, Leading to the End of Oil Supply?

Our Finite World: "I would argue that falling commodity prices are bad news. It likely means that the debt bubble which has been holding up the world economy for a very long time–since World War II, at least–is failing to expand sufficiently. If the debt bubble collapses, we will be in huge difficulty."

UK Oil and gas industry calls for more government subsidy as costs rise 60%

Blue and Green Tomorrow: "The UK oil and gas industry’s economic outlook has revealed rising costs for the sector, prompting calls for the government to provide more tax incentives to retrieve £1 trillion investment and fully exploit the country’s declining offshore reserves."

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Sustainable transport law moves forward in Trento, Italy

Trasporto Pubblico Gratuito: "The bill of the popular initiative which was launched a few days collecting signatures aims to fill the void left by the policy. The creators of the initiative have thrown the heart beyond the obstacle to creating the conditions and to paint a perspective of modern mobility, inclusive and environmentally friendly."

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Krakow, Poland, mayoral candidate promises free public transport

wyborcza.pl : "Free public transport for paying taxes in Krakow is the promise of an independent candidate for mayor of the city of Luke Gibały. In turn, the candidates of the Committee Against Krakow Olympics - Agreement Urban Movements in favor of rapid tram instead of the subway."

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Cars Will Cook the Planet Absent Shift to Public Transportation

Scientific American: "If the world's cities focused their investments on expanding public transportation, walking and cycling, they could save more than $100 trillion in public and private capital and urban transportation operating costs between now and 2050,"

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

American people want #publictransit, but government controlled by oil

Poll: 68 percent want more transit spending | TheHill: "Sixty-eight percent of U.S. residents want more federal spending on public transportation systems, according to a polled released on Monday by a Washington, D.C.-based transit advocacy group. "

Friday, September 12, 2014

U.S.-U.K. have killed millions in Iraq in attempt to control oil/gas markets

War Is A Crime .org: "Approximately 3.3 million Iraqis, including 750,000 children, were “exterminated” by economic sanctions and/or illegal wars conducted by the U.S. and Great Britain between 1990 and 2012, an eminent international legal authority says."

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Saudi Arabia will fall to Islamic State before September 2015

The three pillars of Saudi power are oil, US military, and Islam. All three are in desperate straits.

The oil is running out. They are pumping up as much water as oil.

The U.S. military cannot afford another multi-trillion-dollar effort in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has abused Islam, using it to terrorize and oppress. The people yearn for true Islam and most are silently supporting the new Caliphate.

photo from

Friday, September 5, 2014

People in Serbia mobilize for free public transport

(google translate): We advocate the introduction of 100% subsidized, or free for users of public transport.
Our analyzes show that the complete abolition of the system of collection of cards and direct payments from companies in the budget for public transportation can save up around 20 million euros and thus tomorrow to get 100% subsidized public transport.
The transport sector in Serbia and worldwide is responsible for 30% of its pollution gases that create a greenhouse effect and other highly toxic materials that are a product of burning fossil fuels. The transport sector is responsible for the consumption of fossil fuels 1.3. In addition, the transport sector is responsible for a vast noise pollution whose effects have not yet been sufficiently studied. The costs of automobile pollution that are socialized, according to the Dresden Institute of Ecology traffic is estimated at about 750 euros a year per capita of the EU. Bearing in mind that Belgrade is one of the most polluted cities in Europe and the most polluted cities in this part of Europe, the age of the car and the quality of fuel, these costs are much higher. The transport sector is one of the most responsible for this zagađenje.Neke studies done on transportation engineering faculty in Belgrade suggest that the annual costs of automobile lack of culture between 1.5 - 3 billion euros.
One of the main goals of our campaign, in addition to creating a universally accessible public transportation, is just that - reducing pollution and creating sustainable modes of transport, as a part of our vision of creating self-sustaining, environmentally responsible, energy-rational, economically stable and socially equitable communities that run on renewable energy.
Operation and maintenance costs of public transport in Belgrade are about 150 million euros per year. Of these over 80% comes through grants from the city budget, which we the citizens we fill the payment of taxes, fees and other taxes. Despite this fact, if we compare the actual income of citizens (70% have incomes between 150 to 300 euros) and the price of tickets, we've got one of the most expensive tickets in Europe. Only in the past 3 years ticket prices jumped by about 150%, while the price of energy at the same time jumped by only 40%. Most citizens that the price may not pay, especially the unemployed, students, pupils and all those who have a minimum monthly income. Thus, those people limited freedom of movement and immediately restricted access to services that fall under the basic human needs and rights (the right to education, health services, employment, etc.). Those who can afford expensive tickets prefer to use cars because they are cheaper, more comfortable and more reliable mode of transportation.
While the quality of public transport worse (200 new buses have been purchased through a loan repayable citizens from the budget) operating costs of public transport and the percentage by which subsidizes public transport were the introduction of a private monopoly on the sale of tickets on public transport drastically increased. Analyzes on the basis of available data, we determined that there is no economic justification for the introduction of an electronic system for the collection of cards "Bus Plus", which was once the newly established "consortium" registered for marketing, to put it mildly suspicious tender, given a monopoly on the sale of tickets on public transport.
From 'Bus-Plus' benefits has only a handful of tycoons and politicians, and of free and quality public transportation can have all the benefits. On public transport we can not earn, but we can save that much and take steps towards a more just, humane, healthier and sustainable communities highly conscious and conscientious people.

For more go to our Europe blog.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Zory, Poland, to host international conference on free public transport

portalsamorzadowy.pl: "The aim of the conference is to disseminate knowledge on free public transport in cities, to discuss the possibilities and benefits of making it available to residents, as well as the exchange of experiences and to discuss issues of its operation."

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Confused about US/UK policy in Middle East? Follow the net energy

If you try to follow all the alliances it gets complicated. Follow the net energy. High net energy means fuel that is easy to extract. The last big reservoir of high net-energy oil is in Iraq near Kirkuk. As cheap oil declines, gas becomes more valuable. The Caspian region has a big reservoir of high net-energy gas.

All the great powers are competing over control of energy sources and transport routes. The higher the net energy, the more intense the fighting. Whoever controls energy, controls the world economy.

The US is especially vulnerable because it is the most car-dependent. It uses force more because it has put all it eggs in the military basket.

cartoon by https://twitter.com/davpope

Saturday, August 30, 2014

A call to end the hegemony of the private auto in Quebec

Campaign for Free Public Transit: "While the goals of the City of Quebec are to double attendance public transit, it is necessary to remember that any pricing hinders the use of the public service. That is why it is necessary to implant free RTC and a comparable increase in the network coverage for a transition to the end of oil and automotive hegemony."

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

No more cheap oil - per Saudi Aramco

Peak Oil : "The problem is oil price needs to rise, not fall, to support continued capex. He refers to the problems rather succinctly but fails to address that wages are flat and with most consumer prices rising, consumers cannot support higher oil prices. In that scenario oil price will continue to fall and as it does high priced marginal oil plays will go offline. There won’t be any 40 mbd of scraping the non-conventional oil bottom of the cask to replace the easy to extract stuff. The economics just are not there.
Now the argument can be made that higher income individuals can afford to pay more, BUT the merchandise being moved is 75 mbd of crude. Start moving less to just satisfy the wealthy and with less tax money the rest of society falls into decay and chaos will erupt into riots.
It was refreshing though to hear a Saudi official admit what many of us already know."

Friday, August 22, 2014

Free public transport boosts pensioners' well-being

DutchNews.nl : "The aim of the trial was to reduce loneliness among pensioners and boost their self-worth. Research into the impact of the scheme shows both targets have been achieved. Pensioners report getting out more, visiting family and friends and feeling better about themselves."

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Subways, high-rises, bike highways, wrong direction for cities

The auto system is surviving on debt and is slowly collapsing. But what is the solution? Make cities car-free ASAP with free buses. This will free up plenty of space for living, walking, and biking. Do not build more oil-dependent stainless steel/concrete infrastructure.  

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Quebec #freetransit campaign gains momentum

Fragment argument: free politics is a choice: "Quebec cities are beginning to experiment with totally free or partial transit. Laval and Longueuil well established free for seniors outside of peak hours. According to a recent report from Radio-Canada free transit progresses on the south shore of Montreal. After Chambly, Richelieu and Carignan which paved the way there two years, followed by Sainte-Julie earlier this year, now is the turn of Candiac, La Prairie and St. Philip to provide transportation common free for local journeys on their territory.
 
In Quebec, we do not yet speak of gratuity for mayor. Yet, while we seek to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas emissions and that we set ourselves ambitious targets for transportation (double the modal share of public comm
a 2030), it is high time to have this discussion."

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Craving for suburban life the cause of war

Americans, do you want to stop war? Then stop the cause of war.

People want suburban life. Suburbs waste energy, creating demand for more energy. High demand for energy empowers energy industry. Cheap oil has peaked, causing all energy to cost more. The energy industry is forced to seek control of energy markets. Hence war.

Here is what to do. Make cities car-free. Offer people a sustainable, safe life in the city. This will reduce the demand for suburban life. Break the critical mass of the autosprawl system with free public transit.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Stop planning. Make buses free.

There are a lot of capital-intensive plans to fix human transport. Most of them are attempts to preserve the auto-based system.

Municipalities should first make buses fare-free. Then people will show us where it makes sense to spend more money.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Ridership up 300% with #freetransit in Zory, Poland

BEZPLATNA KOMUNIKACJA MIEJSKA: "Free public transport in Zory is popular: "Fourfold increase in the number of passengers in May, after the introduction of free public transport - estimated City Hall in Zory (Silesia). The plans are further facilities for residents""

Saturday, August 2, 2014

US attempt to control Russian oil will backfire and lead to more war

EcoWatch: "The foreign policy wonks at the State Department may not understand that Russian oil production has just hit a post-USSR peak and will be declining anyway. The effect of the sanctions will be to speed the Russian decline, forcing up world oil prices as soon as U.S. tight oil maxes out and goes into its inevitable nosedive in the 2017-2020 time frame. Russia, which will still be an oil exporter then, will benefit from higher oil prices (perhaps nearly enough to compensate for the loss of production resulting from the sanctions). But the U.S., which will still be one of the world’s top oil importers, will face a re-run of the 2008 oil shock that contributed to its financial crash."
Bankers are forcing US government to pursue desperate, dangerous policy. If oil price were to drop suddenly, the US tight oil would be inaccessible and the US petrodollar would take a sharp wound. But trying to control the world market has proved difficult and will become more so.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

While humans fight over oil, the great methane release may be starting

Meltfactor : " Hansen’s warnings should be met with an aggressive atmospheric decarbonization program.  We have been too long on a trajectory pointed at an unmanageable climate calamity; runaway climate heating. If we don’t get atmospheric carbon down and cool the Arctic, the climate physics and recent observations tell me we will probably trigger the release of these vast carbon stores, dooming our kids’ to a hothouse Earth."

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

As car-dependent US loses in Mideast, it goes after Russia

Our Finite World: "Many people when looking at future oil supply concern themselves with the amount of reserves (or resources) remaining, or perhaps Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI). None of these is really the right limit, however. The limiting factor is how long our current networked economic system can hold together. There are lots of oil reserves left, and the EROEI of Middle Eastern oil is generally quite high (that is, favorable). But instability could still bring the system down. So could popping of the US oil supply bubble through higher interest rates or more stringent lending rules."

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Listen up, America: It’s time to starting making mass transit free!

Salon.com: "For bigger cities, the principal motivation for scrapping fares is not to save money but to increase ridership, and harvest the associated positive externalities: less traffic and pollution, more parking and mobility. In the handful of American cities where such programs have been tried on a short-term basis, the ridership surges have been huge. When Topeka made transit free for May of 1988, ridership rose 98 percent. When Austin made transit free for the fall of 1990, ridership increased by 75 percent. A similar experiment in Asheville, in 2006, recorded a passenger surge of 60 percent."

Monday, July 21, 2014

Bike highways and pedestrian overpasses are for the benefit of cars

Transformative design? Or waste of money. Why spend money trying to get out of the way of  cars? Instead let's remove cars from the city. The car culture is on the way out. Let's stop throwing money at it.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Little-known fact about Transmilenio BRT: feeder buses are fare-free

CSMonitor.com: "To make the public transport system accessible to a broader swath of the city’s residents, Transmilenio runs free feeder buses from low-income communities at the outskirts of the city to the main Transmilenio stations, and has a uniform ticket price no matter the distance traveled, so that lower-income residents from outlying areas can still afford to ride."

#Freetransit campaign spreading and growing steadily in Europe

Did you know that 13 towns in Poland and 26 towns in France already have free public transport? Did you know that the capital of Estonia has it? Did you know that there are campaigns for free public transport in Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Estonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Scotland, and England?

To keep up... go here http://farefreeeu.blogspot.tw/ for links.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Taxpayer subsidy keeps oil industry from crashing

Grist: "The fracking boom has led to a surge in oil and natural gas production in recent years: Oil production is up by 35 percent since 2009, and natural gas production is up by 18 percent. With more revenues, expenditures, and profits in the oil and gas industries, the value of the various tax deductions for the oil industry has soared. So, for example, the deduction for “intangible drilling costs” cost taxpayers $1.6 billion in 2009, and $3.5 billion in 2013."

Thursday, July 10, 2014

US foreign policy all about controlling energy sources and routes

Global Research: "What does a pipeline in Afghanistan have to do with the crisis in Ukraine?

Everything. It reveals the commercial interests that drive US policy. Just as the War in Afghanistan was largely fought to facilitate the transfer of natural gas from Turkmenistan to the Arabian Sea, so too, Washington engineered the bloody coup in Kiev to cut off energy supplies from Russia to Europe to facilitate the US pivot to Asia."

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Debt: Eight Reasons This Time is Different

Our Finite World: "The problem we are running into is the fact the world is finite. Growth can’t continue indefinitely. The way that the physical world enforces the end to growth is not obvious, until we start hitting the limits. The limits are cost of production limits for oil and for our supply of stable grid electricity."

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Transportation fares see 35% to 50% increase, contrary to government estimates

Well here is the answer to the question in the previous post. It was a lie. Egypt, instead of sending more money to the IMF, should stop wasting money on cars. Make public buses fare-free, and stop wasting precious resources on fuel for private autos.

Daily News Egypt: "In the report, the agency detailed how diesel-fuelled buses will increase fares, adding that taxi fares will be increased by 5.6%. Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb mentioned in a Saturday press conference that the base fare for white taxis will start at EGP 3, up from the current EGP 2.5.

Meanwhile, fares for the use of transport vehicles will increase between 2.3% to 4.7%.

Dalia Moussa, researcher at the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), projected that transportation fares will keep increasing. She attributed the increasing continuous increases in food and industrial products to the rise in fuel costs."

Egyptian govt says public transport fares immune to price hikes

Egypt government doing the right thing. But why?

Ahram Online: "An increase in the price of fuel will not affect public transport costs, Egyptian government officials stated in the face of public concern after the prices of subsidised gasoline were raised on Friday night.
Egypt raised the prices of three widely used petroleum-derived fuels, octane 80 gas, octane 92 gas, and diesel, by up to 78 percent.

Cabinet spokesperson Hossam Gaweesh announced that public transportation, including Cairo metro fares, would not be affected by the price hikes."

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Connecting some important dots

  • Cheap oil is gone. Every day the mix of oil on the market is a little more expensive. This is because every day it takes more energy to get oil - falling net energy.
  • Complex economy, especially car-dependence, is no longer sustainable.
  • Financial system is being propped up by debt and money-creation.
  • Capital formation has stopped. 
  • The only way to get more capital is to take from other countries by war. 
  • Or take from the people by austerity and high unemployment.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

U.S. elite is out of options, now backing Nazis in Ukraine

The people of the US are not hearing about it, but their government is backing Nazis in Ukraine. This because cheap oil is gone, growth is over, and the worlds elites have nothing left but to take from each other and drive down the poor.

Two things Americans can do. First, turn off the TV and read up on what is really happening in Ukraine. Here is a good place to start:



Second. Join the campaign for free public transit. This can be done at the local level and will cut the flow of power to the oil industry and split the 1% in two.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

The cost will just be passed to the consumer

Why can't corporations pay taxes for things like #publictransit? One argument you still hear goes like this.
We can't force corporations to pay their taxes because they will raise prices and pass the cost on to the consumer and that will hurt the economy.
But prices are determined by the market, are they not? If they raise prices they will be lose business to competitors. Not being able to pay for the cost of doing business means you should go out of business.

So what we have is the elimination of public investment -- education, parks, transport, in order to allow corporations to avoid taxes. Taxes are the price of civilization. No taxes, no civilization.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Cities with the best #publictransit are the best places to live and work

Report Names Best Cities for Public Transit | Tampa Bay Times: "When finding the right place to live and work, the availability of public transportation can play a major role in the decision-making process. Commute times and stress can be reduced substantially when public transit is available, and with the rising costs of gas, it can be economical as well. "

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

People of Brazil would rather have #freetransit than FIFA

#Degrowth is here, just a matter of how painful it will be

EcoWatch: "With less useful energy available, the global economy will fail to grow, and will likely enter a sustained period of contraction. Increased energy efficiency may cushion the impact but cannot avert it. With economies no longer growing, our current globally dominant neoliberal political-economic ideology may increasingly be called into question and eventually overthrown."
Waiting for collapse is not acceptable. What can be done right now? We need to undo sprawl. Sprawl is subsidized, and the auto has critical mass in transport. When people are no longer car-dependent, they will no longer support sprawl subsidy. This is the Achilles heel of sprawl. Free buses are the arrows that can break the critical mass of the auto, and its sprawl.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Isis rise manufactured by insatiable oil addiction

@NafeezAhmed : "The meteoric rise of Isis is a predictable consequence of a longstanding US-led geostrategy in the Middle East that has seen tyrants and terrorists as tools to expedite access to regional oil and gas resources."

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Zory, Poland, wins opportunity and sustainiblilty award for introducing unconditional free buses

BEZPLATNA KOMUNIKACJA MIEJSKA: "Award for courageous approach in implementing innovative solutions in the management of the city, including free public transport"

Thursday, June 12, 2014

#Freetransit campaign gains traction in Italy

More people are discussing the idea of free public transport in Italy as the new mayor of Livorno makes it his objective. To keep up, follow: http://fptitaly.blogspot.tw/2014/06/lovorno-e-il-free-pubblic-transport.html

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

World Cup shows what is wrong with the world

Grown men paid millions to play a game. People burning through millions of gallons of jet fuel to watch them. Luxury hotels and limousines. Millions spent on media coverage.

Meanwhile people are hungry. People are being bombed. Floods and drought are everywhere.


Let's spend our money on a transition away from waste and inequality. Make public transit fare-free, make cities carfree, urbanize, degrow, and de-carbonize.

The free fare movement in Brazil is protesting the world cup and calling for free public transit. The international movement for free public transport is calling to people around the world to support these protests.


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Blame for global warming goes to the U.S. elite

Global Warming is Economic Imperialism » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names: "
With the U.S. historically being the largest emitter of carbon and other greenhouse gases it is overwhelmingly responsible for global warming.
...The reason why the U.S. is dependent on cars instead of energy efficient mass transit is that a century ago a consortium of connected capitalists decided that getting rid of mass transit was the way to sell more cars, tires and gasoline. "

Sunday, June 8, 2014

#Peakoil and pushing on a string

Imagine the economy as a wagon with one string attached to the front and one at the back. When energy is cheap, the wagon is pulled forward by the front string. The string at the rear represents monetary policy. Pulling on the rear string prevents the economy from going too fast.

Cheap energy is over. There is nothing pulling the wagon. Now the 1% is trying to move the wagon by pushing on the string at the back.

It is clear that a new system is needed. We, the 99%, must make it happen. There are things we can do now, under the current system, that will smooth the transition. First, let's stop wasting energy. Autosprawl, the system of cars, highways, and suburbs, is a waste of energy. It seems all-powerful, but in fact it is very weak and getting weaker. If we make buses free in the city, we can break its back.


Friday, June 6, 2014

Printing money can not, will not, solve #peakoil

Feasta: "Over the last few years central banks have had a policy of quantitative easing to try to keep interest rates low – the economy cannot pay high energy prices AND high interest rates so, in effect, the policy has been to try to bring down interest rates as low as possible to counter the stagnation. However, this has not really created production growth – it has instead created a succession of asset price bubbles. The underlying trend continues to be one of stagnation, decline and crisis. The severity of the recessions may be variable in different countries because competitive strength in this model goes to those countries where energy is used most efficiently and which can afford to pay somewhat higher prices for energy. Such countries are likely to do better but will not escape the general decline if they stay wedded to the conventional growth model. Whatever the variability this is still a dead end model and at some point people will see that entirely different ways of thinking about economy and ecology are needed – unless they get drawn into conflicts and wars over energy by psychopathic policy idiots. There is no way out of the Catch 22 within the growth economy model. That’s why de-growth is needed."

Investment in #publictransit pays huge dividends. APTA has the numbers.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Sao Paulo - instead of strike, metro workers call for opening the turnstiles

Free Fare Movement - Brazil: "metroviarios.org.br : "One of the resolutions of the meeting of the day 20/5 was the formation of a committee to define how the release of the turnstiles will be taken during the Wage Campaign. The Committee will organize this activity, which may happen even before the possible strike category. This discussion will be taken to the areas that members can decide on the best way to perform the activity ""

Kuala Lumpur free buses generate excitement

New Straits Times: "FAST, CLEAN AND FREE!
Yes, in case you haven’t heard, there is a smarter way to get around KL without having to worry about getting stuck in traffic, parking, etc."

Monday, May 26, 2014

Let's encourage those who are reducing our costs

The car culture is subsidized. Profits are privatized, costs are socialized. It is a heavy burden on the taxpayer and the economy.

There is a simple cure -- public transit. Public transit users are keeping costs down by not driving. Every time someone gets on a bus, that is less pollution, less congestion, better health, fewer collisions, less distracted driving, less money sent out of town for gasoline, etc, etc.

Fares ration service, and punish people for reducing the car subsidy burden. Let's stop charging fares.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

The great imaginary California oil boom: Over before it started

Resource Insights : "The pending 96 percent reduction in estimated deep shale oil resources in California revealed last week in the Los Angeles Times calls into question the oil industry's premise of a decades-long revival in U.S. oil production and the already implausible predictions of American energy independence. The reduction also appears to bolster the view of long-time skeptics that the U.S. shale oil boom--now centered in North Dakota and Texas--will likely be short-lived, petering out by the end of this decade."

Thursday, May 22, 2014

As “Transportation Cliff” Nears, Unions Rally for Public Transit

Working In These Times: "“We need a long-term mass transit highway reauthorization bill, one that has real money to finance America’s infrastructure, highways, bridges, mass transit systems, so we don’t sink into a Third World in terms of mobility for tens of millions of people every day,” says Harry Lombardo, president of TWU. “Two years ago, instead of coming up with a comprehensive program and financing it to rebuild the infrastructure of America and expand mass transit or at least maintain it as we know it, they kicked the can down the road.”"



Photo - ATU

Monday, May 19, 2014

Putin’s Shanghai Expedition Stokes Deal Talk That Lifts Gazprom

Bloomberg: "“Russia and China are closer to a deal than they’ve ever been before,” Karen Kostanian, an analyst at Bank of America, said by phone from Moscow last week. “While Russia seeks to diversify its natural gas exports away from Europe, China wants to diversify its fuel imports.”

Gazprom will have to spend about $56 billion through 2019 to build a new pipeline to China and develop the Kovykta and Chayanda gas fields in eastern Siberia to supply the gas, Kostanian said."

Split in 1% over #climate

Rift Widening Between Energy And Insurance Industries Over Climate Change - Forbes: "Being a big business, the insurance industry is a strong backer of free enterprise and its laissez-faire leaders. But a rift could be developing now that some major carriers are staking claims in the climate change cause while many of their congressional backers have remained skeptical of the science."

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Capitalists turn on each other as costs come due for climate delaying

CSMonitor.com: "Climate change lawsuits: Farmers Insurance filed class action lawsuit last month against nearly 200 communities in the Chicago area for failing to prepare for flooding. The suits argue towns should have known climate change would produce more flooding."

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Auto overproduction crisis -- waiting for recovery that is not coming

Zero Hedge: "The car industry cannot stop making new cars because they would have to close their factories and lay off tens of thousands of employees.  This would further add to the recession.  Also the domino effect would be catastrophic as steel manufactures would not sell their steel. All the tens of thousands of places where car components are made would also be effected, indeed the world could come to a grinding halt."

Thursday, May 15, 2014

What is net energy and why is it falling?

Net energy is the amount of energy that can be put to use from a system. For example, oil is found, pumped, transported, refined, and burned. You can see that a lot of energy was invested before the benefit is reaped. When that net energy is less that 1:1, that means you are spending more energy than you are getting.

The problem with transport energy is that it must be liquid because trillions of dollars have already been invested in the system that uses it. So, even if the net is a loss, we still pursue liquid fuel. The tarsands are a good example. Some economists say that the net energy of tarsands is greater than 1:1. But they do not include the following:

  • clean up costs of toxic waste
  • loss of forest
  • cancer
  • greenhouse gas emissions during extraction
  • cost of train derailments
  • carcinogens leaking into rivers

If these costs were in included, then tarsands would be a net LOSER in energy.

Tarsands are an extreme example.  Many energy sources in general are not as generous as they seem. And to make matters worse, humans, at current growth rates, will cook the biosphere (100C/212F degrees) in 400 years NO MATTER WHAT WE BURN.

Solution - Degrowth. How to get there? Make cities carfree. Urbanization will drop birthrates. Waiting for collapse is not acceptable.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Energy industry sacrifices safety as net energy falls

Deadly Fire Roars Through Coal Mine in Turkey - NYTimes.com: "ISTANBUL — An explosion on Tuesday in a coal mine in western Turkey killed at least 151 miners and left more than 200 others trapped underground, Turkey’s energy minister said early Wednesday."

Monday, May 12, 2014

Why #peakoil must be ignored or denied by government

Peak Oil : "They CANNOT talk about peak oil, much less implement plans to mitigate the problems of peak oil — not publicly, anyway. The reality of peak oil MUST be kept quiet.
Why?
Because the moment that government recognition of peak oil is made public, the stock market will crash, banks and businesses worldwide will flip onto their backs and wiggle their little legs for a while and then die — in other words, global economic crash and subsequent collapse.
The only thing keeping the global economy and the stock market sleezing along is the confidence of millions of investors living in a state of denial and the multiple trillion$ of freshly printed money being pumped into the system.
But don’t take my word for it. Read this:
Stock Market will Crash when Investors realize Peak Oil is Real
“David Fridley, an expert on oil economics, worked under Chu. In an interview given in 2009, Fridley claims, “[Chu] was my boss…He knows all about peak oil, but he can’t talk about it. If the government announced that peak oil was threatening our economy, Wall Street would crash. He just can’t say anything about it.” (Morrigan)
A whistleblower at the IEA alleged that oil reserves had been overstated, and that the IEA had downplayed the lowering rates of production because it feared panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further. ‘Politicians are terrified of mentioning peak oil,’ says Chris Skrebowski, director of Peak Oil Consulting and former editor of respected industry magazine Petroleum Review. ‘They are frightened of the social and financial reactions. Peak oil has been placed on the pile marked “too difficult” (Rowe).”
energyskeptic.com/2012/stock-market-will-crash-when-investors-realize-peak-oil-is-real/

the above is comment by Northwest Resident on Mon, 12th May 2014 9:59 am 

Brazil Zero Fare Movement fights fare increase

. #tarifazero .
. #passelivre .
Read more here and here

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Voters approve millions for #publictransit in Michigan

Aggressive TWU Transit Funding Campaign in Michigan Yields Landslide Victory at the Polls: "

The tax millage will generate an estimated $3.4 million in Ann Arbor, $202,730 in Ypsilanti and $778,207 in Ypsilanti Township annually, and will fund the implementation of the AATA’s five-year transit improvement plan. That plan includes more than 90,000 hours of additional fixed-route bus service in the county's urban core, including about 57,000 in Ann Arbor, more than 8,500 in Ypsilanti, and over 9,400 in Ypsilanti Township. 

"

More signs of split in 1% as interests diverge from oil industry

Leaders of Tampa Bay's biggest public companies cite mass transit as priority | Tampa Bay Times: "Yet when the leaders of the region's 10 biggest public companies were asked what Tampa Bay should do to improve its business climate, a majority echoed the same suggestion: make it easier for people to travel between work and home.

"It's hard to get around Pinellas and Hillsborough if you don't have a car," said Mark Mondello, CEO of Jabil Circuit. "Compared to Chicago, Dallas, L.A., Boston … it's night and day. If we're going to attract progressive types of workers and progressive types of corporate businesses, mass transit is an issue.""

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Good reason for #freetransit - save energy, avoid war

The war in Ukraine is about energy.

Don't end up like Ukraine, start reducing cars and saving energy now! See how it is being done in Poland with a campaign for free public transport.
BEZPLATNA KOMUNIKACJA MIEJSKA: ""On Wednesday, the boardwalk Chelm gathered representatives of the Free Trade Union of Workers want August 80, in several Polish cities including Chelm appeared free public transport. What are the advantages of this solution?"
photo credit chelm.naszemiasto.pl

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

The Energy Trap

Do the Math: "In brief, the idea is that once we enter a decline phase in fossil fuel availability—first in petroleum—our growth-based economic system will struggle to cope with a contraction of its very lifeblood. Fuel prices will skyrocket, some individuals and exporting nations will react by hoarding, and energy scarcity will quickly become the new norm. The invisible hand of the market will slap us silly demanding a new energy infrastructure based on non-fossil solutions. But here’s the rub. The construction of that shiny new infrastructure requires not just money, but…energy. And that’s the very commodity in short supply. Will we really be willing to sacrifice additional energy in the short term—effectively steepening the decline—for a long-term energy plan? It’s a trap!"
Many EROEI (net energy) numbers are generous as they usually omit clean-up costs. We believe that the tarsands are already negative net energy and the Do-the-Math article addresses this:
"Anything less than the break-even ratio of 1:1 means that the source provides no net energy (a drain, in fact), and is not worth pursuing for energy purposes—unless the form/convenience of that specific energy is otherwise unavailable."

U.S. government hopelessly controlled by oil

Will U.S. decay into Mad Max future?
Around the world, especially in Asia, political leaders are calling for, and building, more public transit. Meanwhile the U.S. government is deadlocked trying to fix its highways.
Free Public Transport - Southeast Asia: Taib calls for better public transport: "BorneoPost Online : "KUCHING: An efficient public transportation will not just ease gridlocks and lessen travel time for commuters but will help tourists go around the state see more places."
The U.S. government is controlled by the oil industry. There is no force currently on the stage that is even coming close to opposing that. That is why we say put your energy into your local government policy. Many towns have free transit. Your town can have it too. But we have to stop begging the GOP to "be good" and start talking to our neighbors and pushing for free transit in local political circles.

If you think free transit is "too extreme," think about this. CO2 is at 400ppm. Now THAT is extreme.

photo credit: http://www.madmaxmovies.com/mad-max/mad-max-cars/chevy-impala/index.html

Monday, May 5, 2014

Why #freetransit is so important for ending war such as in Ukraine

The U.S. is desperately car-dependent. Any loss in the power of the petrodollar, or other loss of leverage in world energy markets, means disaster for the U.S. economy. This is the source of aggressive foreign policy.

There is only one way to de-fang this beast. Oil demand must drop sharply.

The good news is, your town can save a lot of money currently wasted on supporting cars, and at the same strike a blow for peace. Nothing in the U.S. constitution says oil and cars must be subsidized.

Join us now. Become a free-transit advocate!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Riding #publictransit can save you $10,000/yr, #freetransit would take only $100 out of that

Miami-Dade Green -: "Riding on transit also helps to save money. According to the American Public Transportation Association, the cost savings of taking transit over driving to work continues to rise. As of January 2014, commuters who take transit instead of driving to work save $829 a month on average, or nearly $10,000 a year. "
Free transit can be implemented for a tax of $100/yr per person. If free, more people would use it, and more people could save up to $10,000 per year. In addition many costs would drop.



See our spreadsheet

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Energy war in Ukraine, but Poland saves energy with #freetransit

BEZPLATNA KOMUNIKACJA MIEJSKA: "tuZory.pl : "Nie kombinuj, jedź za darmo! Pod takim hasłem na ulice miasta wyruszyły dzisiaj autobusy, które bezpłatnie będą wozić pasażerów po Żorach. Pierwsi chętni na darmową przejażdżkę na przystankach pojawili się już po godz. 5:00! Jak prezentują się autobusy? Zapraszamy do fotogalerii.""

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Laws of physics have their say in #climate debate

IMAGE: MARIANNA MASSEY/GETTY IMAGES
But #climate deniers still in control. Why? Because of demand for oil. To stop the denial, stop the demand.

Oil buys US Congress votes, but where does their power come from?

Yes, money buys influence. But why can't any limits be put on their political power? Because millions of people continue to demand their product, that is why. To end their power, stop buying the product.

Oil money behind Keystone XL Senate bill breaks 20 million dollars | Oil Change International: "In other words, those Senators cosponsoring the pro-Keystone XL bill introduced today have received roughly 5 times more in oil industry cash than those who remained off the bill."

Video: Passenger severely beaten for not paying a fare

Movimento Passe Livre ABC: "The fare is a robbery, assault, extortion in the life of the population.

In Santo André CPTM security along with the military police beat a young man who didn't pay the value of 3.00 to board the train. It is possible that the young man has died, simply for not agreeing to the violence that is the fare of collective transport.
The State and its agents fascists, as PM, and private security guards are capable of taking lives in defense of private capital; in defense of a butchering and violent fare every day the population is poor and excluded from circular, to come and go, work, study, hang out, go to the hospital, to the Park, to find, simply because I don't have $ 6.00 (9, 12, 18 real ...) to pay every time you leave the House.

Repudiate the violent action of the PM and the security of the CPTM.
We reject the violence of everyday fare."

Video

May 1st #freetransit starts in Zory, Poland

This...
Leads to this...
To learn more about #freetransit in Poland, go here http://fptpoland.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Campaign for free public transport in Poland, patient, persistent, successful

Free public transport?: "In WÄ…growcu are 34,104 registered vehicles, which are in peak congestion, and parking lots are still crowded. An alternative to car can be a bus.
The representatives of the Free Trade Union "August 80", the organizer of the national campaign "No to increases in ticket prices - YES for free public transport", came to WÄ…growiec to perform actions in favor of free public transport. The unions last Wednesday at the Market convince residents to implement this idea..."