Our Possible Electric Future
With COVID 19, being at home is the responsible thing to do. It has provided me a lot of thinking time about a better future. What could our Island future look like after if us locals and global decision makers use this seminal event and developing electric transportation technology for an improved environment ?
TRANSPORTATION
Imagine every moving transportation bit is electric. In the following I have added a code if the technology is Visionary [V], in development or Almost here [A] or the technology is available Today [T], although we may or may not have it on Salt Spring.
Food and other goods from other areas on the planet could be transported on freighters, transferred to Semi-trailers [A], then smaller regional delivery trucks [A] or vans [A], onto ferries [T] and to the local stores.
Locally, we could (and should) produce more of our local food. It could be shunted around the island by trucks [A], single and dual passenger low speed vehicles [T], rickshaws [V], cars [T] and bikes [T]. Much of the food could be processed on island at The Root and abattoir.
Anyone requiring a delivery from a store, could use a taxi [T], a delivery shuttle [A] or a drone [V].
For local passenger transportation, electric busses [T] and shuttles [T] would play a key role. Private owners could use electric vehicles [T] as the registered 261 in our EV database do today. Private owned cars are typically used under 5% of the time, so there is an emerging business model for self-driving cars [A] where it would become an income generator when you are not using it. Your car could be made available as a self-driving taxi business [V] (Robo-Taxi’s) to increase your household income. In another distributed network power solution, your car is always plugged in and your power utility could harvest your stored energy during peak power demands in exchange for a rate reduction [V]. Add your own solar panels and the solution provides even greater benefits [T].
CITYSCAPES
Many cities around the world are now widening sidewalk zones and are sealing off entire streets to provide safe social distancing corridors. Would some of these changes become permanent ? Income tax was a temporary measure that pretty much stuck. Here on SSI, the combination of public transit, robo-vehicles, smaller format low speed vehicles and bikes would reduce the need for parking in Ganges. That could open the possibility of closing McPhillips, Hereford and/or Purvis to all but mini-delivery vehicles and taxis. This freed-up space could be available for food trucks, market vendors, raised herb gardens, conversation corners, outdoor artwork and entertainment. The other unaltered streets could have lower speed limits for reduced noise and increased safety.
Ganges would become pedestrian intensive with unpolluted and friendly streets. It would be safer for all of us, (especially kids and seniors). A transition to the look and feel of many appealing European villages.
Is this the future you are pondering as well ? Talk to your elected officials, friends and neighbours.
I love receiving your respectful comments. I can be reached at: jstanden@ucalgary.ca
With COVID 19, being at home is the responsible thing to do. It has provided me a lot of thinking time about a better future. What could our Island future look like after if us locals and global decision makers use this seminal event and developing electric transportation technology for an improved environment ?
TRANSPORTATION
Imagine every moving transportation bit is electric. In the following I have added a code if the technology is Visionary [V], in development or Almost here [A] or the technology is available Today [T], although we may or may not have it on Salt Spring.
Food and other goods from other areas on the planet could be transported on freighters, transferred to Semi-trailers [A], then smaller regional delivery trucks [A] or vans [A], onto ferries [T] and to the local stores.
Locally, we could (and should) produce more of our local food. It could be shunted around the island by trucks [A], single and dual passenger low speed vehicles [T], rickshaws [V], cars [T] and bikes [T]. Much of the food could be processed on island at The Root and abattoir.
Anyone requiring a delivery from a store, could use a taxi [T], a delivery shuttle [A] or a drone [V].
For local passenger transportation, electric busses [T] and shuttles [T] would play a key role. Private owners could use electric vehicles [T] as the registered 261 in our EV database do today. Private owned cars are typically used under 5% of the time, so there is an emerging business model for self-driving cars [A] where it would become an income generator when you are not using it. Your car could be made available as a self-driving taxi business [V] (Robo-Taxi’s) to increase your household income. In another distributed network power solution, your car is always plugged in and your power utility could harvest your stored energy during peak power demands in exchange for a rate reduction [V]. Add your own solar panels and the solution provides even greater benefits [T].
CITYSCAPES
Many cities around the world are now widening sidewalk zones and are sealing off entire streets to provide safe social distancing corridors. Would some of these changes become permanent ? Income tax was a temporary measure that pretty much stuck. Here on SSI, the combination of public transit, robo-vehicles, smaller format low speed vehicles and bikes would reduce the need for parking in Ganges. That could open the possibility of closing McPhillips, Hereford and/or Purvis to all but mini-delivery vehicles and taxis. This freed-up space could be available for food trucks, market vendors, raised herb gardens, conversation corners, outdoor artwork and entertainment. The other unaltered streets could have lower speed limits for reduced noise and increased safety.
Ganges would become pedestrian intensive with unpolluted and friendly streets. It would be safer for all of us, (especially kids and seniors). A transition to the look and feel of many appealing European villages.
Is this the future you are pondering as well ? Talk to your elected officials, friends and neighbours.
I love receiving your respectful comments. I can be reached at: jstanden@ucalgary.ca