Going Green San Antonio (Austin, Center: apartment, new home, neighborhoods)

[FreetailBrewing]

Here is an article from today's Express-News.

Personally, I am all for green initiatives and better energy efficiency in our city (no matter the source).

What are your thoughts?

MySA.com: Metro | State (http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA061208.1B.city_sustainability.EN.37bc4a0.html - broken link)

Once-cheap energy hurts S.A., report says


Web Posted: 06/11/2008 10:52 PM CDT


By Anton Ca****
aca****@express-news.net

San Antonio has grown up around cheap power, which leaves the community in a poor position to thrive in a world of $4-a-gallon gas, a worldwide energy crunch and global warming, according to a recent city consultant's report.

In light of that finding, Mayor Phil Hardberger unveiled a multipronged effort Wednesday to reshape the way people use energy and travel in the city, while spurring a local green-building boom to sprout good-paying jobs.

Moderator cut: please limit copyright material to a link and a short intro

[Bo]

I took this article as another sign that the city is looking to follow Austin's lead and require homes to be retrofitted with energy-saving HVAC systems and windows.

[pirk51]

Overall this is a good thing, but as the article mentions, this talk must be backed up by action. Any increase in green building/sustainability is a plus.

As a future transplant to San Antonio (moving next month) the one thing I'd like to see is the area become more bike friendly by adding more bike lanes, designated bike routes around the city, and add more multi-use paths. I'd love to commute on my bike, but looking at the Bexar county bike suitability map almost the entire city is marked by yellow or red, meaning the majority of the city is moderate to low regarding bike suitability. I realize I'm not able to speak from personal experience, but everything I've seen about SA and bikes has lead me to this conclusion. So, on this topic anybody know of any community groups/activists that are pushing for this, because I'd love to be a part of any movement making my new hometown easier to navigate on a bicycle.

[SnappyBob]

Did anyone else think it odd that these people from Chicago came down here and did a study. (Probably cost us half a million bucks) and the first thing they conclude is that all the cheap housing is on the outskirts of the city away from the work centers.
Huh? All of the expensive neighborhoods are in the inner city?

Most of the bike enthusiasts that I know refuse to use bike lanes. I think bike lanes would be a good idea. Bicyclist's should be required by law to use them if they are available. I also think bike lanes should be paid for by license plates on any bicycle being used on any thoroughfare that is controlled by traffic lights or has more than two lanes in one direction.

[Schaertl]

Speaking of bikes, where are all the bikers at? You'd think they'd be flooding the streets by now. Is it just me or is there no difference in the amount of bikers on the road between 2 years ago and today? Has anyone seen an increase?

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

the first thing they conclude is that all the cheap housing is on the outskirts of the city away from the work centers.
Huh? All of the expensive neighborhoods are in the inner city?

I don't think they meant downtown exclusively when they talked about work centers. I'm thinking USAA/Valero, Medical Center, etc. also count as "work centers". I don't agree with their rationale, but perhaps what they meant was that a lot of the (maybe new) cheaper homes are farther away. In other words, if you earned less than the average household in SA, but you worked in the Med. Center, where (other than in a nearby apartment) would you live that was closer than those with means living in Oak Hills? Only a guess, but I would hope that the study had some actual data included in the report, rather than just a fuzzy statement.

[dangeruscurves]

I am happy we are going greener. We should have been this conscious previously, but I guess as long as we are improving.

[tops]

Here is another article that goes further in depth. (broken link)

Originally Posted by pirk51

As a future transplant to San Antonio (moving next month) the one thing I'd like to see is the area become more bike friendly by adding more bike lanes, designated bike routes around the city, and add more multi-use paths. I'd love to commute on my bike, but looking at the Bexar county bike suitability map almost the entire city is marked by yellow or red, meaning the majority of the city is moderate to low regarding bike suitability. I realize I'm not able to speak from personal experience, but everything I've seen about SA and bikes has lead me to this conclusion. So, on this topic anybody know of any community groups/activists that are pushing for this, because I'd love to be a part of any movement making my new hometown easier to navigate on a bicycle.

If you asked me, I'd say biking is a big part of SA, though it might take a bit to figure that out. I biked to work every day this week and know plenty of people who do the same. I have actually noticed an increase in bikes as of late, both as commuters and recreationalists.

Hopefully you'll live/work around downtown as that makes it easiest. The outer city is mostly a series of clogged arteries and disconnected neighborhoods that make biking more difficult, but its doable. Gladly, the city council mentioned that as an issue in today's meeting. Dedicated lanes can be nice, but they usually have to end and I'll just as soon take a whole lane in a less congested route. As for planning people, Abigail and Lydia (http://www.sametroplan.org/pages/Committees/BMAC/BMP/bmp.html - broken link) are the ones with push in town and are good about spreading news of bike development.

Otherwise, check out this article for the other seminal figures. There are plenty of social rides around town so direct message me and I'll fill you in more.

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by tops

Here is another article that goes further in depth. (broken link)

Excellent reading. The "drive until you qualify" statement makes more sense now.

Originally Posted by tops

If you asked me, I'd say biking is a big part of SA, though it might take a bit to figure that out. I biked to work every day this week and know plenty of people who do the same. I have actually noticed an increase in bikes as of late, both as commuters and recreationalists.

Hopefully you'll live/work around downtown as that makes it easiest.

I also know a couple of co-workers who regularly bike around downtown southward. One recently decided to just go ahead and bike to work (we office downtown, of course). As for me, I'm excited about the Bus-Rapid-Transit line which will have a stop literally just a few blocks from my house. I'll have to wait until 2012, though.

We may complain about the price of gas, but at least it is forcing us to grow up as a city.