The Monorail Society has long touted the environmental benefits of
Monorail: they are electric, carbon free, quiet, and have an extremely small
ground footprint. So, with the threat of climate catastrophe looming due to
excessive carbon emissions and deforestation we strongly urge all nations to
reconsider this technology and consider the following plan.
To reduce energy demand and carbon output we must do two
things: 1) install electric carbon-free transportation systems, and 2)
restructure and rebuild our cities to accommodate said transportation systems.
Building carbon free cities
TMS strongly urges the US Department of Transportation to
adopt a comprehensive and all-encompassing transportation plan in which
electric, fixed guideway technology, such as monorail, is the primary mode of
commuter transit. We strongly urge the rapid installation of these systems in
all US cities with the goal of having all commuter transit occurring in
electric vehicles by 2030. This will drastically reduce commuter vehicle carbon
emissions. Large cities, such as Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and Washington DC,
will each require hundreds of trains, stations, and many miles of track.
Companies that currently build automobiles can expand their product line to
include monorail cars and components. Companies that build roads can expand to
build monorail track and stations.
Everything is within a short walk
The goal of restructuring cities is to drastically reduce
the energy demands of transit and to facilitate monorail usage. This is
achieved by reducing the distance between buildings and structures. Business
offices, retail, dining, entertainment, education, public, civic and government
centers, must be clustered tight around transportation stations. This rebuilding
will result in dense and closely packed cities that have minimal energy
requirements on movement throughout the city. Commuters will be able to depart
a station and walk to their destination and vice versa, similar to an airport. In residential areas, houses and apartments would
be clustered around stations.
Protecting nature
Installation of elevated electric trains will free up much
land within cities in the form of roads, parking lots and parking structures.
This newly freed up land can be repurposed for new construction, rather than
building on virgin fields, forests and countryside. Indeed, preserving forests
and natural environments is primary to reversing climate change.
Your daily commute
In residential areas houses, condos and apartments would be
clustered around transit stations. Therefore, your daily commute would look
like this: Exit your place of residence, drive your electric car a mile or two to
the nearest station, get on the monorail for a ride into the city. At the end
of the day reverse the procedure to get back home.
Travel between cities
For longer, intercity travel there’s no need to leave the
ground. Instead of monorail (that tops out at near 40 mph), board electric high
speed trains that reach speeds of up to 200 mph. Arrive at your destination refreshed,
relaxed, and in half-the-time.
Conclusion
The task is daunting, but for the bright future it brings to
humanity, for global responsibility and for an effective and proactive response
to climate change, there is no more pressing nor important cause.
They say that, in the long run, it is not the fittest nor
smartest of species that survives, but those capable of change. Carbon-free
transit, in the form of monorail, is the change we need now.
