<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> Chuwa, <br> <br> Regarding your reflection/question: "Following the principle mentioned at the end of the video, it made me wonder if there is a design that achieve the purpose (transportation) and INCREASE the chances of future survival (Sustainability), just like most of the other live forms are doing in a natural way."<br> <br> Lewis Mumford was always proposing that the human body was this "design" you are asking about. He once said "Restore human legs as a means of travel. Pedestrians rely on food for fuel and need no special parking facilities.", and there are many other texts where he said this.<br> <br> Of course, then the bicycle came along, which was a pretty wonderful idea. But it unfortunately "paved the way" for the other vehicles that are now being used and generate most cities we live in. This is a huge and interesting topic, the difficult part is applying it to transport policy effectively.<br> <br> Best regards,<br> <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Carlos F. Pardo Coordinador de Proyecto- Project Coordinator GTZ - Proyecto de Transporte Sostenible (SUTP, SUTP-LAC) Cl 93A # 14-17 of 708 Bogotá D.C., Colombia Tel/fax: +57 (1) 236 2309 Mobile: +57 (3) 15 296 0662 <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:carlos.pardo@sutp.org">carlos.pardo@sutp.org</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.sutp.org">www.sutp.org</a> </pre> <br> <br> chuwa wrote: <blockquote cite="mid:18540.99341.qm@web36904.mail.mud.yahoo.com" type="cite"> <div>If I may add, reading through this ealier thread, and reflecting on a speech by Janine Benyus in TEDTalk (<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n77BfxnVlyc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n77BfxnVlyc</a>) it hits me that the motorized private car may well be one of the most destructive invention of mankind. Car, in a small number is a wonderful toy. If used occasionally it's also fine, but the way it turn out now it's eating away way too much resources for too little value as return. The large number of cars in many countries is quickly becoming a liability rather than an asset to the owners and the society. Following the principle mentioned at the end of the video, it made me wonder if there is a design that achieve the purpose (transportation) and INCREASE the chances of future survival (Sustainability), just like most of the other live forms are doing in a natural way.</div> <div>I was recently in Penang, where public bus service is very poor, many people there have cars, my sister's family of four have 4 cars, not because they are very rich, but because the cars are very affordable and there is no real alternative choices (road become so hot and dangerous, and there is hardly any cyclist). And the usual story of traffic jam. I heard the Malaysia government want to promote their car industry and therefore provide financial incentive for people to own cars (zero down-payment, cheap subsidized gasoline). On the other hand, seeing the consequence,  they are also afraid of the negative impact on environment and want people to e.g., car-pool, but all my friends say it's not practical. </div> <div>The design principle of private car is so dump, the opportunity to improve is proportionally huge. But cheaper car is not going to help the situation. Meanwhile, the developing countries are happily driving into the destructive direction. (<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://tinyurl.com/2wmavp">http://tinyurl.com/2wmavp</a>)</div> <div> </div> <pre wrap=""> <hr size="4" width="90%"> -------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTE to everyone who gets sustran-discuss messages via YAHOOGROUPS. Please go to <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss">http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss</a> to join the real sustran-discuss and get full membership rights. The yahoogroups version is only a mirror and 'members' there cannot post to the real sustran-discuss (even if the yahoogroups site makes it seem like you can). Apologies for the confusing arrangement. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). </pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>