Carbon Offset Credits. What are they?

I had the opportunity over the holidays to visit a friend in South Africa. Before my trip I began researching the amount of pollution caused by air travel. I discovered that in addition to the carbon dioxide and other pollutants released, aviation pollution is even more damaging because of the high altitudes in which pollutants are released. Jet airliners operate near the tropopause, the atmospheric boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. When planes leave vapor trails in the sky it can lead to the artificial formation of cirrus cloud formation. Some estimates even say that cloud cover may have increased 0.2% since the discovery of aviation. In addition to artificial cloud formation, the release of pollutants at high altitudes can cause a reaction with other green house gasses, increasing ozone concentrations. So what is a world traveler to do in this moral conundrum?

This is where carbon offset credits come in. The concept is simple. You go on to a website like carbonfund.org, and purchase donations to verified carbon offset projects. These projects include renewable energy and methane projects, energy efficiency projects, and reforestation and avoided deforestation projects. There are a number of preset packages you can purchase based on the kind of car you drive or the size of the house you live in, or you can use their custom carbon calculator to calculate the amount of pollutants your flight will create. My flight was from Philly to DC, then from DC to Dekar, Senegal and finally from Dekar to Johannesburg, South Africa- annnnd back. The calculator determined that these flights would emit 3.95 metric tons of CO2 emissions. I was able to purchase credits in a project of my choosing and flew easier knowing that my donation was going towards verified projects to offset my footprint. I will continue to use this service for my future travel plans and urge you to do the same. For sustainability, it’s a step in the right direction.

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Got a drafty home? Try a home assessment from EnergyWorks.

As the nights begin to grow colder, those drafts in our home and businesses become harder to ignore. Not only are they raising the cost of our heating bills, they are also causing more carbon emissions to enter our atmosphere. Is your home or business operating as efficiently as possible?

Enter EnergyWorks. Energy works is a new initiative funded by the stimulus through the Department of Energy, they provide energy efficient solutions and low interest loans to home and business owners in the Greater Philadelphia region.

I had the chance to see Andrew Kreider from the Environmental Protection Agency speak about the program during a recent GVF Climate Change Task Force Meeting. First you sign up for a low-cost home energy assessment (You can see what one looks like here). Then you receive a list of prioritized improvements that can be made to increase the comfort and energy efficiency levels of your house. EnergyWorks even provides a list of certified area contractors and offers low-interest loans to help pay for your improvement.

For more information, visit EnergyWorksnow.com.

You can also watch the clip below from “It’s Your Call with Lynn Doyle” featuring Jeff Lane from EnergyWorks.

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Climate Change Task Force tours Valley Forge National Historical Park

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force, which advocates for its partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region, took things outside "the office" and held a walking tour of the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Sustainability is a priority for the VFNHP, which was showcased during GVF's Fall Partner Breakfast where the VFNHP received Platinum level for GVF's Sustainable Awards for the second year in a row.

Valley Forge National Historical Park began the rehabilitation on Washington’s Headquarters about four years ago. Below are some highlights from our most recent walking tour:

• One goal was to have less impervious surface by removing 2.5 acres of pavement, as well as improving their storm water issues with water infiltration system.


• No flooding has occurred, especially with the most recent hurricane.


• All concrete and asphalt that was removed was and continues to be recycled, opposed to going to a landfill.


• VFNHP also only plants native plants.


• Their 1911 train station was recently stored last year with the intention of trying to keep everything from its original existence. With the VFNHP focus on sustainability, they installed energy efficient light bulbs, as well as time sensors; energy efficient heating/cooling system.

Be sure to visit our Flickr page for pictures of the Climate Change Task Force tour.

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Air Quality Partnership to Host Lawn Mower Trade-In Event on May 7

Residents in southeastern Pennsylvania will have an opportunity to get rid of their old, gasoline-powered lawn mowers and purchase environmentally friendly, discounted electric or battery-powered mowers at an event on Saturday, May 7 in Springfield Township, Montgomery County.

Hosted by the Air Quality Partnership (AQP), a program to reduce air pollution in the region, the event will be held:
Saturday, May 7
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Springfield Township High School parking lot
1801 East Paper Mill Road, Erdenheim, PA.


Interested residents can pre-register at http://www.airqualitypartnership.org/. The first 140 registrants will receive a $50 voucher toward a new, electric or battery-powered lawn mower.

Black and Decker will be on-site, giving up to an additional 30% off to those who purchase a mower at the event. Participants must trade-in an old mower in order to receive the voucher and discount. Registration will close at 250 participants.

The AQP is partnering with Sustainable Waste Solutions (SWS) to haul away the old mowers. All mowers must be drained of fluids before drop-off. A list of county hazardous waste days can be found at www.airqualitypartnership.org.



AQP is a program of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), which educates residents about the dangerous effects of ground-level ozone, and provides air quality forecasts to the public. Gas-powered lawn mowers are a major contributor to ground-level ozone, and purchasing an electric mower is just one way the public can help the environment. To sign-up for air quality forecasts and alerts, and for tips on how to reduce air pollution, visit the newly redesigned website, www.airqualitypartnership.org.


Sustainable Waste Solutions, LLC, an environmentally green recycling and solid waste services company, is the first landfill-free waste company in our region. Its focus is converting trash to renewable energy. Headquartered in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Sustainable Waste Solutions serves its clients throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley and Delaware.

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GVF's 2011 Sustainable Awards - Submit Application Now!

GVF is pleased to announce its 2011 Sustainable Awards nomination period! GVF seeks nominations to recognize its partners for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality. When we launched this program in 2010, we were excited to see 11 partners participate, which employee over 16,000 employees. This year we hope to exceed these numbers!




Take a moment to view the application by clicking here or visit http://www.gvftma.com/, to see how you qualify for either the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition level. Upon review of the application, partners will be recognized at GVF’s Fall Partner Breakfast, which will be held in September 2011.


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your applications!

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GSK moving Philadelphia operations to Navy Yard

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of GVF's partners, is relocating its Center City operations to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It will move about 1,300 downtown employees to the South Philadelphia site.


Liberty Property Trust, another one of GVF's partners, will construct a 205,000-square-foot “state-of-the art workplace of the future” for the pharmaceutical company, said John Gattuso, senior vice president and regional director at Liberty, a Malvern, Pa., real estate investment Trust. Robert A.M. Stern Architects will design the $81 million, four-story building, which will be built to meet a LEED platinum designation.

“The reason it is at the Navy Yard is the company wanted a very specific environment that had a main street and that’s not a configuration that could be adapted in a current building or built in Center City,” Gattuso said. “That is the driver of the selection of the Navy Yard.”

GSK said the building will have an open plan design, which is consistent with other GSK facilities designed to bring employees together to foster better communication and idea sharing. The building will have a fitness center, restaurant, retail services, and free parking for employees and visitors. To read the entire article from the Philadelphia Business Journal, click here.

GVF is pleased to see two of its partners working together on this sustainability initiative and look forward to seeing the outcome. Among many notable awards, Liberty Property Trust was recognized in 2010 with GVF's Sustainable Awards. Through GVF's Climate Change Task Force, GVF has offered a tour of Liberty Property's Tasykake Bakery, which was built with several features in order to target LEED-Silver certification.

Would you be interested in visiting the LEED platinum GSK building once it is open? Let us know by emailing info@gvftma.com or calling 610-354-8899, so we can see if a possible tour would be feasible.

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New Bar Being Set for Higher Ed Sustainability

GVF currently partners with Montgomery County Community College, St. Joseph's University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and provides our professional expertise by participating on MCCC's transportation committee, which was implemented when Dr. Stout signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Committment, and SJU's transportation committee, which was implemented after President Lannon created the Committee on Sustainability. It is exciting to be a part of these committees and assist MCCC and SJU to become more sustainable and setting benchmarks for future initiatives.

Below is an article from the Keystone Edge regarding Chatham University, located in Pittsburgh, which has taken on a decidedly green approach to education.

That has become evident in recent years with the establishment of its School of Sustainability and the Environment, the hiring of its first sustainability coordinator and the addition of an Environmental Biology track to its Master of Science in Biology program.

Chatham recently announced its latest and most ambitious sustainability initiative yet: the nation's first university campus to integrate sustainable development, living and learning.

Chatham's Master Plan to develop the Eden Hall Campus in nearby Richland Township calls for the School of Sustainability and the Environment - the second of its kind in the U.S. - to be housed there on a 388 acre site north of the school's Shadyside Campus.

The new campus will be able to handle 100 students, which is expected to increase to 1,500 in the next decade, and will include four districts:



Mueller Center Campus-Restoration and preservation of existing facilities, construction of academic and residentail facilities and landscape restoration, with long range plans for an EcoCenter, commons building, greenhouse, agricultural fields, amphitheater, sports complex, constructed wetlands and art studio.

Elsalma Center-Interaction with the public on northwest corner of campus through a conference center, teaching kitchen, classrooms/workshops, orchard, farm market, aquaponics and wellness center.

Stanford Hill- Includess academic and residential buildings set in forest, streams and meadows.

Elizabeth Meadows- Includes parking facilities, townhomes for faculty, students and staff and additional constructed wetlands.

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GVF is excited to launch its new program Commuter Challenge BINGO!

Looking for a fun and interactive way to change your commuting habits, and win some great prizes doing it? Sign up today for GVF’s Commuter Challenge Bingo, which we launched on January 3rd and goes until March 31, 2011!


Below GVF Project Manager, Carissa Bobenchik explains that the purpose of the Commuter Challenge is to improve mobility and sustain the environment by utilizing commuting alternatives. GVF encourages all residents of the Delaware Valley to walk, cycle, take transit, carpool, telecommute and/or utilize relevant commuter resources to make commuting easier and more sustainable.



Here’s how it works:


When you log onto Phillytraffic.com, click on 'How to Play' to register today!  Each participant will receive an electronic bingo card in the form of a PDF that shows different commuting alternatives and ways to improve commuting overall. Once a participant “gets bingo” (completes all of the challenges in straight or diagonal line) they will submit the completed card to GVF. The first 10 participants to submit a completed card will win a prize.

We hope this Challenge exposes all participants to commuting alternatives, as well as different resources avaialble.  Remember – you can make a difference in improving air quality, reducing congestion and enhancing mobility by making small changes in your daily commute!

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Getting Back on Track - Climate Change & State Transportation Policy

With a comprehensive climate bill stalled at the federal level, many are turning to the states to make progress toward reducing carbon emissions. Are the states ready? To succeed, many sectors will need to reduce their carbon emissions. In Getting Back on Track, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) examines what states are doing to curb emissions caused by transportation. As such, it is the first report to compare state transportation policy as it affects greenhouse gas emissions and compare performance across the states.


State transportation policy has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also effectively meeting the nation's wide-ranging mobility needs. Few studies have specifically sought to evaluate how states' transportation policies impact greenhouse gas emissions. The NRDC evaluates how well state-level transportation decisions are aligned with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by examining a selection of key transportation policies currently in place in the 50 states. The findings suggest that there is tremendous potential to make progress on reducing transportation-related carbon emissions. The recommendations in this report suggest ways states can improve their climate performance while meeting their mobility needs.

Evaluating States' Policies to Curb Emissions from the Transportation Sector


This analysis evaluates each state based on 17 policy and spending criteria that have been compared by expert analysis to achieve transportation sector greenhouse gas reductions. States can also implement these criteria independent of local or federal action and each criterion has successfully been adopted in one or more states. The selected evaluation criteria fall into three categories:
1. Infrastructure Policies
2. Investment Decisions
3. Touchstone Policies

The total score and individual Policy, Investment, and Touchstone subtotals for each state can be found in the table. To give additional context to these numbers, each state is further categorized into three scoring tiers as defined below:


Tier 1 (75 - 100):
Most alignment between transportation policy with climate change goals. These states are leading the way in setting transportation policies that support greenhouse gas emissions reduction. However, even these states must strive to do more to support a truly sustainable transportation system.

Tier 2 (25 - 74):
Some alignment between transportation policy and climate change goals. These states are taking some actions that will support greenhouse gas reduction goals, but there are many actions they are not taking. They must do more to get on the right track.

Tier 3 (0 - 24):
Limited or no alignment between transportation policy and climate change goals. Though these states' transportation policies may support climate change goals in some very limited ways, this is countered by many of their other policy choices. Most of the potential to reduce emissions through transportation strategies remains underutilized.

To view the entire article by NRDC and see where Pennsylvania ranks, click here.

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CONGRESS PASSES TRANSIT BENEFIT PARITY EXTENSION

Two weeks ago, I reported that GVF was working diligently to ensure the transit benefit parity was extended to remain at $230 per month. I'm happy to report that on December 16th, Congress completed work on an extension of the Bush/Middle class tax cuts and included, as a part of that package, is a provision extending parity between the transit/vanpool and parking portion of the transportation fringe benefit at a level of $230/month for 1-year. The transit benefit was set to be reduced to $120/month on January 1^st, with this action; the transit benefit will stay at $230/month until at least the end of 2011.

“We would like to thank all of our fellow transit advocates who were able to help us convince our elected officials that this benefit is critical for those who take public transit. We were very active in helping to get the benefit changed in the first place as all we wanted was to have equality with those who pay for parking. We will continue to advocate for this important benefit as the long term goal is to make this a permanent benefit,” said Rob Henry, GVF Executive Director.



GVF, along with its partners the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and VPSI, has worked diligently to ensure this parity was extended. GVF has been working with its local delegation by submitted letters of support to the below legislators asking them to support the transit parity extension. We would like to extend our appreciation to them for their continued support.

• U.S. Senator Casey


• U.S. Senator Specter


• Congressman Gerlach


• Congresswoman Schwartz


• Congressman Sestak

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BPG Participates in Collecting Packaging Waste for TerraCycle

GVF is a tenant of BPG Properties, located in King of Prussia. In effort to be more sustainable, BPG partnered with TerraCycle an in effort to encourage its tenants to collect their packaging so it can be recycled.

TerraCycle's , located in Trenton, NJ, goal is to help eliminate the idea of waste. They do this by creating collection and solution problems for all kinds of waste, by creating waste brigades and turning the collected waste into new products, ranging form park benches to backpacks. TerraCycle operates all around the world so please check out if we are in your country.


To learn more about the different brigades, click here. There are brigades for many different waste steams ranging from candy wrappers to pens. While some brigades have a cost many are free, where TerraCycle pays the shipping and for every unit of waste you send to them, TerraCycle will pay at least $0.02 to a charity or school of your choice.

TerraCycle recently expanded its brigade to collect packaging waste for tortilla and cheese bags. Tortilla brands Mission and Guerrero, both run by Gruma Corporation, package their tortillas and tostadas in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags. While technically recyclable, LDPE, identified by the #4 resin code, is not commonly collected in recycling programs. The New Jersey-based upcycling company will take the tortilla packaging and use it to make new tortilla holders and other consumer products. It will also collect packaging from the companies' dips and salsas. To read the entire article, click here.

GVF is participating in BPG's brigade, which is collecting chip, cookie and candy wrappers. BPG will be donating the proceeds to Juvenile Diabetes Assocation.

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GVF Takes an Active Role in the Transit Benefit Parity Status

GVF has been working diligently, in conjunction with the National Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), in advocating to keep parity among the transit and parking benefit. 

Last year, the transit benefit was increased from $120/month to $230/month, the same as the commuter parking benefit.  This increase allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to use a greater share of their pretax income to pay for commuting, saving them up to $1,000 or more on taxes each year!  This increase also benefited employers through payroll tax savings providing much needed resources for both employers and families during difficult economic times.  This increase also established equity for those who choose to take transit rather than drive to worker encouraging more employees to switch to transit resulting in less congestion, lower energy use and improved air quality.

The transit benefit increase is set to be reduced back to $120/month at the end of this year unless Congress acts to make it permanent. GVF has written several letters of support to legislators encouraging them to support this parity as we feel it is a crucial benefit for our partners and their employees.  

ACT reported that on December 9th, the Senate introduced a revised and negotiated extension of tax cuts. Included in that legislation is a provision which extends parity between transit/vanpool and parking at $230/month for 1-year. The package is expected to be voted on in the Senate early next week and then in the House. There are a number of hurdles which remain, but there are far fewer hurdles today then there were last week. ACT is hopeful that by this time next week we can say that it has officially been approved.

Stay tuned for an update next week!

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GVF's Climate Change Task Force Tours Tastykake Factory Tour

GVF's Climate Change Task Force, in collaboration with Liberty Property Trust, offered a complimentary tour of the Tastykake Baking Factory, located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.  We had over 25 people attend this private guided tour of this green bakery, which was held on Wednesday, December 1st.  In addition to learning fascinating facts on the different sustainability initiatives occuring at this site, the group also received complimentary tastykakes! 

                                

What went into planning this site?
First, Liberty Property Trust and Tastykake took an abandoned industrial site and re-used the buildings as foundation material for the new bakery, which avoided clearing a forest and reduced construction waste.  Secondly, the bakery was built with several features in order to target LEED-Silver certification.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and acts as a report card for the environmental friendliness of a building.  Once Tastykake achieves this status, it will be the only baking company in the country with LEED Silver certification.

Below is a picture of one of the LEED standards offered at the site - designated upfront parking for individuals who drive fuel efficient vehicles.  

Moreover, a list of the additional features that are included under LEED standards are:

* A white, reflective roof, which minimizes heat-absorbing surfaces that contribute to global warming.

* No-mow, drought-resistant grass that uses less water.

* All wood doors and half of the wood used in the building come from certified sustainable sources that work to conserve trees.

* Paints and carpeting with low chemical content that reduce ear, nose and throat irritation.

* Refrigeration equipment using environmentally friendly refrigerants to minimize emissions that contribute to global warming.

* Covered parking lot lights that reduce light pollution; bike racks and access to public transportation that reduce vehicle usage and pollution.

* Solar panels on the roof that provide power to several of the building’s systems.

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GVF Advocates for Bike Lanes

GVF recently submitted a letter of support to PennDOT requesting that their Bicycle Occupancy Permit (BOP) be amended. 

The Bicycle Occupancy Permit is a document required by PennDOT for a municipality to stripe bicycle lanes on state owned roads.  The municipality desiring bicycle lanes must then be responsible for policing, maintenance (including the removal of snow), and proper traffic signing and marking of the bikeway according to the BOP.  The Bicycle Occupancy Permit is included in Chapter 16 of PennDOT’s Publication 13M (DM-2).  BOP has created unintended confusion and is preventing projects across the state from installing bicycle lanes and facilities.   


GVF along with PEC, PA Walks and Bikes, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, PPAC, Doylestown Borough are among the agencies that have signed on as supporters and are hoping to meet with PennDOT to further discuss this issue. 


As one of the many alternative modes for commuting, biking enables individuals to save money by biking to work, as well as intergrating a healthier way of living.  One program where GVF encourages people to bike to work is with its Bike to Work Challenge, which concluded its second season in August. 


Below is a video of how transportation planners in Portland, Oregon are taking their famous bicycle boulevards to the next level - by adding more routes!  GVF wants to see our region increase bicycle lanes and facilities into its projects and not have them be eliminated because of PennDOT's BOP. 

  

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Portland's Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways

Transportation planners in Portland, Oregon are taking their famous bicycle boulevards to the next level. By adding more routes and stepping up the traffic calming treatments, the city is not only making these streets more attractive and usable for cyclists, but also for pedestrians, runners, children, and anyone else who gets around under their own power.


These next-generation facilities have been christened “Neighborhood Greenways,” and by 2015, over 80 percent of all Portlanders will live within half a mile of one. The city is counting on these re-engineered streets to reach its goal of increasing bicycle mode share from eight percent to 25 percent by 2030.

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Philadelphia gets grant for electric car chargers

Below is the full article of the recent $140,000 grant Philadelphia will receive to purchase and install chargers for 20 electric vehicles that will serve PhillyCarShare, Zipcar and the public.



City of Philadelphia Receives Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant from Pennsylvania DEP to Add Electric Vehicles to Local Car Share Fleets

Philadelphia, November 16, 2010 – Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced today that the City of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability will receive a $140,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) to purchase and install chargers for 20 electric vehicles (EV) in Philadelphia. The chargers will serve 18 EVs that PhillyCarShare and Zipcar will add to their fleets and provide two parking spaces with charging services available the public. By displacing 18 traditional car share vehicles, the project is expected to cut CO2 emissions by 61,000 pounds per year.

“Greenworks Philadelphia sets a goal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2015,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “Adding electric vehicles to Philadelphia’s successful car share programs will give thousands of Philadelphia drivers an affordable opportunity to experience new EV technology and help the City reach our ambitious sustainability goals.”

Electric vehicle technology is well suited for car share use because the average car share trip is between 30 and 40 miles long, well within the range of one battery charge. Using EVs in high-mileage fleet settings such as car share programs also increases the environmental benefit of the vehicles by replacing a large number of traditional fuel vehicle miles driven.

The project is an important first step in strengthening Philadelphia’s EV infrastructure. It will help the City understand and improve EV charger installation permitting, give PECO valuable information about how chargers interact with the existing grid, and provide data on how electric vehicles perform in Philadelphia’s weather and traffic conditions.

“This project starts solving the chicken and egg problem by creating an electric car public charging infrastructure that will then encourage people to purchase and use electric cars,” said DEP Secretary John Hanger. “The project also shows that Philadelphia can be a leader in the electric car revolution that will create enormous health, environmental and economic benefits.”

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Ever want to see where Tastykakes are made?

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force, with the help of Liberty Property Trust, is offering a tour of the new Tasty Baking Company’s facility located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. A requirement of both Liberty and Tasty Baking, was to make this project as sustainable as possible. Utilizing the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) specifications, the building is targeting a Silver Certification.

Upon certification, the facility will be the largest LEED® certified bakery in the nation! Sustainable features of the building and the baking process include:

• Responsible construction diverting 90% of waste from landfills
• Use of recycled materials in construction
• Redevelopment of a Brownfield site
• Highly efficient HVAC systems
• An intelligent building automation system
• Rainwater harvesting system used for landscape irrigation
• Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) materials
• Innovative thermal oil system utilized in the baking process

GVF's Climate Change Task Force is happy to offer this tour, which will take place on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 10:00AM. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE! Please contact Lauren Peak at 610-354-8899 if you are interested in attending this event. *This event is open to GVF partners only.

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force will be an advocate for its partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region.

The vision of the Task Force is to:

• Provide continuous and up to date information on climate change issues that are affecting our partners and assist with identifying the appropriate steps of action.
• Host roundtable discussions on specific issues and concerns our partners are having and where they would like assistance.
• Work collaboratively with a panel of experts, such as DEP, EPA, DVRPC, Montgomery County and Chester County and other participants, on a variety of issues that will inform our partners on the necessary action items to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If you are interested in more information on GVF's Climate Change Task Force or the additional services we can assist your business with, please contact Maureen Farrell at 610-354-8899.

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GVF to launch Commuter Challenge BINGO!

Founded in 1990, GVF is a not-for-profit organization created to advocate and promote a viable transportation network for the region’s economic vitality. To maximize awareness and develop sustainable support, we partner with public and private entities.


GVF's mission is to achieve a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies.

Beginning January 3, 2011, GVF will be launching a fun and interactive way to change your commuting habits, along with winning some great prizes while doing it called Commuter Challenge Bingo! 

The purpose of the Commuter Challenge is to improve mobility and sustain the environment by utilizing commuting alternatives. GVF encourages all residents of the Delaware Valley to walk, cycle, take transit, carpool, telecommute and/or utilize relevant commuter resources to make commuting easier and more sustainable.


Here’s how it works:

Each participant will receive an electronic bingo card in the form of a PDF that shows different commuting alternatives and ways to improve commuting overall. Once a participant “gets bingo” (completes all of the challenges in straight or diagonal line) they will submit the completed card to GVF. The first 10 participants to submit a completed card will win a prize.

The Challenge will run from January 3, 2011 until March 31, 2011. Cards received prior to the start date or after the end date will not be valid.  Look for another upcoming blog entry with some of the prizes we've secured, as well as more details on the Challenge before we launch it on January 3rd! 

For more information on this Challenge and/or the other programs and services GVF offers, please visit http://www.gvftma.com/ or contact us at 610-354-8899. 

 

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Can Walk Score Really "Walk the Walk"?

Two weeks ago, I blogged about a useful website - Walkscore.com. This blog entry is a follow up to a recent article I read: "Walk Score Can't Walk the Walk", which cited insufficiencies to the website with it not being entirely accurate with the "walk score" it produces for a specific location. The article talked specifically about Altanta, GA but I thought it was prudent to provide this piece to our readers so you are accurately informed about the website.

Rarely would the Conservative Planner and James Howard Kunstler be able to see eye to eye. But such is the case when it comes to the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and their interesting selection of Atlanta as the host city for their 2010 gathering.

The Conservative Planner attended several sessions, including one where a doctor associated with the National Institutes of Health raved on and on about Walkscore.com and how it should be applied by physicians when prescribing more activity to obese children and adults. This brought great internal chuckle, given the setting.

One only had to take a stroll around the Hilton in downtown Atlanta to see the inherent flaws in this online tool. Type the Hilton’s address in Walk Score (255 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA) and it will tell you that it is a “86 – Walker’s Paradise” (now “86 – Very Walkable” due to recent changes and thanks to Human Transit).

Nevermind the fact there are 4- and 5-lane one-way streets with high speed traffic surrounding the hotel. Interstates 85/75 runs to the north and east of the hotel and is a major pedestrian barrier. The restaurants that are deemed by Walk Score to be nearby and within walking distance are buried within the Marriott and Hilton hotels, which are 1960s/1970s behemoths. It is hardly a walking paradise; it may be in a downtown area but the street system is strikingly suburban.

To read the entire article, click here.

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MCCC extends shuttle into spring semester

Montgomery County Community College, one of GVF's partners, will continue its pilot transportation shuttle program between its Central and West campuses for the spring 2011 semester, which runs from Jan. 19-May 11. The shuttle, which is managed by GVF, enables students to travel back and forth between campuses for classes and activities.


The shuttle pilot was rolled out on September 1, free of charge to the College’s students during the current fall semester. Students can continue to ride the shuttle for free through the spring semester extension.  The College is also adding Fridays to its shuttle schedule for the spring, with five departures per day from each campus between 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., starting and ending at the West Campus in Pottstown.

MCCC Shuttle Kick-Off Press Event: (From left to right) Student Calvin Wang, Student Nicole Weising, Sue Kopystecki of TransNet, MCCC Vice President of IT Celeste Schwartz, MCCC Facilities Manager George Shal, GVF Assistant Director Maureen Farrell, MCCC President Karen A. Stout, Jennie Duffy of GVF and Jacqueline McClure of GVF.

MCCC and GVF are extremely happy with the success of the shuttle thus far, which is averaging approximately 115 rides per week at the mid-point of the current fall semester. Extending the pilot for the spring will enable the College to gather more accurate ridership data, as students can plan their spring semester course schedules around the shuttle’s departure times.

The shuttle, which is operated by Suburban Transit Network (TransNet), can accommodate up for 14 passengers, is wheelchair accessible, and is equipped with Wi-Fi. Each run will take 45 to 50 minutes, with rush hour runs taking up to one hour.

The shuttle pilot ties into the College’s Sustainability and Students Success initiatives.

Since signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, the College has put into place policies and procedures that reduce its carbon footprint. The shuttle program has the potential to reduce vehicle usage by up to 3,900 miles daily if the bus operates each trip at full capacity.

GVF has been assisting MCCC with reducing its carbon footprint by sitting on their Transportation Committee.  The shuttle is just one of the initiatives we are assisting them with.  If you are interested in learning more about the services GVF can provide, such as shuttle management and/or assistance with your greening initiatives, please contact Maureen Farrell at 610-354-8899.

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