What are the steps policy makers can take to reduce the carbon emissions of motor vehicles?
The practical steps for policy makers are first, to focus directly on the need to drive everywhere. That means making fewer trips and it means encouraging telecommuting and other ways that we can drive less to get services and access friends. Second, shorter trips. We need to support better connection between land use planning and transportation—people call this smart growth—so that trip lengths can be reduced. Third, we need to give the public more choices. As origins and destinations come together, you can have more choices. Public transportation makes sense, buses make sense, bike paths make sense, walking make sense. These are all interconnected. Public policy and legislators need to focus on giving the public more options in the way they travel.
