The Changes

It's been, what, 100 years since the work week changed? What would
it do to regional air quality and emissions if the commute was reduced
to four days per week? Could we meet our now-lost Kyoto targets, or
some of them? Would it allow families more time to connect and become
stronger? I love this idea but need help with momentum. We could even

• My iPod. Those podcasts will just have to fend for themselves for a day.
• Elevators and escalators. (My thighs will be as mighty oaks! My calves will be as powerful bulls! My ankles will be... sore, I'm guessing.)
• Our Mac mini and TV. I can watch our (perfectly! legal!) Bittorrents another time.

I've pledged. Have you?

If you're able to distribute flyers for a couple of hours in North Surrey on Sunday, 6 May, it will make a difference. Thanks! - Bonnie

Background: the four Surrey New Democrat seats are the biggest block to New Democrats formally opposing Gateway. Many residents in this area believe the myth that twinning Highway #1 will solve congestion. This is a PRIORITY EDUCATION AREA. All help is greatly appreciated.

This morning I heard that City of Vancouver is launching an education campaign about it's bylaw that prohibits parked vehicles from idling for longer than 3 minutes.I guess the distinction is it being ' parked' as opposed to 'vehicles that are supposed to be moving but are forced to not move because the City worker decides to ooh lets say:

• trim a tree,
• mow the grass on the side of the road,
• dig for what ever that they seem to dig for,
• collect garbage by blocking the only lane in the street while the crew goes and picks up garbage return the bin etc.

(well you get the picture -  the list goes on)---right at rush hour while the traffic builds up'.  These are not projects that cannot wait until after the rush hour.  The attitude seems to be that 'we have a job to do and minimizing the negative side effects that may result is not our concern'.   A friend who did some subcontract work for the City said once he had asked what the recommended hours were since it involved blocking off a lane and the response he got was that there are no blocked off hours that he can do it when ever he wants during the week. I am sure anyone forced to drive to work through Vancouver has a story to tell.I am not talking about the big retrofitting/construction projects here.  These are the maintenance type of work that would require a lane to be blocked for a couple of hours at most and can easily wait until the rush hour subsides.So what do I want to change?  I want the City to first review its own guidelines to the staff.I want the first part of  the education program to be internal to bring awareness to the difference they can make by giving a little consideration before creating miles of idling vehicles such as when one worker decided to trim a tree on Georgia at 8am.  I think that would be better use of those precious tax dollars.I am not a tax paying Vancouver City resident. But I was hoping that there would be enough Vancouver tax payers that could give a voice to this to get the attention of the City hall. So let's vent, let's bring out the stories, if there are enough voices we shall be heard.