Ever noticed how long we have to wait at traffic lights in Chiang Mai? Ever thought hot hot, smelly and polluted the air becomes from all the idling motor car and motor bike engines?

Ever thought how much it might be costing each driver and the country in petroleum import bills?

A great way to minimize these problems is to turn off motors unless you expect to move within the next 10 seconds. See below for a selection of stories about this from the WWW.

Let us publicize these facts and start a “turn-off” campaign with signs at intersections, handing out leaflets to waiting cars etc, etc.

PS Then also more folk may ride bicycles in the cleaner air.

Vehicle idling adds to greenhouse gas emissions

It’s not the biggest contributor to global warming. But unlike the length of our commutes or the fuel efficiency of our SUVs, it’s something we can change, right now.

We can simply stop idling: Turn off the engine while waiting to pick up the kids from school. Park and enter McDonald’s to order lunch.

Idling wastes about 4 percent of a car’s gasoline, experts say. So eliminating idling would cut a car’s greenhouse gas emissions – carbon dioxide and other byproducts scientists believe cause climate change – by the same amount.

“Any amounts you can cut are important,” said Michael Short, program director of the Cleveland-based Clean Air Conservancy. “That’s just a complete waste. It’s energy generation you’re not even using.”

Of course, as long as we have stoplights and traffic jams, we can’t eradicate idling completely. (Unless, of course, you own a hybrid that shuts off its engine when stopped.)

But environmental advocates, local governments and industry associations are all working to curb the habit.

What would that mean for Cuyahoga County, which a recent Purdue University study named the fourth-worst county in the country for carbon dioxide emissions?

Eliminating idling would cut about 196,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from passenger cars and trucks alone, calculated from Environmental Protection Agency estimates and Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles statistics. Add in commercial vehicles and tractor-trailers, often left idling during deliveries or at truck stops overnight, and we’d reduce by an additional 64,000 metric tons.

The reduction probably wouldn’t change our ranking in the emissions list.

The list is based primarily on industrial polluters, said David Greene, an expert at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Transportation Analysis in Tennessee.

Written by: Nicole Muehlhausen, Web Producer – http://kstp.com

For more information see the following links:

Mpls. limits vehicle idling to 3 minutes

Massachusetts Anti-Idling law

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On Saturday in 27th December 2008 the Bangkok Post was full of stories to give us hope that Global Warming may be slowed down. Page 1 predicted a 35% drop in Thai car production for 2009 and B2 in a story headed ” Two wheels good” reported a boom for Taiwan bicycle maker “Giant”.

I wanted to send these to you but the POst website search engine is not working properly so instead a little old story from last July might cheer you up.

Hopefully a greener 2009 is in store.

ENERGY FOCUS

Two wheels good

Bicycle makers enjoying a windfall as drivers seek cheaper ways to get around

PITSINEE JITPLEECHEEP and CHAROEN KITTIKANYA

Concerns among consumers about the high oil-driven cost of living have provided a windfall for bicycle manufacturers.

LA Bicycle (Thailand) Co says sales for all of its models grew by 15% in the first half of this year, about three percentage points more than expected. The increasing demand was clearly seen in April when fuel prices skyrocketed.

“After oil prices jumped, the government tried hard to encourage people to use alternative energy. The demand of our bicycles, particularly the LA E-Ride electric model, rose more than 20% in April and May when compared to the same period last year,” said marketing director Jantana Tiyawatchalapong.

Because electric bicycles are growing more popular worldwide, LA Bicycle plans to spend 70 million baht to add a new production line at its factory in Sampran district, Nakhon Pathom in November. The production capacity of electric bicycles will rise to between 30,000 and 50,000 units per year, up from 10,000 currently.

The output will serve both domestic and export markets including Europe. The countries that are interested in buying LA electric bicycles include Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

“With the change in consumer behaviour, we are conducting a feasibility study to set up new bicycle factories with our partners in India and Vietnam in the next few years,” Ms Jantana said.

Last year the company sold 650,000 bicycles excluding electric bikes and it is expected that the demand will grow by 15-20% this year. It exported almost 100,000 units last year and expects the figure will exceed 140,000 this year.

Sangsun Prachaanuwong, assistant managing director of Probike, the country’s leading specialty bike store, said sales of upmarket bicycles were also on the rise in both Bangkok and provinces.

Initially, the company dealt mainly in mountain bikes for off-road use, but it has increased its range of city bicycles to cater to growing demand.

Probike distributes the leading international brands Trek and Gary Fisher, and its own Challenger brand.

“People are more concerned with their health. Concerns about saving energy are also increasing,” he said.

Probike’s sales are expected to increase this year by 15% from 7,000 units last year. Average growth was about 10% over the last few years.

According to Mr Sangsun, the best-selling units were affordable models priced in a range of 10,000 to 11,000 baht each. The company currently sells only bikes with 24 gears or more, which carry a low import tax of 1%, against up to 10% for those with fewer speeds.

“We foresee upmarket bikes as very promising if the government and Bangkok authorities pay more attention to working out measures to promote the use of bicycles by commuters,” said Mr Sangsun.

Link to article on Bangkok Post website

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I am new to this forum, but I would like to quickly share my experience of living next to the forest in Mae-on since last August:

Our house was completed last year, and sits on a hill overlooking large tracts of forest. For most of the year the views are amazing. Since January they have a nightmare. On around January 20th (a full moon) people started burning the forest litter. It has continued almost every day (last night was one of the few without any fire) with has many as 9 separate fires burning in a single evening. The burning appears to have been approached systematically from one hill side to another. For most of February and March visibility has been appalling (much worse than central Chiang Mai, where we drive to every day).

Fires got within a meter or so of our perimeter. We called the Pug Yak and Police, both promising help but none came. I managed to film the burning one night and was amazed to see 5 individuals with dogs lined up in the forest, down wind from the fire. We heard a wild pig had been killed the following morning.

My youngest son has been sick because of the poor air quality and my wife has suffered too. Repeated calls to the Mayors hotline have resulted in nothing (“They never pick up the phone in Mae On”); My wife managed to drag the local Puu Yai and a fire officer up to our house one evening and they couldn’t understand what the problem was – as the fires were not threatening our house that particular day.

We will not be staying in Mae On next February / March. However, if anyone is interested in the perfect research station to study this practice then they would be welcome to use our house during that time (a small contribution to satellite TV / Internet and staff wages is all I would ask).

Thank you.

Richard Rhodes

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To all members of International Citizens of Chiang Mai.

Tomorrow – Wednesday 2nd April @ 4:00 pm – there will be a meeting of our Vegetation & Open Space sub-committee.

The venue will be 11th Floor, 103 Condominium, Sukassem Rd , (off Nimmenhaemin Rd.) T. Suthep, A.Muang, Chiang Mai

The Agenda will include:

1. Report of Mae Orn Nursery visit
2. Report on visit to A.Fang
3. Funding offer from Don Cox
4. Funding submission
5. Other business

R.S.V.P Ricky Ward

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“An additional problem is that national borders get in the way, with man-made burn-offs also occurring in Burma’s Shan State and in Laos,” says your editorial, “Burning issue plagues North” on March 29.

Having recently returned from a 1,500km motorcycle trip in northern Laos, half of it off road on dirt tracks in the mountains, I can assure you the toxic soup that passes for air in Chiang Mai is an entirely Thai-made problem.

I did not see so much as a wisp of smoke in northern Laos or along the Burmese border. The air is clear and there is no haze until one is south of Chiang Rai.

As someone who lived and worked in Chiang Mai for six years before moving to Bangkok for the vastly improved air quality (oh yes), I assure you there is nothing even remotely encouraging in the health and forestry authorities’ promised campaign to urge villagers not to burn off forests, rubbish or grass. We hear the same hot air from them every year.

Villagers continue their nightly burning of leaves and plastic, as local government officials and racketeers continue to pocket the cash from refuse contracts, ensuring that the rubbish is dumped in fields and burnt instead of going into landfill sites.

Meanwhile, thousands of heavily polluting empty songtaews continue to drive around all day, and the dust from the current frenzy of construction fills the air.

The result is that Chiang Mai has the highest rates of lung disease in the country. No amount of spineless local councillors commissioning yet another report into the cause of air pollution, analysing another air sample, waffling on about traditional lifestyles, handing out masks or pointing a barely visible finger through the smog toward Laos or Burma is going to solve the problem.

The solutions are clear, easily identified and easily solved. Start by getting rid of the incompetent buffoons who have mismanaged Chiang Mai for the past decade.

I do not know how anyone can reside in Chiang Mai today. The putrid air makes it one of the most unliveable cities in Thailand. I hung on until bronchitis brought on by nightly burning of waste in our village forced my reluctant retreat.

With its rich culture, beautiful scenery and easy-going people, Chiang Mai had so much going for it.

Unfortunately, self-interest, apathy and ignorance have taken a heavy toll on the city. That’s a shame, because I miss it desperately and would love to move back, but not until I can do so without wheezing.

Author: Mick Shippen

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HM wants daily reports on situation in North

His Majesty the King has voiced concern over the haze situation in the North as the air quality in several northern provinces is poised to reach danger levels.

Amnat Decha, caretaker of the Phuping Palace in Chiang Mai, said yesterday that His Majesty had instructed that reports on the haze situation in the northernmost provinces be sent to the Royal Household Bureau every day.

If the situation does not improve, the King would order artificial rain-making to help relieve air pollution in the haze-hit provinces, said Mr Amnat.

In a bid to fight the haze, the Public Health Ministry is to send 200,000 face masks to the areas to protect people from air pollution caused by dust particles smaller than 10 microns in diameter, also known as PM10, that come with the haze, said Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab.

Pollution Control Department chief Supat Wangwongwatana said heavy dust in northern provinces is closely related to “hot spots” found in the country and also in neighbouring countries, referring to areas at risk of forest fires.

“We have found that the number of hot spots in Indochina was getting high on March 22 with 952, and gradually dropped to 575 and only 271 on March 24. Moreover, we have made strong and effective efforts to clear and control hot spots, which helps improve the situation,” he said.

However, higher humidity in the air should minimise the dust’s impact.

Spokesman for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry Pichet Wangtepanukhor said the ministry has been working closely with the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to deal with the problem, especially fire prevention in paddy fields. However, rain was arriving in many areas and this has helped to reduce the dust problem.

Among the haze-affected provinces, Mae Hong Son has been hardest hit due to wildfires.

The level of dust in the province was yesterday measured at 134 microgrammes per cubic metre, higher than the safe level of 120 microgrammes per cu m, according to the Pollution Control Department.

At the same time, the province’s air quality level was measured at 106 on the Air Quality Index, which is higher than the safety level of 100.

Outside Mae Hong Son town, wildfires could be seen raging upon high mountains at night, especially in Ban Nam Kad and Ban Huai Phung.

Mae Hong Son deputy governor Wanchai Sutthiworachai said forest fires had broken out frequently this summer.

The latest was on Monday night, when a fire broke out in a public park in Muang district and more than 60 provincial authorities in the province spent over two hours putting out the fire.

Triroj Nawamarat, manager of Thai Airways International office in Mae Hong Son, said THAI had had to cancel a flight scheduled to land at Mae Hong Son airport at 11am yesterday due to poor visibility at the airport, which was measured at 1,200 metres, far below the safe visibility level for commercial aircraft of between 3,000 and 3,500 metres.

The chief of the meteorological office in Mae Hong Son, Thada Sattha, said haze in the northern province was mostly caused by forest burning in Pai, Pang Ma Pha and Muang districts.

However, in Chiang Mai, deputy governor Wiboon Sanguanphong insisted the air conditions in the province were still far from hazardous and that the haze has not yet driven tourists away.

He believed rain would help ease the dust level in Chiang Mai’s air within 14 days.

The deputy governor added that wildfires in Chiang Mai recently broke out in Hot, Mae Chaem and Omkoi districts where corn farmers usually burnt their fields after the harvest season.

Nevertheless, adviser to the Association of Chiang Mai Tourism and Hotel Businesses Bunlert Buranupakorn said advance bookings for hotels in Chiang Mai this and next month have dropped by 20%.

He believed this was due to tourists’ concern over their health and environmental conditions in Chiang Mai.

Written by: Cheewin Sattha, Theerawat Khamthita & Apinya Wipatayotin

Read the full story

on the Pollution Control Website from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

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Wednesday’s Post quotes Chiang Mai’s Vice Governor indicating pollution levels of PM 10 cancer causing particles in Chiang Mai, resulting from forest burning, were not of concern. Readings taken Tuesday at a school in the centre of town at 86 microgrammes per cubic metre of air seem to confirm this.

Readers wondering why “safe” pollution levels seem to apply in Chiang Mai, while in neighboring Mae Hong Sorn province the air is carcinogenic, might like to know that on Monday afternoon a violent ,smog clearing, thunderstorm with torrential rain and gale force winds hit just 10 kilometres north of Chiang Mai, town allowing blue sky to appear.

The day before, a Sunday morning, when our normally well informed Vice Governor may not have been on duty, the government liason officer on the smoke pollution problem informed a citizens meeting that the PM 10 level was 140, 20 above the “safe” level. Later that day three fires were set on nearby Doi Suthep and two helicopters worked for two hours to douse the flames, the smoke from the blaze presumably worsening the problem.

By Wednesday two days after the rain, visibility and presumably pollution levels, had returned to their normal toxic levels.

On Tuesday, during a brief trip north to Fang I saw blackened roadsides and fires burning along the Ping River Gorge and on Doi Luang Chang Dao, just as they had the previous week, but no sign of red shirted firemen or helicopters fighting fires there.

Now it is suggested that artificial rain making may ease the problem. Perhaps our officials need to apply a bit of statistical accuracy in their reporting to higher authority. If they do so they will perhaps admit that rain making, when it works at all, works to move precipitation a few minutes of longitude, robbing say Tak to pay Chiang Mai.

Forest fire brings great public health and environmental costs and if we are to take it seriously we need to get our heads out of the clouds and many feet on the ground where the arsonists are at work.

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