I recently came across this from the Monorail Society:
The Monorail Society has long touted the environmental benefits of Monorail: they are electric, carbon free, quiet, and have an extremely small ground footprint. So, with the threat of climate catastrophe looming due to excessive carbon emissions and deforestation we strongly urge all nations to reconsider this technology and consider the following plan.
To reduce energy demand and carbon output we must do two things: 1) install electric carbon-free transportation systems, and 2) restructure and rebuild our cities to accommodate said transportation systems.
Building carbon free cities
The US Department of Transportation must adopt a comprehensive and all-encompassing transportation plan in which electric, fixed guideway technology, such as monorail, is the primary mode of commuter transit. We strongly urge the rapid installation of these systems in all US cities with the goal of having all commuter transit occurring in electric vehicles by 2030. This will drastically reduce commuter vehicle carbon emissions. Large cities, such as Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and Washington DC, will each require hundreds of trains, stations, and many miles of track. Companies that currently build automobiles can expand their product line to include monorail cars and components. Companies that build roads can expand to build monorail track and stations.
Everything is within a short walk
The goal of restructuring cities is to drastically reduce the energy demands of transit and to facilitate monorail usage. This is achieved by reducing the distance between buildings and structures. Business offices, retail, dining, entertainment, education, public, civic and government centers, must be clustered tight around transportation stations. This rebuilding will result in dense and closely packed cities that have minimal energy requirements on movement throughout the city. Commuters will be able to depart a station and walk to their destination and vice versa, similar to an airport. In residential areas, houses and apartments would be clustered around stations.
Protecting nature
Installation of elevated electric trains will free up much land within cities in the form of roads, parking lots and parking structures. This newly freed up land can be repurposed for new construction, rather than building on virgin fields, forests and countryside. Indeed, preserving forests and natural environments is primary to reversing climate change.
Your daily commute
In residential areas, houses, condos and apartments would be clustered around transit stations. Therefore, your daily commute would look like this: Exit your place of residence, drive your electric car a mile or two to the nearest station, get on the monorail for a ride into the city. At the end of the day reverse the procedure to get back home.
Travel between cities
For longer, intercity travel there’s no need to leave the ground. Instead of monorail (that tops out at near 40 mph), board electric high speed trains that reach speeds of up to 200 mph. Arrive at your destination refreshed, relaxed, and in half-the-time.
Conclusion
The task is daunting, but for the bright future it brings to humanity, for global responsibility and for an effective and proactive response to climate change, there is no more pressing nor important cause.
They say that, in the long run, it is not the fittest nor smartest of species that survives, but those capable of change. Carbon-free transit, in the form of monorail, is the change we need now.
GetSomeIron 