Brookings Inst: Louisville, Lexington are Global Warming Villains
The Brookings Institute unloads on Louisville, and the C-J is tabulating the fallout:
Residents of Louisville and Lexington are among the worst contributors to climate change, according to a study of the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas.
Researchers with Washington's Brookings Institution blame factors such as sprawling development that encourages driving rather than walking, biking or mass transit, and the cities' reliance on cheap, coal-fueled electricity.
Its list — which measured carbon emissions per resident based on per capita emissions from residential and highway energy use in 2005 — puts Lexington at the top of a list of offenders, and Louisville fifth.
While the ranking could be a public relations issue for leaders trying to attract industry and new residents, Louisville has made strides in recent years to improve air quality, add cycling lanes and begin a detailed study of the city's carbon output, said Bruce Traughber, the city's economic development director.
Soooo that's it, eh? Our three pronged response is:
- Add a few skinny bike lanes, but only if no holy and all-important car parking spaces are disturbed.
- Begin a study of global warming. It's 2001 calling, they want their George Bush tactic back.
- Build the Ohio River Bridges. Just because.
Wow, slam dunk response, guys!