PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (November 5, 2020) – Have you ever heard of “green mobility”? Well, if you haven’t, it’s just as it sounds: mobility – different modes of transportation that allows people to move from one place to another, and green – a sustainable way to do things that agrees with human and ecosystem health.
Farzana Bindu, a lecturer in Prairie View A&M University’s College of Business (COB), has been studying green and sustainable mobility for years.
“My research interest is to assess green and sustainable mobility measures of the top U.S. cities, including Houston. I am collecting data on mobility system performance like congestion measures, carbon emissions, number of auto commuters, etc.,” she said. “I have learned that a number of cities overseas have ranked higher than the U.S. in the Sustainable Cities Mobility Index.”
Bindu says the U.S. can do better if more green mobility solutions are implemented, which will, in turn, address environmental issues, such as high carbon emission and traffic congestion.
“For example, through increased public transportation and by offering greener alternatives, a city can drastically reduce carbon emissions, thereby contributing to lessen the impact of global warming,” she said.
“Research confirms that the United States is second only to India in the significant economic loss we may face due to climate change,” said Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., vice president for Research & Innovation. “The conundrum surrounding global carbon emissions, oil dependence, and societies shifting towards green and sustainable mobility demands that we conduct research with outcomes that will address our current vulnerabilities.”
Bindu says green alternatives include carpooling, using bikes and sidewalks, and using fuel-efficient cars if you need to drive.
“In the City of Copenhagen [Denmark], 75-percent of journeys are done on foot, by bike or by public transport, 50-percent of all journeys to work or education are done by bike, and 30- to 40-percent of all heavy vehicles use new fuels,” she said.
The Fourth National Climate Assessment (published in 2018) cautions that if we do not control greenhouse gas emissions and start to make significant changes, climate change could seriously disrupt the U.S. economy.
“Warmer temperatures, sea level rise, and extreme weather caused by climate change will damage property and critical infrastructure, impact human health and productivity, and negatively affect sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, health sectors, and many others,” she said. “The demand for energy will increase as power generation becomes less reliable. Impact in other countries around the world will also affect U.S. business through disturbance in trade and supply chains.”
COB Dean Munir Quddus, Ph.D., said, “I am glad Professor Bindu is working on this subject. There are few subjects more important today than our collective efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow down global warming. Sustainable development has many dimensions, but the business dimension is critical. As researchers, our challenge is to convince businesses and cities that the investment in environmentally friendly (green) technologies is a sound investment, which will be profitable and help them change the world for the better.”
And, if that’s not enough, changes should be made now to protect future generations.
“The threat of global warming is real. We have already started experiencing the effects of global warming. The rise of extreme weather events in recent years is one indication of that. So, we all have a role to play, as we all are impacted by global warming,” said Bindu. “We all should want to leave a better world for the next generations. We all should raise our voice and do our part to make the world a better place by demanding greener alternatives for transportation and other sustainable development options.”
“At PVAMU, we want to be part of the solution,” added Quddus.
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