Green mobility on the agenda

NEW?GLASGOW - Representatives from the Ecology Action Centre are currently touring the province in the hopes of developing a Green Mobility Strategy for Nova Scotia to present to government.
That tour includes a stop in Pictou County. The Ecology Action Centre and Pictou County Unites! are teaming up to host a public consultation meeting at Summer Street Industries Tuesday afternoon, beginning at 2 p.m.
So what, exactly, is a Green Mobility Strategy? According to Dodie Goodwin, executive director of Pictou County United Way, it means brainstorming new ways to get people moving. Biking, carpooling, walking or using public transit are all better options for transportation because of their limited impact on the environment, she says.
"Green mobility means you're always thinking of ways to decrease carbon emissions."
However, when it comes to promoting environmentally-friendly modes of transportation, Nova Scotia seems to be falling behind the rest of the country. In fact, Nova Scotia's investment in public transit is the third lowest in Canada at 69 cents per capita.
Locally, Goodwin says transportation options in Pictou County are limited. There is no public transit system here, for example.
"There are only a few areas in the province with public transit," Goodwin says. "And few communities in the province have safe bikeways."
This, she says, is unacceptable. She hopes by holding public meetings, it will send a message that people can make a difference.
"We're raising the issue so that people realize they have the power to change how the government does things," she says.