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Transportation and Land Use

Transportation in Sonoma County is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 62 percent of total emissions in 2009. Nearly four out of five trips made in Sonoma County are by single occupant, fossil fuel powered automobiles. Approximately $850 million leaves the County annually to pay for the fossil fuel that powers our vehicles.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation is a major goal for many planning agencies and local governments committed to creating a positive future. We are working to heighten those efforts by supporting the leap from traditional to transformational solutions. We are planning for a transportation transformation that truly meets our needs to reduce greenhouse gases and create sustainable communities in Sonoma County and beyond.

Transportation Programs

Carma SF Bay:

Carma CarpoolingTo reduce emissions from the transportation sector, the Climate Protection Campaign worked with the Sonoma County Transportation Authority to develop a new concept and helped secure a $1.5 million grant to implement it with many partners. The result is Carma SFBay, an emerging real-time carpooling program in Sonoma, Marin, and Contra Costa Counties.

Now called Carma, the program uses new software and a smartphone app to connect and incentivize drivers and riders when they carpool. The innovative technology at the core of Carma comes from Ireland-based Avego Ltd., which is refining the software as we learn from real life experience. The first of its kind in the U.S., this project has huge potential for taking cars off the road, saving commuters money, reducing congestion, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Once proven here, we envision that Carma will spread throughout the U.S. and beyond.

SRJC internship-Fall 2014