Irvin Dawid discovered Planetizen when a classmate in an urban planning lab at San Jose State University shared it with him in 2003. When he left San Jose State that year, he took with him an interest in Planetizen, if not the master's degree in urban & regional planning.
As a long-time environmental activist, he formed the Sustainable Land Use committee for his local Sierra Club chapter and served six years on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Advisory Council from 2002-2008. He maintains his interest in air quality by representing Sierra Club California on the Clean Air Dialogue, a working group of the Calif. Environmental Dialog representing business, regulatory and public health/environmental interests.
Major interests include transportation funding, e.g., gas taxes, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees, road tolls and energy subsidies that lead to unlevel playing fields for more sustainable choices.
He hails from Queens (Bayside) and Long Island (Great Neck); received an AAS in Fisheries & Wildlife Technology from SUNY Cobleskill and a B.S. from what is now Excelsior College.
After residing for three years on California’s North Coast, he’s lived on the San Francisco Peninsula since 1983, including 24 years in Palo Alto. Home is now near downtown Burlingame, a short bike-ride to the Caltrain station.
He’s been car-free since driving his 1972 Dodge Tradesman maxi-van, his means to exit Long Island in 1979, to the junkyard in 1988.
Major forms of transportation: A 1991 'citybike' and monthly Caltrain pass, zone 2-2. "It's no LIRR, but it may be the most bike friendly train in America."
Irvin can be reached at [email protected]
Boxer Proposes Wholesale Oil Tax to Replace Fed. Gas Tax
Taking a cue from states that have introduced new wholesale taxes on fuel that would presumably be passed to the consumer, Sen. Barbara Boxer has proposed replacing the 18.4-cent federal gas tax with an oil sales fee to be paid by oil refineries.
Rebuilding of Roads and Bridges are Key to Colorado Flood Recovery
This month's deluge resulted in damage or total destruction of "an estimated 200 miles of state highways and 50 bridges" in over 12 counties, estimated to cost $475 million. Contracts have been awarded for "initial work to be completed by Dec. 1".
Mixed Reports on Success of Bay Area Bike Share
Depending on what media you're reading, Bay Area Bike Share is either off to a "fast start" or an "underwhelming start". We give both reviews - you judge. In addition, Sacramento looks toward BABS as a model, and expansion within SF will be proposed.
Synthetic Natural Gas will be China's (and the World's) Climate Nightmare
China's drive to reduce urban air pollution and increase energy security will unleash massive carbon and toxic emissions, almost tripling its current emissions over 40 years. The plan is to build 40 plants to convert coal to synthetic natural gas.
From Bust to Boom: Bankrupt City's Home Prices Skyrocket
Before Detroit's bankruptcy, Stockton held the ominous title of largest city in the U.S. to go bankrupt. Unlike Detroit, it was largely tied to the foreclosure crisis. Home prices have jumped 30% in the last year. What caused the turnaround?