1. What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
Trek Houston is being profiled, due to its relevance to this project as a local Transportation Management Organization that aims to reduce air pollution in Houston.
2. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
Trek Houston focuses on commuter travel as a source of air pollution. To reduce emissions, the organization establishes and promotes methods of alternative community and public transportation. They partnered with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) to create a Holiday Shuttle. Trek Houston also used grant money to create new commuter bus routes from Fort Bend County to the two business centers Uptown and Galleria, when no prior route existed and one third of commuters working in the two business centers lived in the county. They also created the TREKEXPRESS Greenway Plaza commuter bus route from Fort Bend County and Southwest Houston, and have formed 135 vanpools in Houston. Furthermore, companies can partner with Trek Houston to help provide their employees with community transportation options and encourage them to reduce their personal contribution to pollution. 3. What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed? 1994: Chartered as a Transportation Management Organization by 11 companies in aim to meet Clean Air Act requirements. The Organization advised and served over 60 companies on how to meet these requirements.
1995: Received first grant
Started the first Holiday Shuttle partnered with METRO
Decided to continue organization even though Clean Air Act mandatory fines ended
1996: Implemented TREKHOME emergency ride program to minimize public concerns about community transportation
Began selling discounted METRO passes
Extended Holiday Shuttle service routes
Formed an advisory board of transportation experts, elected officials, and corporations
Received non-profit status
1997 to 2007: Formed applications for vanpools/carpools and created new Shuttle routes, running many without METRO assistance
Trek Houston provides this information on their own timeline on their website. It only goes to 2007, not documenting what their current projects and achievements are. This timeline does show a shift in approach from merely consulting companies on their transportation options to creating new options.
4. Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches? Trek Houston does not make any direct claims to be focused on the aspect of public health. Their homepage states, “Our efforts reduce commuting costs, personal stress, traffic, accidents and air pollution.” While air quality coincides with public health, no direction connections are drawn. This emphasizes problems with their own approach to fulfilling their initiatives, as they attempt to convince citizens with factors such as cost and convenience while excluding health.
5. What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Throughout the website, statistics are used to reinforce the need for their services. To market their company partnership option on the homepage, Trek Houston states that studies show that following salary, the commute to work is the second biggest concern of a new employee, and that over one third of current employees claim that if there were similar positions closer to home, they would change jobs. The source of these studies is not provided.
Most of the data/statistics on their website is found on the “Reasons to Ride” page to convince readers the benefit of alternative commuting. Statistics regarding driving habits and costs as well as the environmental impact of driving are cited from the National Safety Council, the Texas Transit Association, Sonoma Medicine, and the EPA Emissions Report. The “real cost of driving” is estimated for a common commute in the area. Trek Houston writes “A person driving between Sugar Land and Greenway Plaza/Uptown Galleria twice every work day has a monthly driving cost of approximately $320,” and a link is included to the METRO Huston’s Commuter Calculator.There is no inclusion of visuals, only quotations of statistics.
6. What research has the organization produced or drawn on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
The Trek Houston website provides no evidence that the organization produces any of their own research. Their initiatives seem to be guided by more general principles and logic than any specific research, but perhaps they just choose not to include the research they use on their website. The little research cited seems to be for the purpose of marketing rather than adjusting or adapting their initiative. For example, Trek Houston cites AAA’s research to estimate cost of a commute in Houston, using its cost-per-mile estimate of 52.2 cents based on average fuel, routine maintenance, tires, insurance, license and registration, loan finance charges and depreciation costs.
7. What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
As a Transportation Management Organization, Trek Houston relies on road infrastructure and technologies related to different modes on transportation and their efficiency. As a non-profit organization, Trek Houston appears to rely greatly on a partnership with METRO to utilize their resources and technologies pertaining to public transit.
8. What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
Trek Houston works within a social ecology that prioritizes social and economic factors. While on of their primary goals is to reduce air pollution in Houston, the environmental motives for this are not emphasized. Their advisory board includes transportation experts, elected officials, and corporations, but no environmental experts. This underlying social ecology likely lead them to exclude public health pertaining to environmental effects.
9. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
An early version of the organization was formed in 1994 by 11 companies in an effort to meet the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements by reducing fuel used in commuting and trips to work sites. A prominent aim of the CAA was to address public health risks, and this by translation suggests that this should also have been the goal of Trek Houston. When the mandatory fines for non-compliance with the CAA regulations was deleted from the act by Congress, the Trek corporations decided to continue the organization due to congestion and to reduce air pollution.
10.What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
In 1995, Trek Houston received a two year federal grant from the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). The $165,000 grant was given through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program. The organization has received several additional grants throughout the years from the H-GAC as well as the Metropolitan Transit Authority, both of which are publicly owned. This could indicate that Trek Houston is likely influenced the political agendas of the State to combat those of the private industries involved.
11. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
The organization was founded by 11 corporations to meet the Clean Air Act requirements. The founding corporations were AFP Group, AIM, Apache Corp, Bechtel Corp., EOTT, Galleria Chamber, Marathon Oil, PanEnergy, Telecheck, Transco, and Union Petroleum. It is unusual to have a non-profit originally founded by corporations, and this likely resulted in a more pragmatic organization.
12. What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Trek Houston’s biggest challenge seems to be combating the human perceptions of convenience and comfort. A large portion of their website is devoted to convincing readers that it will improve their day to day life by utilizing alternative transportation, rather than attempting to convince them of the importance of the environment.
13. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
Their initiatives benefit from state governance that provides incentives to companies to utilize the transportation seminars and alternative transportation options provided by Trek Houston. Within the company, governance could be improved by adding environmental professionals to the advisory board.
14. How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could enable the organization to be more inclusive of environmental health as an important aspect in transportation planning. Trek Huston was founded in reaction to the Clean Air Act, for which public health was an important motivation. Despite these origins, the organization fails to properly acknowledge Houston’s public health threats, such as the high ozone levels, which is intensified by traffic issues.
1. What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
Central Houston is the organization being profiled. It is an organization focused on the revitalization of the downtown and city center, with a project called Downtown in Motion that serves as a Transportation Management Organization.
2. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
The organization assists Houston employers and employees with commuting options and parking as well as provides marketing for METRO to encourage public transit. They have conducted several studies and surveys to assist in transportation planning, and has participated in joint transportation planning projects with many private and public organizations . 3. What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?
(Only included transportation relevant events, Central Houston is a large organization with many different initiatives) 1983: Central Houston forms, first project is assistance with Metro Texas special circulator routes 1985-1987: participated with the City and Metro in the planning and design of an $18.9 million downtown transit street project 1989-1992: partnered with other organizations to form the Houston Regional Mobility Association as a lobbyists for mobility 1992: Worked with Trek Houston (early version of organization called Employer Trip Reduction Program) on setting goals and formed a ETRP committee for downtown 2009-2014: Conducted several transportation surveys of downtown workers 2012-Present: Advocacy of several METRO initiatives and transit system development
This shows that Central Houston put an emphasis on transportation since the founding of the organization, and originally focused on the more technical side, assisting with planning and design. When they formed the Houston Regional Mobility Association, it began their involvement in the politics surrounding transportation. In present day, they focus on advocacy and conducting surveys.
4. Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
Central Houston primarily focuses the revitalization of the downtown and city center, which is very broad and can be addressed many different ways. They frequently use the phrase “continued health and growth of Houston.” Even under their transportation focused initiative, they fail to address air quality even though it is implied through language. Many of their projects and goals are sure to subsequentlyimprove air quality and public health, but they fail to address this directly. For their initiatives in general, they claim to be results orientated.
5. What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Central Houston draws on local transportation news and statistics to keep citizens informed. They have produced several online newsletters pertaining to transportation, which offer statistics from METRO as well as include quotations from individuals as to why they choose public transportation. They also used journey-to-work data from the US census and the calculation of CO2 emissions from gasoline from the EPA to create a comparison between the carbon footprint of the commute for downtown workers and the commute for workers from other districts.
6. What research has the organization produced or drawn on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
Central Houston’s first transportation survey was in 2009 to identify commute mode and patterns. Over 12,000 workers and residents of Houston responded to this survey. The results of this survey our not included on their website. A similar survey was repeated in 2013, this time with over 13,000 respondents. The results are available online as a 173 page report. The survey investigates common modes and paths of commute in Houston, commuter demographics, what incentivizes people to use public transit, etcetera. Comprehensive and easy to read graphs and maps are used to compile the results. Central Houston claims that the aim of this commuter behavior research is to aid employers, downtown property owners, transportation planners, and public policy makers.
7. What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
An important aspect of Central Houston’s work is consulting Houston employers and employees on commuting options and parking. These options rely greatly on the downtown infrastructure. For one, the design of the roadways in the city can greatly affect congestion and traffic flow, as well as determine availability of parking. They also advocate for many METRO transportation means and initiatives, so they rely on their capabilities for public transportation technologies.
8. What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
Most organization focused on city revitalization have a primary interest in economics of the city. However, Central Houston conveys a fairly holistic approach to city improvements. Their wide variety of initiatives, from homelessness to transportation to quality of life, seems to reflect the principle of social ecology that many problems (economic and environmental) are a reflection of social problems. While they do not substantially address environmental concerns, they still manage to convey the message that what’s right for humans is right for the economy is right for the environment. Ultimately, they still fail to engage any discussion of air quality and asthma.
9. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
Results of their own commuter survey revealed that only 57% of Houston citizens regularly drive alone to work. This is just one of the many positive statistics reported. This success in alternative transportation could have led to the lack of engagement of environmental health. While Houston has better commuter behavior than many other urban areas, their air quality still suffers. These successes could perpetuate passivity when it comes to relating transportation and public health.
10. What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
The Central Houston website is very vague regarding the funding of projects and initiatives. The website states, “Strongly supported by its membership, it has the resources, professional acumen, intellectual and physical energy to create the most livable urban environment of international distinction as befits the country’s fourth-largest city.” The mention of resources implies that they receive funding from their members, which are downtown companies. This further supports the perception that their focus is primarily economic. Most companies have little to benefit from discussions on environmental health.
11. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
According to Forbes, Houston’s 4.5% year-over-year job growth rate is the nation’s fastest, and was number one of Forbes’ 2015 list of fastest growing cities. As an organization that focuses on vitalization of the city, this quick growth could cause concerns about sustainable development. Houston wants to welcomes the expansion of industry, however, the presence of industry will add further burdens to pollution and air quality. Houston’s recent trends of quick growth put pressure on Central Houston to manage this growth in a sustainable way without burdening the economy that promotes this growth.
12. What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Central Houston mentions their long term advocacy of regional transit system development, but mention little progress on this development even though they say they are results oriented. The timeline showed a recent shift from technical development and planning to advocacy, and it seems they find it challenging to cite concrete improvements under their new methods.
13. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
The members of Central Houston are corporations who are seeking to improve the downtown business district, which they are a part of. In this way, it gives companies a mode of self-governance. This is recognized in the company’s priorities such as “representing downtown in governmental affairs.”
14. How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could help adjust their perceptions of sustainable development though the discussion of the health effects of air pollution on human health. Central Houston’s approach to city revitalization fails to directly acknowledge the damaging economic and social effects that poor public health could bring.
In 1923, leaded gas was introduced. Lead was added to gasoline because it boosts octane levels, improving engine performance, at a cheap cost compared to other additives. In 1970, the Clean Air Act initiated a leaded gasoline phasedown. Furthermore, all new cars starting in 1975 were required to come equipped with catalytic converters that do not accept leaded gasoline. By 1980, the lead level in blood drops by 50 percent. The EPA continuously reduces the standard of lead allowed throughout the years 1979 and 1996 until it is completely phased out. The phase out of lead in gasoline is viewed as one of the most important environmental health initiatives in history. These dates are important because they reflect the lengthy amount of time it takes to impose important regulations on corporations, even when it is a complete necessity for human health. Exposure to lead can cause serious health defects, including mental retardation and hyper tension. Lead is also one of the six pollutants that the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of the Clean Air Act regulates. Houston is currently in compliance with these regulations for lead, as well as all other criteria pollutants except ozone.
Sources:
Drum, Kevin. "How Did Lead Get Into Our Gasoline Anyway?" Mother Jones. N.p., 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. (photograph) Newell, Richard G., and Kristian Rogers. "The U.S. Experience with the Phasedown of Lead in Gasoline." (n.d.): n. pag. MIT. Resources for the Fututure, June 2003. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. <http://web.mit.edu/ckolstad/www/Newell.pdf>
December 1st, 2011 Houston Receives Federal Funding for Light Rail
The battle for a light rail in Houston began in 1983, when the rail plan was voted down by referendum. In 1988, a referendum vote approved a plan for a light rail, but the plan was canceled by Mayor Bob Lanier. Then in 1991, US Representative Tom Delay killed $65 million in federal funding that was going to the rail line. Houston drew up a rail plan using local funding. In 2001, multiple lawsuits arose by group attempting to stop construction. These groups argued that METRO was a private organization and therefore subject to city charter provisions regarding use of Houston streets. These delayed construction temporarily, however METRORail was able to open in 2004. Under the executive order of President Obama in 2011, Houston received a $900 million grant for rail expansions. This event is important because it showcases the difficult political battle Houston had to fight to receive public transit. As a city struggling with smog and poor air quality, investments in public transportation were an important step towards progress. Today, METRORail has the third highest ridership per track mile in the US.
In March of 2014, the EPA announced the Tier 3 Standards that will be implemented in 2017. A prominent regulation of Tier 3 lowers the gasoline sulfur standard. By January 1, 2017, federal gasoline will contain less than 10 parts per million of sulfur on an annual average basis. Removing sulfur allows the vehicle’s catalyst to operate more efficiently. A large portion of the world, including Europe, has been using low-sulfur fuel, but American oil companies actively fought against the Tier 3 standard. Companies in the oil industry claimed that the new standards would translate into a high financial burden for consumers. However, a study conducted by Navigant Economics and commissioned by the Emission Control Technology Association estimated that compliance with the new regulations will cost oil companies less than one cent per gallon. The EPA estimates that by 2030, Tier 3 regulations will annually prevent between 700 and 2,000 premature deaths, up to 2,200 hospital admissions, 19,000 asthma attacks, 30,000 upper and lower respiratory symptoms in children, and 1.4 million lost days of school/work.
TAF 6 Cities Research
Week 1
Trek Houston
1. What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
Trek Houston is being profiled, due to its relevance to this project as a local Transportation Management Organization that aims to reduce air pollution in Houston.
2. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
Trek Houston focuses on commuter travel as a source of air pollution. To reduce emissions, the organization establishes and promotes methods of alternative community and public transportation. They partnered with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) to create a Holiday Shuttle. Trek Houston also used grant money to create new commuter bus routes from Fort Bend County to the two business centers Uptown and Galleria, when no prior route existed and one third of commuters working in the two business centers lived in the county. They also created the TREKEXPRESS Greenway Plaza commuter bus route from Fort Bend County and Southwest Houston, and have formed 135 vanpools in Houston. Furthermore, companies can partner with Trek Houston to help provide their employees with community transportation options and encourage them to reduce their personal contribution to pollution.
3. What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?
1994: Chartered as a Transportation Management Organization by 11 companies in aim to meet Clean Air Act requirements. The Organization advised and served over 60 companies on how to meet these requirements.
1995: Received first grant
Started the first Holiday Shuttle partnered with METRO
Decided to continue organization even though Clean Air Act mandatory fines ended
1996: Implemented TREKHOME emergency ride program to minimize public concerns about community transportation
Began selling discounted METRO passes
Extended Holiday Shuttle service routes
Formed an advisory board of transportation experts, elected officials, and corporations
Received non-profit status
1997 to 2007: Formed applications for vanpools/carpools and created new Shuttle routes, running many without METRO assistance
Trek Houston provides this information on their own timeline on their website. It only goes to 2007, not documenting what their current projects and achievements are. This timeline does show a shift in approach from merely consulting companies on their transportation options to creating new options.
4. Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
Trek Houston does not make any direct claims to be focused on the aspect of public health. Their homepage states, “Our efforts reduce commuting costs, personal stress, traffic, accidents and air pollution.” While air quality coincides with public health, no direction connections are drawn. This emphasizes problems with their own approach to fulfilling their initiatives, as they attempt to convince citizens with factors such as cost and convenience while excluding health.
5. What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Throughout the website, statistics are used to reinforce the need for their services. To market their company partnership option on the homepage, Trek Houston states that studies show that following salary, the commute to work is the second biggest concern of a new employee, and that over one third of current employees claim that if there were similar positions closer to home, they would change jobs. The source of these studies is not provided.
Most of the data/statistics on their website is found on the “Reasons to Ride” page to convince readers the benefit of alternative commuting. Statistics regarding driving habits and costs as well as the environmental impact of driving are cited from the National Safety Council, the Texas Transit Association, Sonoma Medicine, and the EPA Emissions Report. The “real cost of driving” is estimated for a common commute in the area. Trek Houston writes “A person driving between Sugar Land and Greenway Plaza/Uptown Galleria twice every work day has a monthly driving cost of approximately $320,” and a link is included to the METRO Huston’s Commuter Calculator.There is no inclusion of visuals, only quotations of statistics.
6. What research has the organization produced or drawn on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
The Trek Houston website provides no evidence that the organization produces any of their own research. Their initiatives seem to be guided by more general principles and logic than any specific research, but perhaps they just choose not to include the research they use on their website. The little research cited seems to be for the purpose of marketing rather than adjusting or adapting their initiative. For example, Trek Houston cites AAA’s research to estimate cost of a commute in Houston, using its cost-per-mile estimate of 52.2 cents based on average fuel, routine maintenance, tires, insurance, license and registration, loan finance charges and depreciation costs.
7. What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
As a Transportation Management Organization, Trek Houston relies on road infrastructure and technologies related to different modes on transportation and their efficiency. As a non-profit organization, Trek Houston appears to rely greatly on a partnership with METRO to utilize their resources and technologies pertaining to public transit.
8. What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
Trek Houston works within a social ecology that prioritizes social and economic factors. While on of their primary goals is to reduce air pollution in Houston, the environmental motives for this are not emphasized. Their advisory board includes transportation experts, elected officials, and corporations, but no environmental experts. This underlying social ecology likely lead them to exclude public health pertaining to environmental effects.
9. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
An early version of the organization was formed in 1994 by 11 companies in an effort to meet the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements by reducing fuel used in commuting and trips to work sites. A prominent aim of the CAA was to address public health risks, and this by translation suggests that this should also have been the goal of Trek Houston. When the mandatory fines for non-compliance with the CAA regulations was deleted from the act by Congress, the Trek corporations decided to continue the organization due to congestion and to reduce air pollution.
10. What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
In 1995, Trek Houston received a two year federal grant from the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). The $165,000 grant was given through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program. The organization has received several additional grants throughout the years from the H-GAC as well as the Metropolitan Transit Authority, both of which are publicly owned. This could indicate that Trek Houston is likely influenced the political agendas of the State to combat those of the private industries involved.
11. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
The organization was founded by 11 corporations to meet the Clean Air Act requirements. The founding corporations were AFP Group, AIM, Apache Corp, Bechtel Corp., EOTT, Galleria Chamber, Marathon Oil, PanEnergy, Telecheck, Transco, and Union Petroleum. It is unusual to have a non-profit originally founded by corporations, and this likely resulted in a more pragmatic organization.
12. What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Trek Houston’s biggest challenge seems to be combating the human perceptions of convenience and comfort. A large portion of their website is devoted to convincing readers that it will improve their day to day life by utilizing alternative transportation, rather than attempting to convince them of the importance of the environment.
13. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
Their initiatives benefit from state governance that provides incentives to companies to utilize the transportation seminars and alternative transportation options provided by Trek Houston. Within the company, governance could be improved by adding environmental professionals to the advisory board.
14. How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could enable the organization to be more inclusive of environmental health as an important aspect in transportation planning. Trek Huston was founded in reaction to the Clean Air Act, for which public health was an important motivation. Despite these origins, the organization fails to properly acknowledge Houston’s public health threats, such as the high ozone levels, which is intensified by traffic issues.
Sources:
"History of Trek." Trek Houston, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. <http://www.trekhouston.org/about>.
"Reasons to Ride." Trek Houston, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. < http://www.trekhouston.org/reasons>
"Welcome." Trek Houston, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. <http://www.trekhouston.org/0/3917415/0/93639/about>
Central Houston
1. What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
Central Houston is the organization being profiled. It is an organization focused on the revitalization of the downtown and city center, with a project called Downtown in Motion that serves as a Transportation Management Organization.
2. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
The organization assists Houston employers and employees with commuting options and parking as well as provides marketing for METRO to encourage public transit. They have conducted several studies and surveys to assist in transportation planning, and has participated in joint transportation planning projects with many private and public organizations
.
3. What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?
(Only included transportation relevant events, Central Houston is a large organization with many different initiatives)
1983: Central Houston forms, first project is assistance with Metro Texas special circulator routes
1985-1987: participated with the City and Metro in the planning and design of an $18.9 million downtown transit street project
1989-1992: partnered with other organizations to form the Houston Regional Mobility Association as a lobbyists for mobility
1992: Worked with Trek Houston (early version of organization called Employer Trip Reduction Program) on setting goals and formed a ETRP committee for downtown
2009-2014: Conducted several transportation surveys of downtown workers
2012-Present: Advocacy of several METRO initiatives and transit system development
This shows that Central Houston put an emphasis on transportation since the founding of the organization, and originally focused on the more technical side, assisting with planning and design. When they formed the Houston Regional Mobility Association, it began their involvement in the politics surrounding transportation. In present day, they focus on advocacy and conducting surveys.
4. Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
Central Houston primarily focuses the revitalization of the downtown and city center, which is very broad and can be addressed many different ways. They frequently use the phrase “continued health and growth of Houston.” Even under their transportation focused initiative, they fail to address air quality even though it is implied through language. Many of their projects and goals are sure to subsequentlyimprove air quality and public health, but they fail to address this directly. For their initiatives in general, they claim to be results orientated.
5. What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Central Houston draws on local transportation news and statistics to keep citizens informed. They have produced several online newsletters pertaining to transportation, which offer statistics from METRO as well as include quotations from individuals as to why they choose public transportation. They also used journey-to-work data from the US census and the calculation of CO2 emissions from gasoline from the EPA to create a comparison between the carbon footprint of the commute for downtown workers and the commute for workers from other districts.
6. What research has the organization produced or drawn on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
Central Houston’s first transportation survey was in 2009 to identify commute mode and patterns. Over 12,000 workers and residents of Houston responded to this survey. The results of this survey our not included on their website. A similar survey was repeated in 2013, this time with over 13,000 respondents. The results are available online as a 173 page report. The survey investigates common modes and paths of commute in Houston, commuter demographics, what incentivizes people to use public transit, etcetera. Comprehensive and easy to read graphs and maps are used to compile the results. Central Houston claims that the aim of this commuter behavior research is to aid employers, downtown property owners, transportation planners, and public policy makers.
7. What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
An important aspect of Central Houston’s work is consulting Houston employers and employees on commuting options and parking. These options rely greatly on the downtown infrastructure. For one, the design of the roadways in the city can greatly affect congestion and traffic flow, as well as determine availability of parking. They also advocate for many METRO transportation means and initiatives, so they rely on their capabilities for public transportation technologies.
8. What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
Most organization focused on city revitalization have a primary interest in economics of the city. However, Central Houston conveys a fairly holistic approach to city improvements. Their wide variety of initiatives, from homelessness to transportation to quality of life, seems to reflect the principle of social ecology that many problems (economic and environmental) are a reflection of social problems. While they do not substantially address environmental concerns, they still manage to convey the message that what’s right for humans is right for the economy is right for the environment. Ultimately, they still fail to engage any discussion of air quality and asthma.
9. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
Results of their own commuter survey revealed that only 57% of Houston citizens regularly drive alone to work. This is just one of the many positive statistics reported. This success in alternative transportation could have led to the lack of engagement of environmental health. While Houston has better commuter behavior than many other urban areas, their air quality still suffers. These successes could perpetuate passivity when it comes to relating transportation and public health.
10. What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
The Central Houston website is very vague regarding the funding of projects and initiatives. The website states, “Strongly supported by its membership, it has the resources, professional acumen, intellectual and physical energy to create the most livable urban environment of international distinction as befits the country’s fourth-largest city.” The mention of resources implies that they receive funding from their members, which are downtown companies. This further supports the perception that their focus is primarily economic. Most companies have little to benefit from discussions on environmental health.
11. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
According to Forbes, Houston’s 4.5% year-over-year job growth rate is the nation’s fastest, and was number one of Forbes’ 2015 list of fastest growing cities. As an organization that focuses on vitalization of the city, this quick growth could cause concerns about sustainable development. Houston wants to welcomes the expansion of industry, however, the presence of industry will add further burdens to pollution and air quality. Houston’s recent trends of quick growth put pressure on Central Houston to manage this growth in a sustainable way without burdening the economy that promotes this growth.
12. What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Central Houston mentions their long term advocacy of regional transit system development, but mention little progress on this development even though they say they are results oriented. The timeline showed a recent shift from technical development and planning to advocacy, and it seems they find it challenging to cite concrete improvements under their new methods.
13. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
The members of Central Houston are corporations who are seeking to improve the downtown business district, which they are a part of. In this way, it gives companies a mode of self-governance. This is recognized in the company’s priorities such as “representing downtown in governmental affairs.”
14. How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could help adjust their perceptions of sustainable development though the discussion of the health effects of air pollution on human health. Central Houston’s approach to city revitalization fails to directly acknowledge the damaging economic and social effects that poor public health could bring.
Sources:
"Mobility." Central Houston. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. <http://www.centralhouston.org/Home/Programs/Mobility/>."About Us." Central Houston. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. <http://www.centralhouston.org/Home/AboutCentralHouston/>."Timeline." Central Houston. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015 <http://www.centralhouston.org/Home/DowntownHouston/Timeline/Timeline.PDF>.
Carlyle, Erin. "America's Fastest-Growing Cities 2015." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 09 Sept. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/01/27/americas-fastest-growing-cities-2015/>.
Events
January 1, 1996 Lead Banned from Gasoline
In 1923, leaded gas was introduced. Lead was added to gasoline because it boosts octane levels, improving engine performance, at a cheap cost compared to other additives. In 1970, the Clean Air Act initiated a leaded gasoline phasedown. Furthermore, all new cars starting in 1975 were required to come equipped with catalytic converters that do not accept leaded gasoline. By 1980, the lead level in blood drops by 50 percent. The EPA continuously reduces the standard of lead allowed throughout the years 1979 and 1996 until it is completely phased out. The phase out of lead in gasoline is viewed as one of the most important environmental health initiatives in history. These dates are important because they reflect the lengthy amount of time it takes to impose important regulations on corporations, even when it is a complete necessity for human health. Exposure to lead can cause serious health defects, including mental retardation and hyper tension. Lead is also one of the six pollutants that the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of the Clean Air Act regulates. Houston is currently in compliance with these regulations for lead, as well as all other criteria pollutants except ozone.
Sources:
Drum, Kevin. "How Did Lead Get Into Our Gasoline Anyway?" Mother Jones. N.p., 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. (photograph)
Newell, Richard G., and Kristian Rogers. "The U.S. Experience with the Phasedown of Lead in Gasoline." (n.d.): n. pag. MIT. Resources for the Fututure, June 2003. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. <http://web.mit.edu/ckolstad/www/Newell.pdf>
December 1st, 2011 Houston Receives Federal Funding for Light Rail
The battle for a light rail in Houston began in 1983, when the rail plan was voted down by referendum. In 1988, a referendum vote approved a plan for a light rail, but the plan was canceled by Mayor Bob Lanier. Then in 1991, US Representative Tom Delay killed $65 million in federal funding that was going to the rail line. Houston drew up a rail plan using local funding. In 2001, multiple lawsuits arose by group attempting to stop construction. These groups argued that METRO was a private organization and therefore subject to city charter provisions regarding use of Houston streets. These delayed construction temporarily, however METRORail was able to open in 2004. Under the executive order of President Obama in 2011, Houston received a $900 million grant for rail expansions. This event is important because it showcases the difficult political battle Houston had to fight to receive public transit. As a city struggling with smog and poor air quality, investments in public transportation were an important step towards progress. Today, METRORail has the third highest ridership per track mile in the US.
Sources:
"Interactive Timeline: The Evolution Of Houston's Light Rail." Houston Public Media. HPM Digital Team, 19 May 2015. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. <http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/houston-metro-light-rail-timeline/>.
March 2014- EPA Announces Tier 3 Standards
In March of 2014, the EPA announced the Tier 3 Standards that will be implemented in 2017. A prominent regulation of Tier 3 lowers the gasoline sulfur standard. By January 1, 2017, federal gasoline will contain less than 10 parts per million of sulfur on an annual average basis. Removing sulfur allows the vehicle’s catalyst to operate more efficiently. A large portion of the world, including Europe, has been using low-sulfur fuel, but American oil companies actively fought against the Tier 3 standard. Companies in the oil industry claimed that the new standards would translate into a high financial burden for consumers. However, a study conducted by Navigant Economics and commissioned by the Emission Control Technology Association estimated that compliance with the new regulations will cost oil companies less than one cent per gallon. The EPA estimates that by 2030, Tier 3 regulations will annually prevent between 700 and 2,000 premature deaths, up to 2,200 hospital admissions, 19,000 asthma attacks, 30,000 upper and lower respiratory symptoms in children, and 1.4 million lost days of school/work.
Sources:
"The EPA's Tier 3 Standards." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015. <http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/vehicles-air-pollution-and-human-health/epa-tier-3-standards.html#.Ve_LkRFVhBc>.
"EPA Sets Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards." (n.d.): n. pag. Regulatory Announcement. Environmental Protection Agency, Mar. 2014. Web. 8 Sept. 2015. <http://www.epa.gov/otaq/documents/tier3/420f14009.pdf>.