Cohousing-L Mailing List: Local businesses as alternatives to commuting

[John Gear (catalyst]

Someone wrote:

>There are three ways that come to mind to reduce commuting:
>
>1. Locate cohousing near employment
>2. Incorporate telecommuting centers and technology into cohousing
>3. Develop local businesses
>  
>Number 1 is difficult because of the high market price of developable land
>near labor markets.  Number 2 might not be practical unless some corporate
>sponsorship could be obtained.  However, in regard to Number 3, I see  no
>reason why motivated people could not develop cooperative small-scale
>businesses, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by new
>technologies for remote education, entertainment, and mail order. 

As I am currently very involved in transporation issues I feel I should comment.

*Be careful* about assumptions that home-based businesses reduce the number
of trips.  I work as an independent consultant from my home and my
single-occupancy-vehicle (SOV) trips have increased as a result.  Although I
don't have a predictable daily commute, I *often* find myself going to meet
with clients all over the metro area.  The local Regional Transportation
Council head told me that this pattern is repeated everywhere; telecommuters
take more SOV trips than anyone else!  When they do leave the house they are
as likely to be going to odd places not well served by transit or to be
travelling at off-peak hours when the commuter runs are no longer in service.

Some local businesses use flextime and such but the predominant result is to
reduce the peak pressure on the roads but not the total demand.  In fact, I
think the overall number of trips is increased because flextime means that
*everyone* comes and goes alone, rather than being able to use mass transit.
(Psychologically, people don't feel they are taking advantage of flextime if
they don't vary their hours--and once enough people vary the hours enough
the possibility of serving that trip demand with mass transit is reduced.)

That's not to discourage co-locating business and home but I suggest being
very careful about assuming that home or coho-based businesses will reduce
the transit/transport burden.

While we're on the subject though, I thought I would share an idea I came
across recently that I think is real relevant to cohousing, especially the
urban kind.  THe point the speaker made was that 

"The most environmentally responsible thing we can do--and the most critical
thing we must do--is figure out how to make cities affordable, livable, and
enjoyable.  If they are, we will relieve the pressure to convert farm and
forest into tract developments.  If we don't, we can forget trying to
preserve any farms or wilderness near urban areas, as the people leaving the
city will continue to relentlessly sprawl outward."
John Gear (catalyst [at] pacifier.com)

The Bill of Rights -- The ORIGINAL Contract with America
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