A Growing Population
By one estimate, the Bay Area will grow by over two million additional people — or 666,000 households — by 2040. The choices our cities, counties, and planning agencies make to influence where these people live and how they get around are critical to reducing our impact on the earth and leaving a livable planet for future generations. For more on our position on housing and development, see our Housing and Development page.
Building a Sustainable Bay Area
As population grows, rising housing costs push lower-income residents out into the suburbs, creating sprawl that puts pressure on our open spaces and wildlife and increases car time. We can fight that trend by building compact communities that are walkable, bikeable, and served by a robust public transit system. The Bay Chapter supports an integrated approach to transportation and land-use planning that lowers our greenhouse-gas emissions, reduces congestion, and makes the Bay Area a more equitable place to live and work.
Fighting Air Pollution and Climate Disruption
When we reduce our dependence on the single-occupancy automobile we cut our carbon footprint and improve air quality and community health. Transportation accounts for about a third of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions — with emissions from cars and trucks alone accounting for two thirds of total transportation emissions. At the same time, transportation is the largest single source of air pollution in the United States. Exposure to air pollutants released by automobiles carry significant risks for human health, from respiratory illness to cancer.
Get Involved
For more information or to attend a meeting of the Chapter's Transportation and Compact Growth Committee, reach out to that committee's chair. You can also fill out the form on the Volunteer page and we'll be in touch with ways you can help out.
Read More
Find articles on transportation and compact growth on our blog.