Providence

The City Of Providence, Rhode Island Is Ready To Decarbonize

Envision early 20th century Providence, Rhode Island. Over a century of textile manufacturing had dumped industrial toxins — thousands of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” Two rivers combine to form the Providence River: the Woonosquatucket and the Moshassuck Rivers. The old timers insist … [continued]

Plunger-Protected Bike Lanes #Winning

In many cities, concern for bicycle infrastructure is improving. (That’s in spite of distressing political moves to eliminate healthful, people-friendly, air-friendly transportation options such as bicycling.) In other cities, it is more difficult to change those settings due to to the car-centric mindset of the residents and policymakers there. However, promoting change with inexpensive, innovative barriers has helped a few cities to shift toward two-wheeled, pedal-powered transport. Here are two examples of such an approach, followed by an explanation:

Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement Spreads In UK

The University of Glasgow in Scotland has taken a page from Stanford and other US colleges. It has become the first EU academic institution to divest fossil fuel holdings. On Wednesday, the university court voted to divest $29 million (£18 million) of investments in the fossil fuel industry and freeze new investments across … [continued]

Amtrak Expands Fast East Coast Acela Fleet

Amtrak’s 13-year-old Acela trains have made a huge difference to commuting and other travel along the busy Northeast corridor between Boston and Washington, DC. Now a 6.5-hour trip, it used to take a full business day, or longer. The high-speed, tilting, inter-city train, currently the country’s fastest, can achieve up to … [continued]