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Monthly archive for October, 2009
The Daily Dig: High Speed Rail Edition
Friday, October 30th, 2009
. Chinese airlines are in a huff about having their business yoinked by new HSR lines, and are calling for “policy support,” which is actually just a tax break. By 2020, 80% of domestic flights will compete directly with cheaper Read more ›
The Daily Dig: World’s Tallest Treehouse Edition
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
. Happy Halloween, Jay Walder. A spokesman for the Straphanger’s Campaign tells the MTA chief to lower fares, increase transparency, improve labor relations, and close the budget gap–all by doctoring a few candy wrappers! (HuffPost) NYT polls experts to find Read more ›
Meet The Train Makers, Part 2: Bombardier
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
This is part 2 of a multi-part series on the world’s high speed train makers. Part 1 — a profile of Alstom — ran on Monday. Though it is now the world’s largest train manufacturer, Bombardier followed a haphazard route Read more ›
The Daily Dig: Panoramic Memory Edition
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
. Lots of solar news today. Solar Panel International got underway in Anaheim yesterday, and the opening speech declared the conference Solar’s “Fourth of July” and outlined a solar “Bill of Rights”; it’s time for solar to make serious moves Read more ›
The Daily Dig: Viaduct Collapse Edition
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
A video made two years ago depicting the collapse of Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct has finally been released. It’s pretty sensational–after an earthquake, cars are crushed, half of the city’s power goes out, soil liquifies and whole streets disappear. Some Read more ›
The Daily Dig: Runaway Train Edition
Monday, October 26th, 2009
. China’s expanding rail network is shaping up to be a phenomenal catalyst for change: it’s reducing the strain of internal immigration to Beijing and Shanghai, helping mid-size cities grow, and allowing talent and industry to move west into the Read more ›
Meet The Train Makers, Part 1: Alstom
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Americans know a lot about car and airplane manufacturers–but very few are familiar with the train making industry and it’s biggest players. That may change over the coming years, if the US gets serious about improving and expanding passenger rail Read more ›
Best Of TreeHugger: The War On Cyclists, Three-Wheeled Cars, And The 10 Best Eco-Apocalypse Flicks
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
In a dispatch from the expanding war on cyclists and pedestrians, we’ve got evidence of how bad things are getting. We also offer a reminder of how those Danes get around, and a cyclists’ road-map to peace (in New York Read more ›
The Daily Dig: High Speed Rail Edition
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
. Community leaders in LA are worried that new HSR lines will ruin their dream of revitalizing the LA River, which is made out of concrete. They want open spaces and more wildlife by the river. Admirable goals all around; Read more ›
The Daily Dig: Motorized La-Z-Boy Edition
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
. Jay Walder, New York’s transit chief, suggests in an interview that Gotham should experiment with off-peak subway fares. An economist runs some hypothetical numbers and finds that off-hours discounts might reduce the average price of a subway ride by Read more ›
Crazy Or Brilliant? Plan To Build Giant Floating Airport Off California Coast
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
San Diego desperately needs a new airport. It has needed one for years. The existing facility, San Diego International, is crowded onto a puny 675 acre parcel. That’s a lovely size for a horse farm, but it’s infinitesimal for an Read more ›
The Daily Dig: World’s Coolest Lifeguard Towers Edition
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
.[SButtonZ button="digg"] Global spending on trains, tracks and equipment will be $180 billion this year — a blessing for big companies like Siemens that have been otherwise hammered by the recession. And the worldwide HSR boom is only gathering momentum… Read more ›
The Daily Dig: Gasometer City Edition
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
. The production and use of energy in the US creates about $120 billion each year in health and environmental costs. About half of that is directly attributable to motor vehicles and their pollution. Interestingly, electric vehicles scored a bit Read more ›
Was Solar Energy Cheaper In The 1980s?
Monday, October 19th, 2009
Both of these sentences appeared in major US newspapers, one during the Reagan administration and one just last year: “Now, consider solar. Photovoltaic systems get the most attention. But for now, at least, they are very expensive, costing an estimated Read more ›
Today Is Officially Miracle Train Baby Day
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Thanks goodness for the miracle train baby. Just when our national spirits had been depressed by the (apparently) underhanded antics of the balloon boy and the other members of that strange and dysfunctional Heene family unit, the miracle train baby Read more ›
The Daily Dig: High Speed Rail Edition
Friday, October 16th, 2009
.[SButtonZ button="digg"] Putin went to Beijing and signed an agreement that would have China build a high speed railway system in Russia. It should be noted though that Russia already has more world-class high speed rail lines (one) than the Read more ›
Dubious Green Schemes: The Hanging Gardens Of Barcelona
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
The fact that food is typically grown in rural areas and consumed in cities is an urgent problem that humanity must address. Science has now made it clear (hasn’t it?) that if the planet is to survive we must cease Read more ›
Best of TreeHugger: Solar Bridges, Toxic Drywall And Buildings Shaped Like Letters
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
It’s been an interesting week: Brad Pitt has unveiled a floating house for New Orleans (it’s not as good as it sounds), Australia shows off the world’s longest solar footbridge–which even provides electricity to the main grid–and we pulled together Read more ›
The Daily Dig: ‘Waterless Urinals In LA’ Edition
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
. According to the White House, the stimulus package has directly created (“or saved”) 30,000 jobs in the private sector — that is, with companies that have actually received gubmint checks made of stimulus money. Our thoughts? Yawn. Stimulus job Read more ›
Launching A Livable Communities Task Force In Congress
Monday, October 19th, 2009With much excitement, today we are launching the Livable Communities Task Force – an official initiative of the House Democratic Caucus that will work to improve community livability and Americans’ quality of life. This means reducing the nation’s dependence on Read more ›