Policy-makers talk carbon pricing. Industry balks and threatens costs will be passed on to consumers. Media posts interview with retired grandmother filling up Toyota Corolla at the pump. Elected officials run for the hills. But people aren’t stupid, and they will accept short-term costs for long-term gains.
If you ever need a good news story about the future of renewable energy and low-carbon transportation then look to the past. Continue reading…
Kofi Annan said, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.” If that’s the case, then why don’t we have accessible and highly visible information on transportation safety in cities? If we only knew the true health and safety costs, wouldn’t we make better decisions on transportation infrastructure and policy? I propose public injury and fatality counters along major transportation routes to make the point. Continue reading…
When governments tell their utilities to start providing renewable energy over coal and gas-fired electricity it’s a big deal. While it’s very much in fashion for politicians to legislate renewable energy portfolio standards, there’s a new player in town. You. Citizens are behind a number of ballot initiatives that are pushing jurisdictions towards clean energy. But where have these measures succeeded and failed? What can we learn?
Cities are home to an increasing number of transportation options that are changing how we get around. While these modes aren’t necessarily new, their increasing popularity is allowing for the rise of an interconnected transportation network that’s economical, healthy, and low-carbon.
What’s not to like about the sharing economy? It’s convenient, good for the environment, resource efficient, and has the potential to save money or generate side revenue for sharers. The combination of new technologies, which enable a connection between service ‘producer’ and ‘consumer’, and a cultural shift away from ownership, are expanding the horizon of what can be shared. What’s next?