New York may, like London,
implement a congestion charge |
Good News
- Congestion pricing in Manhattan is one step closer to becoming reality. A New York commission has just approved a plan that proposes an $8 charge to enter the area below 60th Street between 6am and 6pm, pledging the funds, estimated at nearly $500 million per year, towards mass transportation improvements. The plan still faces approval by the State Legislature, where opposition is expected.
- The Super Bowl is going green. Clean energy sources, from New Mexico wind turbines to California geothermal plants will power the stadium, theme park and 2 luxury hotels. The NFL is also planting thousands of trees in the wildfire ravaged forests of Arizona to offset its vehicle fleet.
- Eating organic fruit and vegetables has been proven to reduce pesticide exposure in children. In fact, after 5 days of eating organic, pesticide markers were nowhere to be found. Let us rejoice, science has proven the obvious.
- A new environmentally friendly method has been developed to destroy estrogenic compounds that currently escape complete removal in wastewater treatment plants. A new catalyst has, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the ability to remove 95% of various forms of estrogen from wastewater in 15 minutes.
- According to the UN, the costs of climate change may add up to $20 trillion over the next two decades for cleaner energy sources and do the most harm to people who can least afford to adapt.
- Boiling water causes a drastic spike in bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from polycarbonate plastic. Polycarbonate plastic is typically used in baby bottles, Nalgene bottles and in tin can lining. BPA is a known hormone disruptor suspected of causing increasing rates of prostate cancer, earlier onset of puberty in girls and declining sperm counts.
- Climate change is turning conservation efforts on their head. Habitat restoration efforts run the risk of being rendered void by climate change induced habitat alterations, such as the Everglades restoration, under threat of sea level rise.
- California's Chinook Salmon population is nearing an all time low, pointing towards an "unprecedented collapse", with a 88% decline in a 5 year period. Severe fishing restrictions are under discussion.
- A World Wildlife Fund report calls for a moratorium in oil exploration in the Arctic. The report finds that in case of an oil spill, a "response gap" impairs the ability to clean up after a spill, resulting in potentially devastating environmental risks. Will anyone listen?
- The Good Human reminds us of 10 reasons against nuclear power.
- The Greenwashing Index allows consumers to evaluate real advertisements making environmental claims.
- A round-up of peak oil resources including websites, articles, books, movies and much more in a visually appealing diagram will give you a pretty good idea of "how to boil a frog".
- The global wine industry is preparing to launch a carbon calculator for vineyards and wineries, allowing people to determine the carbon emissions over the life cycle of a bottle of wine, including purchased energy and the manufacture of fertilizers and packaging material.
