Blogs & Ecology

Photo Credit to Ducktail964

Performance modifying your green vehicle just might have been one of those things that made the C + C Music Factory exclaim, “hmmm” back in 1991.

Image via apolloalliance.org.

Change is definitely in the air these days. President-elect Obama is putting together his plans for some sort of New Deal-like program, which he has said will include massive investments in building public institutions like schools, renewable energy and infrastructure.

A group ride in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo via Bisikletliler Derneği.

Last weekend, President-elect Obama announced his plans for the economic stimulus plan. He says it's going to be big, green, and expansive. But is it truly green, or just greenwash?

Economics and Green

When you say the words "green car," what comes to mind? Prius first, I suspect. One of the numerous electric cars popping up these days. And perhaps a hydrogen car. So would you be surprised to hear that the winner of last week's Green Car of the Year award at the LA Auto Show was...a diesel? Volkswagen's Jetta TDI.

As many Americans get ready to fly to their aunt’s house in Milwaukee or grandmother’s house in Syracuse for Thursday’s traditional Thanksgiving meal, many critics are chiming in again about the polluting and wasteful nature of the air travel industry.

In fact, air travel has come under sever criticism this year not only for how much fossil fuels are used and how many carbon emissions are produced, but also for many companies’ attempts at greenwashing the industry.

photo: Cleantech

It looks surprisingly like a Smart Car and frankly has one of the dumbest names I’ve ever come across, but the $19,000 all-electric RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) Wheego Whip will be available in the United States in May 2009.

We've written a lot about electric cars and the utility of the "smart garage" concept.

Of course, one of the challenges with electric cars is their still-limited range, and the need to find places to recharge when on the road. That's the part of the system Shai Agassi's Better Place goes after, by making the cars themselves easily accessible, building a network of recharging stations and then making money off the power sold.

Davenport Road, early 2008. Note the "bicycle lane" and "snow route" sign, which warns citizens that cars need to be moved to keep the road clear. Note also that the bike lane is completely buried.

To any Dane or Swede, that headline would be completely silly; it is expected that such an important part of the transportation infrastructure would be maintained year round. But in Toronto, cyclists are second or third class citizens when it comes to the plough.

Goodmorning got an honorable mention for a bike share program it designed for Brookyn for the Forum for Urban Design.

In New York City only 1% of the city's commuter trips are estimated to be by bicycle. But overall ridership in NYC has increased 344% since 1980.

Image source: Season 3 e2 Transport

Brad Pitt continues to lend his talent on this 3rd season e2 for their latest installment titled "Transport." Episodes begin streaming on the web November 24 and then will air on PBS later this winter. Episodes span cities across the globe and look at not just commuting but also new, sustainable ways to transport goods and services....

Mass-Transit Gets Funded to the Tune of $75 Billion

Road Rage Against Cyclist
Last summer, the Oregonian reported an incident between a cyclist and a deranged driver in Portland: Jason Scott Rehnberg, 37, yelled at the car to slow down, and apparently angered by the remark, the driver chased the cyclist. He rode his bike into the neighborhood to escape and after a while, probably thinking he was safe, he went ...

Europe proves that if you build it, they just might come.

The recent Times article on the bike-sharing boom in Europe offers up lots of good stuff.

For mayors looking to ease congestion and prove their environmental bona fides, bike-sharing has provided a simple solution: for the price of a bus, they invest in a fleet of bicycles, avoiding years of construction and approvals required for a subway. For riders, joining means cut-rate transportation and a chance to contribute to the planet’s well-being.

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Source: WorldChanging: Tools, Models and Ideas for Building a Bright Gre