A Green Industrial Revolution
Today the CCPA released a new big picture report by myself and student researcher Amanda Card calling for a Green Industrial Revolution. The report builds on work done for the…
Transportation
Earthgauge Radio May 31 2012: Shark conservation and Capital Velo Fest
Download: earthgaugeradio-podcast-may31-2012-sharkconservation.mp3 On Earthgauge Radio this week, we’re taking a look at shark conservation and the Ottawa bike festival called Capital Velo Fest. The award-winning film Sharkwater will be screened…
More Women Riding Bikes in Southern California
Regular readers probably know that bicycles are the best form of transportation imaginable (I may be biased). It’s always good to read of efforts to get more people in North…
Earthgauge Radio May 10: Pedal power! The two-wheeled revolution is coming…
Download: earthgauge-radio-podcast-may10-2012.mp3 On Earthgauge Radio this week, we’re talking bikes. After all, May is Bike to Work month so I have three cycling-related interviews for you on today’s program: Jess…
How To Resolve The Transit Fare Evasion Problem
Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom is bringing in new legislation to crack down on fare evaders, allowing collection agencies to go after people who don’t buy tickets. If Lekstrom really wants…
Bike Lanes Makes Road Safer for Everyone
The worst mayor in Canada hates people who don’t drive automobiles and thinks cyclists deserve to die. The mayor of Toronto wants to remove bike lanes (while every smart city…
Car Free Days in Caracas are a Huge Success
In Venezuela’s largest city they’re looking to make roads usable for people again. The city of Caracas is encouraging people to come out and enjoy reclaimed public spaces on specific…
The Parable of the Prius
I was at a talk on dematerialization a few weeks ago, and one of the speakers told “the parable of the Prius” to illustrate Jevon’s paradox that efficiency gains do…
What’s in a Lot?
Here’s a challenge from Eran Ben-Joseph: name a great parking lot. Couldn’t do it, could you? Neither could I, and neither could Ben-Joseph. In a new book ReThinking a Lot:…
Air travel and carbon footprint
A bi-annual vehicle emissions test got me thinking about my personal carbon footprint. A lot broad-brush numbers and calculators exist out there to calculate one’s footprint, but I’ve never found…
The Universal Student Transit Pass
I have an opinion piece out on the City of Ottawa’s universal, student transit pass–also known as “the U-Pass.” Points raised in the op-ed include the following: -U-Pass programs exist…
Madrid Turned a Highway into a Park
Madrid made a very wise urban planning decision and buried a highway to make room for people and nature. Thanks to a lack of foresight, the Rio Manzanares was surrounded…
The Future of Transit: Gondolas
The Gondola Project is all about bringing fast and cheap public transit to cities by using (what else?) gondolas! Some people may think that gondolas are only for ski resorts…
‘Electric Highway’ Infrastructure Goes Live
The first location in what will be a series of fast-charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles as officially opened in Washington State. Consumers cite concerns over how far electric…
Parliament in Review: November 14, 2011
Monday, November 14 saw MPs return to the House of Commons from a week’s break. But if anybody thought the time away would lead to less contentious debate, the day…
Haikus in NYC for Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety
City of New York Makes streets safe with poety Haikus may save lives!
Public Bike Share Coming to New York?
It’s no secret that we here at Things Are Good like bikes and bike sharing (we may have even posted about it once or twice…), and now some more good…
Is Toronto Lost?
Has Toronto lost its way? That's been the word on the street, and pretty much everywhere else, since Mayor Ford took office a little less than a year ago.But as…
Changing a Mall from Useless to Useful
Dead malls are a problem in too many communities and these malls are occupying large tracts of land that can be used better. Suburbs in North America have to confront…
A Simple Change in Signage can Save Time, Environment
Here’s a TED Talk that explores how creating a new road sign can make a huge impact on the roads of America. Gary Lauder breaks down the impact of a…