In ozone (or any other) speak, presentation (still) matters

And now for something decidedly different. It is all about the delivery As for oxymoronic expressions, I can think of none better than: “old news.” So, what does this have to do with “the price of eggs in China” – or today’s topic, in other words? On Aug. 25, 2013, as it just so happens, I … Read more

Gravity train: Clean-energy generation need not be an ‘uphill’ battle

Not surprisingly, gravity railroads – which were among our nation’s first railroads – are making a comeback – or are poised to. The gravity railroads that I’m speaking of are not in the business of hauling freight per se. Instead, the gravity, as employed in the application I’m talking about, is tied to energy production … Read more

California’s plan to reduce greenhouse gases picking up steam?

If California were an independent nation, it would be the world’s 12th largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). That is a profound thought. The Golden State’s got a plan, though. And what a plan it is, apparently! The California program – the Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) initiative (an outgrowth of California Senate Bill 375: the … Read more

Valley smart growth called for by American Lung Association in California

Way back when (in this case “when” being Nov. 8, 2012), in “Conferees fail to reach consensus at San Joaquin Valley clean air workshop,” I contended: “Due to meteorological and topographical conditions, pollution that’s created in the San Joaquin Valley – or that which blows in from other areas – frequently gets trapped. Mountain barriers … Read more

Newest cleaner-diesel locos to hit the rails running in 2016

Today marks the first day of spring 2014. To celebrate, I thought an uplifting thread would be especially fitting. What today’s thread has to do with is a multimillion dollar diesel locomotive order. Being procured, according to Siemens Corporation in its “Siemens Awarded $225 Million Contract for Multi-State Passenger Rail Locomotive Procurement: Contract Brings Siemens … Read more

CATS: Breaking friction-braking-barriers with regenerative braking

Number 28 in the Clean Air Technologies Series. In the U.S. momentum is building regarding true high-speed rail implementation – principally in Texas and in the Washington, D.C. region. Meant by “true” high speed is operational velocities of 168 miles per hour or higher; typically 200 mph. Furthermore, surrounding the much anticipated fast-train system planned … Read more

Rising public transit use has side benefit of cleaner air

The journey that is called transportation continues. On Mar. 3rd I reported on American public transportation 2013 trip numbers for quarters 1, 2 and 3. Stats for quarter 4 as of that posting were not available. But they are now. In fact, regarding ridership statistics, not only are these available for 2013’s fourth quarter but … Read more

Green encounters of the cyber kind or how change looks in the digital age

The Digital Revolution did for communications what the Industrial Revolution did for manufacturing. Seemingly light-years apart in terms of their introductions – the IR introduced in the mid-18th century, the DR in the late 20th century – a goodly proportion of that which influences our lives in this current century is rooted in these two … Read more

Air fare: Why top-heavy roadway spending makes little sense

There is no question there is great demand in terms of bringing the nation’s roadway infrastructure to a state of good repair. Now add to this also, highways nationwide suffer a 42 percent congestion rate, this according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. It is no secret that U.S. roadways versus airways versus railways, … Read more