Air quality improvement at the Port of Long Beach: Yesterday, today and …

I first wrote about the Port of Long Beach (POLB) California air quality issues back on Nov. 7, 2012 in “Regarding air-pollution cleanup at the Port of Long Beach: A progress report” here. Encouraging was the news then; it is even more so now. Then “Between 2005 and 2011, POLB air-pollution clean-up gains have been … Read more

To sequester harmful emissions start with transportation – Part 2: Trains, planes

In “To sequester harmful emissions start with transportation – Part 1: Trucks,” discussion was limited with a focus on California’s San Joaquin Valley. In Part 2, I have elected to keep content more general. A brief review What was presented in Part 1 is that in 2007 – just prior to the burst housing bubble … Read more

To sequester harmful emissions start with transportation – Part 1: Trucks

In any area with pernicious air pollution, you would think those living with such would be moved to do what they themselves can do to help in its reduction. I live in such a region – California’s San Joaquin Valley – and I, among a cohort of conscientious, concerned and interested area denizens, are actively … Read more

The Valley’s newest wood-burning rule: more health-protective or what?!

In approximately six weeks, according to Mark Grossi in The Fresno Bee, a new, more healthful particulate matter standard is going to be implemented in California’s eight county San Joaquin Valley. Lowering the standard to 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air and making it more protective of human health; that, right there, is fantastic … Read more

Reducing transport emissions could boost health, save trillions, study finds

A new study – A Global High Shift Scenario – from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) finds that by significantly reducing reliance on traditional motor vehicle use and substituting that with more air-friendly means of transport; namely, walking, biking and public transit, such associated … Read more

More on AQI and daily Valley wood-burning standard up for vote

CAPCOA (the California Air Pollution Control Officers’ Association) explains Air Quality Index in “Appendix A – Understanding the Air Quality Index,” in its California’s Progress Toward Clean Air – 2014 report. Firstly, as CAPCOA notes, “The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool for reporting daily air quality levels.” A variety of colors (typically green, … Read more

Can, will California’s GHG emissions drop to 1990 levels by 2020?

The California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board (ARB) in the document: “California’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory: 2000-2012 (2014 Edition)” proclaimed: “The California Legislature and Governor took significant steps to address the concerns raised about climate change, with the passage and signing of the Assembly Bill (AB) 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 … Read more

On the move: A quarter-million electric vehicles and growing

So … since Sept. 15th to the 21st this year is “National Drive Electric Week,” I decided I wanted to investigate electric vehicle numbers and operation in the broader context of total vehicle numbers and operation. In my previous post: “Thoughts on ‘National Drive Electric Week’,” and echoing what Plug In America had first so-declared … Read more

Thoughts on ‘National Drive Electric Week’

Beginning Sept. 15th, and all throughout “National Drive Electric Week,” motorists are invited to take an electric-car test-drive. But wait. Don’t those in charge know that there are in the U.S. a quarter-billion motor vehicles and that those 250 million (autos and trucks) – roughly three motor vehicles for every four citizens – on average, are idled (parked) 23 … Read more