Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
Call it having an epiphany! It’s not every day the average person has one of these. And, for this reason, this makes having epiphanies all the more special. That’s exactly what today’s post is: an epiphany, as you shall see. Okay, so in considering the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) metric, one of the more referred … Read more
The below Feb. 12, 2020 news release from the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Advancing California’s leadership in building a modern, clean, and sustainable transportation system, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today [Feb. 12, 2020] issued its Draft 2020 Business Plan for public review and comment. The Draft 2020 Business Plan affirms the policy recommendation … Read more
There are those things we hear, see, do (collectively, experiences) that give us a whole new perspective. Not being the sea-faring type, I hadn’t given more than a glancing thought to oceans beyond their being big, watery and deep, that is, not until I read an account in the Natural Resources Defense Council’s OnEarth magazine … Read more
On Jan. 29, 2020 the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its Annual Energy Outlook 2020 report. Also known as the AEO2020, the outlook includes updated projections of future energy production and use in the United States. The below is from the Energy Information Administration’s Jan. 29, 2020 press release titled: “EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook … Read more
On the “Greenhouse Gases Equivalencies Calculator – Calculations and References” page provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) one will find a wealth of information related to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and their equivalencies. Two areas of particular note as they relate to carbon-dioxide-emissions-releases from U.S.-based cars and diesel trucks examined are: “Gallons … Read more
The below Jan. 10, 2020 press release from the Center for Biological Diversity. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit today challenging Kern County’s reapproval of the 8,000-acre Grapevine project. The environmentally damaging development will straddle Interstate 5 and create a new city of 12,000 dwelling units and up to 5.1 million square feet … Read more
Have you noticed the upswell of delivery vehicle-traffic lately? Welcome to the club. And there is the likelihood there will be drone-based package delivery added to that mix. All of which could be a recipe for dirtier skies and unhealthier air – local or otherwise. A Jan. 10th World Economic Forum-produced report investigates just this … Read more
When taken into consideration that the purchase of fuel and the taxes paid on that fuel, maintenance (e.g. oil and filter changes), insurance, registration, smog testing (biennial or every two years, typically) and parking to name a few, car ownership isn’t exactly an inexpensive proposition. Also there are associated social and environmental costs to consider. … Read more
By 2017, world annual carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere had risen to a level exceeding 36 billion tons; a rise of 34 billion tons CO2 since 1900.1 Annual global contribution of CO2 in 1900 was 2 billion tons. Accumulated emissions of CO2 in the atmosphere have exceeded 1.5 trillion tons since 1751.1 (This according … Read more
A newspaper editorial dealing with the subject of California high-speed rail ran in the Dec. 24, 2019 Los Angeles Daily News edition. Access to the full Daily News editorial can be had here. Discussed is the fifth and final phase or package of the construction program in the San Joaquin Valley or what is known … Read more