The wild-and-woolly world of waste

When it comes to waste (and the disposal thereof), it’s a, figuratively speaking, jungle out there. And, it’s seemingly everywhere: It’s in outer space and in the seas. It’s in the air (in the form of air pollution), produced by living, breathing beings (nasal discharge, earwax, in the context also of evacuated or excreted bodily … Read more

Study affirms Californians’ desire for cleaner, safer, more efficient transportation choices

The below Jan. 20, 2021 press release is from the Mineta Transportation Institute. According to a new report from the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), Investing in California’s Transportation Future: Public Opinion on Critical Need, Californians want the state to invest in transportation systems that are safer, greener, and more efficient. “Respondents sent a crystal-clear message … Read more

Presidential executive action that helps stabilize climate, fight pollution, protect wildlife

The below Jan. 20, 2021 press release is from the Center for Biological Diversity. As President Joe Biden takes office today, his administration announced a series of steps aimed at combating the climate crisis and protecting wildlife from extinction. These include reentering the Paris Agreement, cancelling the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, and imposing … Read more

An all-hands-on-deck approach to achieving clean, healthy air

I can’t help but think back to when I was an editorial associate for a Fresno, California-based publisher. This was a step up from the copywriter assignment that I had had previously. The person who had occupied the then editorial associate spot had just recently quit. So, with no one in charge of magazine editorial … Read more

First fully battery-electric line-haul loco begins testing on BNSF between Stockton and Barstow

The below Jan. 4, 2021 news release is from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. BNSF Railway Company … and Wabtec’s … exploration of the future potential of battery-electric locomotives crosses another significant milestone this week as they begin testing the technology in revenue service between Barstow and Stockton, California. As BNSF seeks ways to further … Read more

Leading by example: California shows continued, strong commitment to state emissions reduction

California can be credited with many air-quality-improvement firsts. Listed among these is a waiver granted by the fed that allowed the state to establish its own more stringent light-duty vehicle tailpipe-emissions standards, that is, apart from those prescribed for the rest of the U.S. In an Oct. 19, 2020 news release, meanwhile, the California Environmental … Read more

‘Scorecard’ highlights building, transportation energy efficiency progress in 100 large U.S. cities in 2020

It is no secret that all across the world in the past couple of decades the area of clean energy has experienced leaps-and-bounds growth. One organization, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), annually compiles what it calls a “City Clean Energy Scorecard.” The ACEEE in “Scorecard: Leading U.S. Cities Grow Clean Energy Efforts … Read more

Report findings: States committed to meeting 2030 climate goals ‘off track’

The below Dec. 8, 2020 press release is from the Environmental Defense Fund. A new report from Environmental Defense Fund using emissions data from Rhodium Group finds that U.S. states with climate commitments are not on track to bring their emissions down consistent with science-based trajectories for 2030. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate … Read more

Montgomery County, MD releases action-plan-draft for meeting climate goals

The below Dec. 14, 2020 press release is from Montgomery County (Maryland) Government. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has released the Draft Climate Action Plan for public review. The Climate Action Plan is the County’s strategic plan to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 percent by 2027 and by 100 percent by 2035. [Note: … Read more