Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
California now has less of an energy supply … or does it? I ask because the San Onofre nuclear power plant, located in northwest San Diego County, is no longer producing electricity – it is offline and it is to remain that way. Even so, this in no way means demand for electricity in state is less. So, … Read more
Picking up right where I left off in “Rails versus roads: Infrastructure equality can work wonders,” the use of passenger trains to mitigate harmful emissions can be a very effective means of doing such, provided that: 1) there are trains of sufficient quantity and quality operating; 2) there exists a ridership base sufficient enough to … Read more
Right now I’m thinking about the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. As I see it the “Report Card” is an evaluation instrument used for the purpose of assessing 16 different infrastructure categories in all. In my way of thinking, chief among the 16 infrastructure groups are roads, railroads, … Read more
Remember back on May 1 when I wrote about capacitor energy storage capability in an electric passenger rail application? Described in the “CATS: ‘Contactless,’ energy-storage features give transit an edge,” was the MITRAC system from Bombardier. In this case, it is the Siemens Sitras Energy Storage system that is to be installed on the TriMet light rail line at the … Read more
I hold on to hope that one day cars will be a significant contributor to the overall effort to clean the air – that they’ll be more a part of the solution than what is right now the case. That’s not expecting too much, right? I will try to answer that question by posing another: Without significant … Read more
Baltimore, Maryland – birthplace of American common carrier railroading – is considering incorporating streetcars into its transportation mix, apparently. Baltimore is not alone. To say interest in American streetcars is building is, in my opinion, understating things some. In fact, an American streetcar builder – United Streetcar of Clackamas, Oregon – has set up shop. … Read more
Improving energy efficiency and advancing sustainability at the Port of Long Beach (POLB) is nothing new. For instance, in a May 22, 2013 news release the POLB wrote: “In 2005, the Harbor Commission adopted the ‘Green Port Policy,’ which set down the tenets that have guided the Port’s sweeping environmental programs such as the San Pedro … Read more
Air pollution and what affect this has on human health and what role exercise may play, is an area of discussion I am extremely interested in. So, should a person engage in aerobic activity if one resides in a location where air pollution is present, like where I live in Fresno, California, where air is often … Read more
If you want to know where some of the worst places in America are for ozone and particulate pollution, look no farther than California. That’s not just a blemish on the Golden State (and America), it’s a black eye. Add the term “eye sore” to regions plagued with smog. Still, in a Patterson (Calif.) Irrigator report written by … Read more
Fresno, California has fallen on hard times – really hard times. Fresno is not alone. The Fresno Bee columnist George Hostetter in a May 25, 2013 article wrote: “City Hall is broke. [Fresno Mayor Ashley] Swearengin has been fighting budget woes since she took office in January 2009. She expects to make ends meet in … Read more