Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
“Diesel, used by most [heavy goods vehicles], causes more air pollution per kilometre than other fuels such as petrol.” This was a determination of the European Environment Agency (EEA), as brought to bear in the EEA’s Feb. 28, 2013 “Reducing the € 45 billion health cost of air pollution from lorries” press release – a … Read more
In a May 1st Air Quality Matters blog post, I referenced the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) document titled: “Second Report to Congress: Highlights of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Program,” a document to be of particular relevance and importance. (To learn more and read what I had written, see: “EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction program is showing promise”). … Read more
At one part in particular in the previous post, in essence, I asked if it is not more economical to expand California State Route (SR) 99 – which is currently being widened from four to six lanes at various spots between Kern County, located in the south San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento to the north, rather than to … Read more
In my last post I was pretty direct by suggesting, in effect, that American roadway infrastructure was heading in the wrong direction. As you know, roadways can only handle so many vehicles per given unit of time operating at a per given unit of speed. The proper term is “capacity.” Too little capacity and traffic flow becomes … Read more
With statements like: “Among all sectors, the transport sector is the only one in which emissions are continuing to increase in spite of all the technological advances. …The alarming performance of the transport sector is largely due to road traffic, which accounts for 73% of global transport emissions”1 “So far this year, 61 of America’s … Read more
It’s always heartening to learn when new measures are being implemented to reduce emissions. Such is the case with amendments in Canada to cut air pollution levels from vessels navigating Canadian waters. This is on top of other air-emissions-reduction actions already taken. “The amendments bring new requirements into force for vessels under Annex VI of … Read more
One would think, in America, based on ongoing conversation, significant strides have been made in the effort to save farmland from non-agriculture-related development. Case in point. To quote Jeff Turrentine from his “Neighborhood Watch” article, “Sprawl destroys the defining character of suburbs by conferring upon them many problems associated with urban areas: crime, congestion, paved-over … Read more
In 1989 two authors – Gary W. Dolzall and Mike Danneman – in their book “Steel Rails Across America” described the nation’s passenger railroad – Amtrak – thusly: “After a decade and a half of life, Amtrak stands on stable turf, freed of the annual budget reductions it suffered in the 1970s, and offering rail … Read more
The entire month of May in America is National Bike Month. It isn’t just about bikes. It’s about bicycling also. One great thing about bikes is they are non-air-polluting. What I also find remarkable is that on many of America’s 4 million roadway miles, bicyclist and motorist alike peacefully coexist. In fact, on some thoroughfares where there is just … Read more
First things, first. I would really like to know if there is such a thing as too much sprawl – suburban, exurban or otherwise? If the adage “everything in moderation” really rings true, then, yes, by definition, there could conceivably be too much sprawl. Question is: Has the sprawl demarcation line already been established though? … Read more