If rate varies by how much vehicles pollute, then mileage fee supported by 51% of Americans, survey shows

May 20, 2024 — San José, CA The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has released the results from its 15th annual survey in a series that explores public support for raising transportation revenue through higher federal gas taxes or a new mileage fee. A majority of respondents (51%) supported replacing the federal gas tax with a mileage fee … Read more

$12M awarded to UMass researchers to shrink society’s carbon footprint using AI, other computer science tools

AMHERST, Mass. — Artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms and software—meet the next tool kit for creating our sustainable future. The University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded $12 million over five years by the U.S. National Science Foundation to develop the field of computational decarbonization, or CoDec, a new branch of computer science and engineering that … Read more

New coal leasing in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin to stop

GILLETTE, WY — The Biden administration announced today that it will end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the largest coal-producing region in the United States. The decision represents an historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing that the market has shifted away from coal as an electricity source … Read more

Is universal ZEV adoption absolute in achieving carbon net-zero by 2050?

Um, no. Background The average global surface-air-temperature-rise — compared to that which was present at the time the Industrial Revolution first became a thing back in year 1750 — must climb by no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (C), in order “to reduce the greatest global risks and avoid significant, wide-ranging, and severe impacts,” as … Read more

What I’m watching

So, what I have to report on, has to do almost exclusively with climate change/global warming, decarbonization and greenhouse gas emissions. And, the shows that I’m watching and are of particular note, have all been aired on the Public Broadcasting Service, or PBS, and these are A Brief History of the Future (produced and narrated … Read more

Marking Asthma Awareness Month, national asthma-disparities-fight-leader honored

WASHINGTON – Every year in May, EPA marks Asthma Awareness Month to raise national awareness of asthma and to highlight leading programs across the nation that serve as models for delivering outstanding improvements in asthma care and quality of life for people with asthma. “Growing up with respiratory challenges in North Carolina, I know all … Read more

With greater transit use/lower vehicle dependence comes improved air, increased household savings potential, etc.: Study

In cities and in rural areas, in red states and blue states, most residents want cleaner and more connected communities. Public transit — including trains, buses, and dial-a-ride services — and accessible walking and bike routes give us healthy, clean, and affordable ways for everyone to get where they need to go. But for too … Read more

What better time than Air Quality Awareness Week to give our lungs a break

Nowadays, considerable time and energy is devoted to combatting climate change and global warming directly — which is a good thing. At the same time, significant time and energy is spent on dealing with climate change/global warming fallout — and that isn’t. Making worse those matters, it has been known for some time now that … Read more

2024 ‘State of the Air’ report and findings are out

The American Lung Association’s new “State of the Air” report reveals that spikes in deadly particle pollution are the most severe they’ve been in the history of the report. According to the new report, people in the U.S. experienced the most days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality due to particle pollution in 25 … Read more