Climate Cities

Tank You Very Much

A technique invented to reduce corrosion of steel components on ships could also prevent exotic species from stowing away in the ballast water of cargo ships. The technique, which was designed by Mario Tamburri of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in collaboration with Japanese scientists, involves pumping nitrogen gas into ballast tanks, thereby virtually […]

Bad Air Day

As if flying didn’t already make you nervous: Air quality aboard commercial jets can be hazardous to passenger’s health and the airlines, but federal regulators have done little to address the problem, according to a report released yesterday by a panel of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. The report said the systems for collecting […]

Now We're Cookin'

A British supermarket chain said today that it would begin fueling its delivery trucks with chicken waste and used cooking oils. The Asda chain, which includes 258 stores in the U.K and is a part of the Wal-Mart company, generates about 36,500 gallons per year of chicken waste and cooking fat that currently winds up […]

That's It!

Touting it as an environmentally friendly alternative to cars, inventor Dean Kamen finally unveiled his mysterious creation to the world this morning. The gizmo — which has gone by the codenames “IT” and “Ginger,” but will be marketed under the more prosaic “Segway Human Transporter” — turns out to be a one-person, two-wheeled, battery-powered scooter […]

Oh Maw Gracious!

More than 31 million acres of forest in the southern United States will disappear into the maw of urban development in the next four decades, according to a report released yesterday by the U.S. Forest Service in collaboration with other federal agencies. Wildlife and water and air quality will suffer as trees make way for […]

A Mess In-a Messina

Italy has declared states of environmental emergency in Venice, Milan, and Messina. Venice is beset with water pollution caused by boat traffic in its canals, while road traffic in the other two cities is producing too much air pollution. The country’s parliament may now appoint local commissioners to impose tough new anti-pollution measures, such as […]

Fat City

Environmental problems ranging from toxic waste to air pollution have long been recognized as having human health effects — but what about urban sprawl? A study released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sprawl creates or exacerbates many common health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. The report […]

Bus-ted

The city of New Delhi has less than four months to convert all diesel buses to natural gas, following an order today by India’s Supreme Court. New Delhi has missed several previous court deadlines, and at least 9,000 of the city’s 12,000 public buses still rely on diesel fuel. The Supreme Court orders have sparked […]

If You Build It, Sprawl Won't Come

In the wake of the destruction of the World Trade Center tower, environmentalists are calling for a rapid rebuilding of lower Manhattan as a way to fight increased urban sprawl and traffic congestion. They worry that the sudden shortage of office space downtown, combined with concerns about security and the economy, could drive corporations out […]

McTraffic Jam