Air Pollution

New York Apartments

Apartments, Cities, and Pollution

Some evidence suggests that apartments lead to more greenhouse gas emissions per capita than houses. Does this mean that suburbs pollute less than cities? Probably not.

February 23, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

School Site

8,000 U.S. Public Schools Located Near Sources of Pollution

Schools tend to get built on cheap land. Cheap land is often found near busy roadways—sources of pollutants that are harmful to the health of children.

February 21, 2017 - The Center for Public Integrity

London Heathrow Airport

The London Subway Is Bad for Commuters' Lungs

A new study from the University of Surrey produced counterintuitive results about the relative pollution levels of commuters around London.

February 20, 2017 - CityLab

The Forbidden City

Spare the Air: Beijing to Drastically Reduce Coal Use

Beijing promises "extraordinary" measures to reduce pollution in the infamously smoggy city.

February 6, 2017 - Scientific American

Refueling

Buying a Diesel Car Today Is Selfish and Irresponsible

We all know that pollution, like tobacco, kills! We also know that diesel fuel is extremely dirty. Unfortunately, until a few years ago, the automobile industry had deceived us into believing that diesel was as clean or cleaner than gasoline.

January 24, 2017 - Cities of the Future

San Bernardino Skyline

Inland Empire Community Looking for Ways to Meet Environmental Standards

Those who live in Bloomington, east of L.A., face factories on all sides and a high incidence of asthma. Some feel polluters should be made to 'clean up their messes' with punishments rather than government funds.

January 18, 2017 - Next City

Champs-Elysees

Less and Less of Paris Open to Cars

Paris Mayor Anne Hildalgo announced a new plan to further restrict cars and trucks from the city center.

January 12, 2017 - The Independent

Barcelona Needs Swift Action Against Pollution

The capital of Catalunya is suffering from persistent high pollution due to car density and the largest number of motorcycles in Europe. City administrators, aware of the situation, have been unwilling to take any action that would upset drivers.

January 6, 2017 - Cities of the Future

North Pole, Alaska

The Surprising Region with the Nation's Worst Particulate Air Pollution

It's not Southern California, with its ports and congested freeways, California's Central Valley, with its bowl-like topography, Houston, with its oil refineries, or the midwest, with its coal power plants. Hint: think Santa Claus.

December 27, 2016 - The New York Times

Paris towers

Choking Air Pollution in Paris Prompts Driving Restrictions and Free Transit

A weather inversion has caused the highest air pollution in the French capital in ten years. To coax commuters from their cars, free transit and odd-even license plate driving restrictions were enacted by Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday

December 9, 2016 - NPR

Famous Mexico City traffic

Banning Diesel Cars in City Centers

Mexico City, Paris, Madrid, and Athens will ban diesel cars and vans by 2025.

December 7, 2016 - The Guardian

Albanian Mayor Curbs Pollution With Data and Children's Help

As mayor of Tirana, Albania, Erion Veliaj has introduced alternatives modes of transport to the city’s traffic-clogged streets and made the public a full partner in the process.

November 18, 2016 - Cities of the Future

Sacramento

Yet More Data on the Value of Trees to the Built Environment

A new report from the Nature Conservancy provides evidence of trees as a crucial component of public-health infrastructure.

November 17, 2016 - Vox

Barcelona

Barcelona Tackles its Traffic, Pollution With Parking Policies and Superblocks

We talked to Barcelona's mobility guru, Mercedes Vidal, about how the high pollution levels that are pushing the city to rethink heavy traffic flows, provide faster more efficient public transport and hike up parking fees.

November 8, 2016 - Cities of the Future

London

London Bridges Going Up

London Mayor, Sidiq Kahn, authorizes two new bridges and a tunnel in eastern part of the city.

October 13, 2016 - City Lab

Biomass

The Carbon Neutral Controversy Surrounding Biomass

A controversial biomass amendment added to the Senate's energy bill would make the burning of wood for energy purposes a renewable source of energy. While the proposal has broad, bipartisan Congressional support, many groups oppose it.

October 6, 2016 - The New York Times

Barcelona’s First Superblock: Fighting the Power of Habit and Wavering Political Will

Two weeks ago, after nearly two decades of waiting, Barcelona urban designer Salvador Rueda finally saw the first "Superilla" (Superblock) installed in the city. The superblock faced fierce opposition from unhappy residents and local businesses.

September 27, 2016 - Cities of the Future

Air Pollution from Natural Gas Industry in Pennsylvania on the Rise

With a 32 percent increase in natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, it is no surprise that emissions are increasing as well, particularly sulfur dioxide. However, the increase was dwarfed by decreases from the power sector.

August 27, 2016 - The Allegheny Front

Cleanest Diesel Locomotives to Join Southern California Commuter Rail Fleet

Forty so-called Tier 4 locomotives, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designation requiring a dramatic reduction in particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, will be joining Metrolink's fleet covering 512 track miles in six counties.

July 20, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Coal Ash

Energy Agency Totals Annual Death Toll from Air Pollution at 6.5 Million

The study by the Paris-based International Energy Agency finds a direct connection to the energy industry. Credit goes to IEA executive director Fatih Birol for expanding the organization's mission beyond its traditional purpose, energy security.

June 29, 2016 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

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