Air Pollution at Airports

Gate Wait for Better Air (1 page pdf, Environmental Health Perspectives, Forum, Jul. 1, 2011) Today’s review article looks at ways to reduce emissions at airports by reducing taxiing times for aircraft preparing to take-off. Statistics indicate that an aircraft may spend as much as 30% of its time between push-off at the gate and [...]

Hockey, Indoor Rinks and Health Risks

Hidden Dangers at Indoor Ice Rinks (NBC 7 minute video)   Today’s review post comes thanks to the blog on “Effects of Air Pollution on Health” which highlighted the health risks faced by skaters in indoor rinks from fuel-powered resurfacing machines- known in Canada as Zambonis-  which emit CO2 and PM (as opposed to electric [...]

Living Planet City

Living Planet City How Green Energy can work for your City – from World Wildlife Federation

Online Electric Train in South Korea

KAIST introduces environmentally friendly public transportation to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon City (KAIST university, Mar. 9, 2010) This new type of electric train makes use of power buried underground, avoiding the problems of overhead wires or heavy batteries, and can maintain a speed of 62 kph, more than enough for most downtown cities. It [...]

Intelligent Traffic Lights and Idling

In a typical North American city,  car commuters spend  about 45 minutes on the road each day.  Roughly 15 minutes of that is spent idling – at stop lights or while waiting for someone (e.g. picking up children at school) and waiting at drive thrus. All idlng (except in electric or hybrid cars)  results in [...]

We’re Thru

We’re Thru  - Has the American romance with the drive-through gone sour? (Slate, Dec. 11, 2009) – the City of Ottawa passed Idling Control BY-LAW NO. 2007 – 266 which came into effect September 1, 2007 and gives those who idle for more than 3 minutes a hefty fine. Exisiting Drive-Thrus were exempted but future [...]

Roundabouts, Cleaner Air and Safer Intersections

With a nod of appreciation to this post A Roundabout Way to Curb Climate Change, the focus of today’s post is modern roundabouts. In comparison to interactions with traffic lights, roundabouts  virtually eliminate collisions (and the fatalities that often result) and significantly reduce both greenhouse gas and other toxic emissions because there is no idling while [...]

Air Quality as a Public Health Issue

Air Quality as a Public Health Issue (57 page pdf) Proceedings, Medical Officers of Health Air Pollution Workshop February 2nd, 2006 – excellent overview (with many graphs) of the impact of air pollution on health in the Toronto – Hamilton area and more generally – description of the world class Illness Costs of Air Pollution [...]

Traffic signals should get the red light

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/06/traffic-lights-london-ealing Traffic signals should get the red light | Harry Phibbs | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk Source: www.guardian.co.uk Harry Phibbs: A London council plans to reduce congestion and road accidents by removing traffic lights. Others should follow its lead the average time spent idling at a stoplight is 30 seconds at each intersection a [...]