Apparently Norway takes the phrase “truth in advertising” to heart. New restrictions imposed by the state-run Consumer Ombudsman have banned the use of the words “green,” clean,” and “environmentally friendly” in car advertisements.
Model Green City: Treasure Island Starts from Scratch
Design firm Arup is looking to turn Treasure Island – a 400-acre man-made structure halfway across the bay Bridge, between Oakland and San Francisco – into a model of sustainability. The island, a former naval base decommissioned eleven years ago, currently features low- to mid-income housing for about 1,400 residents mixed with military and industrial refuse. The revamped area will house over 13,000 people, and the superfund site will be cleaned and greened-up.
Pedal-Powered Car Gets Pulled Over by Toronto Police
A renegade form of alternative transportation was outlawed in Toronto when the driver of a pedal-powered car was pulled over by local police. (According to the cop, "The safety factor [of the vehicle] is….unsafe.") The car, which uses muscle power in lieu of a motor, is propelled by four independent pedal and gear systems that are set inside of its metal body.
Amtrak Hopes to See More Green with Federal Funding, Increased Ridership
As fuel prices rise and air travel becomes more of a nuisance, Amtrak has become a more popular choice—especially among environmentally-conscious travelers who want to minimize their footprint. While trains are a lesser evil than cars or crowded, carbon-belching airplanes, Amtrak isn’t without its concerns. The company is $3.3 billion dollars in debt and is asking the government for financial support. Amtrak "gets enough funding to survive, but not to flourish."
Take off your pants, ride the subway!
Need to add spice to your commute? Improv Everywhere may have just what you need. January 12th marked the seventh edition of No Pants, an event that has spread to 8 cities worldwide. 2,000 people took pantless commutes, including 900 in New York City.
Bike Racing’s Trickle-Down Effect
Bike racing and sustainable transportation unfortunately have very little in common. Although the bicycle is the world’s most efficient form of transportation, when pure speed is the goal, everything else becomes secondary. However, two recent stories have shown that bike racing can positively impact the cycling world as a whole, and can help to promote bike commuting.
Using Food for Fuel Leaves Bad Taste in the Mouths of the Hungry
While drivers in the West are pumping it up at the gas station, poorer nations are struggling to put food on their plates. Understandably, the Third World is angered by the urgency with which the West is trying to fill gas tanks, not replenish empty bowls.
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