How Will the Growing Popularity of Telecommuting Impact Public Transit?

With more people working remotely, some experts speculate that transportation systems could feel the effects.BY MIKE MACIAG, GOVERNING / NOVEMBER 1, 2017 SHUTTERSTOCK Americans haven’t really altered their commuting habits all that much recently, at least not nationally. The Census Bureau’s latest estimates find that the vast majority of workers — 76 percent — drove alone to work last year, the same …

Low-Carbon Cities Are a $24 Trillion Opportunity

Researchers found that investing in 16 low-carbon measures in cities could cut global urban emissions by 90% by 2050 and has a net present value of almost $24 trillion, equivalent to nearly one-third of the global GDP in 2018. This means that between now and 2050, the total benefits of these investments will exceed their total costs by almost $24 …

Transitions that work: The principles include strong governmental support, dedicated funding streams, strong and diverse coalitions, and economic diversification

The principles include strong governmental support, dedicated funding streams, strong and diverse coalitions, and economic diversification. The case of Tonawanda, New York, where the coal-fired power plant shut down, highlights how many of these principles work in practice. There, a diverse coalition, including the Kenmore Teachers Association, the Western New York Area Labor Federation, the United Steelworkers of America, Tonawanda, …

Household debt is now $869 billion higher than the $12.68 trillion peak it hit in 2008: Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, canceling most student loan debts, offering free public higher education, and making child care affordable would help

Excerpt from Common Dreams, July 2019 “Warning Lights Are Flashing” “The country’s economic foundation is fragile. A single shock could bring it all down,” Elizabeth Warren wrote recently. “And the Trump administration’s reckless behavior is increasing the odds of just such a shock.” Among the potential triggers she laid out is the level of household debt. Warren referenced recent data …

Labor supports a just transition to a greener, fairer economy

A greener economy can be a fairer economy too, says the Trades Union Congress. The TUC has published A just transition to a greener, fairer economy – a roadmap to meeting the needs of working people in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The launch event included speakers such as the Shadow Environment Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and Deputy Chair of the Committee on …

Distributed renewables and storage ‘very competitive on a price perspective with the bigger front-of-the-meter batteries’ to replace peaker plants

Whereas the 20-megawatt battery will literally replace the peaker turbines, the Sunrun deal will provide 2 megawatt-hours of energy storage (500 kilowatts with 4-hour duration) scattered throughout the service territory, but with an emphasis on West Oakland. The contract stipulates that Sunrun will pay prevailing wages to install the equipment on low-income single-family and multifamily homes within Alameda County. Instead …

Denver Initiative Would Raise Over $40 Million for Housing Efficiency, Retrofits, Training and Support of EJ and Low Income Communities

We have submitted our ballot language with suggested improvements to the City Council Referred Initiative drafters. We would also appreciate all of your input on where you feel changes/improvements should be made.  Please provide changes on the document as comments only or send suggestions to me that I will include in the document.  Thank you all for your help! Here are several equity …

8 Essential Steps to Radically Transform Our Economy: An economic system that serves everyone and the planet is necessary for our survival.

Here are some guiding principles to get us there. David Korten posted Jul 02, 2019, in YES! Magazine We’re running out of time. There’s spreading awareness of the institutional failure that is driving humans toward self-extinction, and related calls for a deep transformation of our economy. This is happening in every quarter, from college campuses to the Vatican to the U.S. …

Researchers In Switzerland Say Zero Emission Society Will Require Seasonal Energy Storage

July 9th, 2019 by Steve Hanley on Clean Technica.com, Researchers In Switzerland Say Zero Emission Society Will Require Seasonal Energy Storage Researchers Martin Rüdisüli, Sinan Teske, and Urs Elber of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have studied what will be needed to make Switzerland able to use only zero carbon energy. Among their main conclusions is that the …