This week as the snow falls and news is released about Chicago’s BRT system, we’ve had the future of transportation on our minds (well, no surprises there.) In a less literal sense of the word, we’re also enjoying being transported to a twittering forest in Australia to hear beautiful recordings from the world’s largest natural sound library.
Brian Bonanno, sustainable programs manager at the Andersonville Development Corporation has this to say on the city’s lack of official bike parking “If you’re encouraging more people to bike but not providing adequate space, it becomes a problem.” Rahm is laying down almost 800 miles of new bike lanes by 2020, so we hope to see more places for people to park their bikes.
In other transportation news, our parklet is part of a pedestrian revolution! ADC is considering closing off part of Clark, on a seasonal basis, possibly leading to a permanent closure. Bonanno cites Lincoln Square’s popular Kempf Plaza as inspiration.
Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology has digitized their natural sound library, the world’s largest, and it is now available online. Of the 9,000 species represented, there is an emphasis on birds, but then, we’d rather hear a bird song over a warthog opera most days. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for some incredible samples, from an Ostrich chick inside an egg to the haunting call of a Loon.
An excellent editorial from Aljazeera’s Namratha Kandula: “What’s really making Americans sick?” America’s health is not on par with other countries of equal wealth, and we spend more per capita on health care, so what’s going on? What impacts health is big picture, involving quality nutrition and education; house and job security; and neighborhoods free from gun violence.
A systems based analysis of how driverless cars might affect traffic, air quality and life. Just one question: electric cars don’t eliminate carbon emissions, they are just produced off the road, albeit at a reduced rate. So, are electric cars really the answer? Via Grist.
We love this guide on wardrobe maintenance from Remodelista (it says it’s for guys, but we don’t think your clothes care which side of the store they were sold in). The better you take care of your clothing, the less you’ll have to purchase. Plus advice on spot cleaning saves tons of water and dry cleaning chemicals.
Have a wonderful weekend!
