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Blog

New Global Database on Bus Rapid Transit Launched

Three global organizations have teamed up to launch the most comprehensive, public database of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems around the world. The new site, BRTdata.org, was created by EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, and the Across Latitudes and Cultures - Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence (ALC-BRT CoE), in collaboration […]

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Health Risks and Benefits of Bicycle Sharing Schemes

Overview: Public bicycle sharing schemes are becoming increasingly popular worldwide including UK towns and cities, London, Cardiff, Blackpool and Reading. These schemes provide a sustainable mode of transport for short urban trips and promote physical activity. The London scheme which launched in July 2010 attracts almost 186,000 cycle hires per week, with an average journey […]

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Carfree Day in Mumbai

On November 27th, 2011, I attended a Car-free day event in South Mumbai, India. It was organized by a 38 year old activist named Kalpesh Parekh and his Greenmile Foundation. They spent over nine months getting the necessary permits and sponsorships to close down a few major streets in South Mumbai to automobile traffic. Their […]

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The U.S.: Left In the Dust by European and Asian Transit

Very few Americans use trains for their transportation needs. It’s not because they don’t want to, it’s because rail travel isn’t a viable means of travel in the U.S. There are few routes and not many destinations, thus train travel takes longer than cars and airplanes, and is usually not a way to save money. […]

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Making Carfree Events More Effective - a Perspective from India

The  Carfree movement has caught the imagination of the people across the world. Perhaps it is is hassle faced by city-dwellers on a daily basis while commuting that motivates them to take an active part in such movements. The hardship is not only for those who are using an automobile – due to traffic jams […]

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The Environmental Impact of Cars and Trains

Vehicles impact the environment in numerous ways from their production, use and disposal. Below are some of the ways vehicles harm us and our environment. Production Manufacturing vehicles is harmful to the environment. The average U.S. vehicle (in 2007) required 1129 gallons of gasoline to produce. That’s equivalent to two years worth of gas bought […]

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Bicycle Portraits

When we started the project, ‘Bicycle Portraits’ aimed to be a study of South African commuter culture, and we wanted to find out who rides bicycles, why they ride bicycles, if and why they love their bicycles, and of course why so few South Africans choose bicycles as a transport option. But ‘Bicycle Portraits’ has turned into a portrait of […]

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Community Gardens Near Cycling and Pedestrian Routes: Complementary Community Amenities

Leslie St. community allotment gardens in light industrial area by Toronto’s Waterfront bike-pedestrian path beside entrance to Leslie St. Spit. Gardens in existence over past 15 years. 2011. Photo by J. Chong Community gardens can satisfy more than just their gardeners’ nurturing  instincts for food and Nature. They add instant visual beauty and interest near […]

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Top 5 ways to Occupy Big Oil

Wall Street is the best immediate target for a huge protest movement, since it was the freewheeling gambling of big banks that pushed the economy over the edge in 2008 and started the Great Recession. Now, as Occupy movements pop up around the US and across the globe to draw attention to economic inequity and […]

Blog

Railroad Lines That Are Flourishing

For those looking to go “carless” and find alternative ways to travel, there is good news: many railroads are currently flourishing. Additionally, for those who go carless for reasons regarding the environment and traffic reduction, many others are joining you, and it’s working. Firstly, there is Amtrak, which despite some controversy and shortcomings, carried approximately […]