Bike Helmet Laws Discourage Bike Sharing

bike-sharing-without-helmet

Bike sharing programs are sprouting up in cities across the globe. From Dublin to Minneapolis, Barcelona to Tulsa, and Washington D.C. to Hangzhou, China bike sharing has become a viable transportation alternative. After seeing the success of other U.S. cities, New York City is set to have a bike sharing up and running in April… [Continue Reading]

Astrophysicist’s Technique Could Cut Plane Boarding Time In Half

boarding-plane

Fermilab scientist Jason Steffen recently presented a creative and simple solution to a problem that affects hundreds of millions of people per year: inefficient airplane boarding procedures. Typically, airlines board in several zones, from back to front, one zone at a time. Though it may appear logical, this method is full of disorganization. Passengers in… [Continue Reading]

Longest Urban Bicycle Route In U.S. Sees Record Growth

greenway-cycling

The East Coast Greenway is an urban network of trails stretching 3,000 miles from Key West, Florida to Calais, Maine on the Canadian border. Founded in 1991 by a group of trail advocates, the East Coast Greenway (ECG) began as a vision to provide cyclists and pedestrians with a safe and continuous, traffic-free route connecting… [Continue Reading]

Enjoyable Travel Using Slow, Clean, Car-Free Techniques

great-allegheny-trail

Right now, I’m investigating a new travel technique, which I’m calling “Slow Daily Travel”. By going slow (traveling 1o to 100 miles per day), your journey can often become more intriguing and enjoyable. My technique involves traveling as far as you like each day, and then staying overnight in a hotel. The next day you… [Continue Reading]

Renault’s Solar Roofs Will Power The Equivalent of 15,000 Homes

Renault Rooftop Solar Energy Array

Massive rooftop solar arrays seem to be popping up at an accelerating rate, thanks in part to cheaper, more efficient solar panel technologies and financial incentives in the form of rebates and stabilized energy costs.  Renault’s solar energy system at its French production facilities will dwarf most of the competition when it goes online next… [Continue Reading]

High Speed Rail: Coming To A City Near You?

High Speed Rail Update

China is leading the world in miles of high speed rail lines with 2,813 miles in operation and another 5,312 under construction. Spain, France, and Japan are all vying for 2nd place. Germany and Italy each have around 600 miles of high speed rail. The U.S.? Zero. But that could soon change. President Obama’s proposed… [Continue Reading]

Google Pulls The Plug With Inductive EV Charging Stations

Plugless Power EV Charging Station

Plugless Power, an innovative EV charging station that uses hands-free, wireless inductive charging, has been installed at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. Developed by Evatran, the charging stations are built into parking spaces to automatically charge the electric vehicle while it’s parked. This is the first public trial of the system. Google utilizes a… [Continue Reading]

Hyundai Sending Fuel-Efficient Hydrogen Vehicles To Northern Europe

Hyundai Sending Fuel-Efficient Hydrogen Vehicles To Northern Europe

Fuel efficient hydrogen-powered Hyundai vehicles will soon be cruising Scandanavian streets, thanks to a pilot program which aims to introduce them to the European market.  Government employees in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland will operate the test fleets of the FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) under the program announced this week.

High Speed Trains In The U.S.: A Matter Of Efficiency

High Speed Trains In The U.S.

With the high speed rail debate officially jumping the tracks into the political arena, American citizens are left to sort through the onslaught of bureaucratic bantering which so often leads to misinformation. The question that’s causing tempers to flare on both sides is whether the government should be funding high speed rail projects across the… [Continue Reading]

World’s Largest Solar Roof To Power High Speed Rail Station in China

Solar Powered Nanjing South Railway Station

Efficiency abounds in China as the world’s largest building integrated photovoltaic project prepares to power the railway station where some of the world’s fastest high speed trains pass through. China Sunergy, a solar cell and module manufacturer based in Nanjing, China, has recently signed a deal with CEEG (Nanjing) Solar Energy Research Institute to supply… [Continue Reading]