E News: January 4

Bike Racks for Sustainability in Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Lindsey Smith (2011-01-04)

New or expanding businesses in the City of Kalamazoo will be required to include space to park bicycles.
Mayor Bobby Hopewell says it is part of a broader plan to promote sustainability.

"We talk about wanting to attract young people and keep young people; we talk about wanting to be a vibrant urban core community. These are the things that urban communities do. They recognize that we can't only be about the automobile, we have to be about how everyone gets around in the community."

Only new buildings or those that are expanding are mandated to accommodate bike racks. The number required depends on how many people will use the building, with a maximum of 25 spaces required. Existing public and private entities will be encouraged to add places for their customers and employees to park their bikes.


High Speed Rail in the USA
Diane Rehm Show, Jan 4, 2011

In this Feb. 20, 2008 file picture a high-speed AVE train, on its first journey between Madrid and Barcelona, arrives at the Barcelona Sants train station, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled an $8 billion plan in 2009 to build a high-speed rail network in the U.S. and upgrade existing services. The U.S. president cited Spain, France, China and Japan as countries with systems for his nation to emulate.

AP Photo/Manu Fernandez

The Obama administration is trying to jump start the development of high speed passenger trains in the U.S. Diane and guests discuss the controversy over projects planned in California and Florida.

Guests

Roy Kienit, Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Robert Puentes, Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution

Kevin Coates, Executive Director, North American Maglev Transport Institute

Patricia Reilly, VP, Communications, Association of American Railroads

High-Speed Rail: Obama's High-Stakes Gamble

By Michael Grunwald  Time Magazine

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010

An artist's rendering of California's proposed high-speed rail

 "...a true national network of bullet trains could cost as much as $1 trillion, and Obama has secured only $10.5 billion to start....The first bullet train, an Orlando-Tampa line, has the feel of a glorified Disney shuttle. The boldest project, a Los Angeles–San Francisco line..."

 

  

Australian Floods: 'Disaster of Biblical Proportions'

Inside Story - Al-Jazeera, Tuesday, January 4, 2011  (23 minutes)

See video on disastrous floods that includes explanation of why these floods are occurring.  Also includes a discussion of "climate change," "global warming," and "global cooling."    

The Alliance for Climate Education: Climate Change for Teenage Students

 January 3, 2011 by Alliance for Climate Education

The Alliance for Climate Education's mission is to educate high school students on the science behind climate change and inspire them to take action to curb the causes of global warming.
They Educate high school students about climate change science via free multimedia assemblies, Inspire students to lower their emissions and raise their voice, and Take Action through carbon-reducing projects in schools and communities, with grant and scholarship opportunities

See the video (4:39 minutes)

Bees in Freefall as Study Shows Sharp US Decline

Disease and low genetic diversity might have caused US bumblebee decline over the past few decades, say scientists

by Alok Jha of The Guardian/UK  Tuesday, January 4, 2011

The abundance of four common species of bumblebee in the US has dropped by 96% in just the past few decades, according to the most comprehensive national census of the insects. Scientists said the alarming decline, which could have devastating implications for the pollination of both wild and farmed plants, was likely to be a result of disease and low genetic diversity in bee populations.

Thousands Pay Tribute to Judy Bonds: She Has Been to the Mountaintop, and Now We Must Fight Harder to Save It

by Jeff Biggers, Common Dreams, January 4, 2011

She was a tireless, funny, and inspiring orator, and a savvy and brilliant community organizer. She was fearless in the face of threats. As the godmother of the anti-mountaintop removal movement, she gave birth to a new generation of clean energy and human rights activists across the nation. In a year of mining disasters and climate change set backs, she challenged activists to redouble their efforts. 

Obama signs bill overhauling food safety system

Tues, Jan 4, 6:34 pm ET

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has signed a $1.4 billion overhaul of the nation's food safety system requiring more government inspections at food processing facilities and allowing federal regulators to order the recall of unsafe products.

Conservative lawmakers, sensitive to public frustration over high levels of government spending, are balking at the price tag. Obama has said food safety is a priority for him.
Obama signed the bill into law Tuesday, a day before a more Republican and less White-House friendly Congress returns to Washington.

The law emphasizes prevention to help stop outbreaks of foodborne illness before they occur. It requires food manufacturers to prepare detailed food safety plans and to tell the Food and Drug Administration what they are doing to keep the food safe at different stages of production.

American Cities That Are Running Out Of People

by Michael B. Sauter, Yahoo Finance
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The population of the United States has increased steadily by roughly 2.5 million people every year since World War II. Throughout prosperity and hard times, Americans continue to have families. Many of the country's regions have expanded to accommodate this population increase. Some cities have grown faster than others as the result of being at the center of some important new technology or job market. Others have lost residents because of failing industries and migration. Nevertheless, some of these cities have continued to grow slowly, or at least remain relatively stagnant, buoyed by the rising tide of the national population.

1. New Orleans
Population: 354,850
Population Change 2000-2009: -128,813
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -26.63%
Home Vacancy: 21.5%

2. Flint, Mich.
Population: 111,475
Population Change 2000-2009: -13,266
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -10.63%
Home Vacancy: 18%

3. Cleveland
Population: 431,369
Population Change 2000-2009: -45,205
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -9.49%
Home Vacancy: 17.5%

4. Buffalo, N.Y.
Population: 270,240
Population Change 2000-2009: -21,970
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -7.52%
Home Vacancy: 17.2%

5. Dayton, Ohio
Population: 153,843
Population Change 2000-2009: -11,961
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -7.21%
Home Vacancy: 18.9%

6. Pittsburgh
Population: 311,647
Population Change 2000-2009: -22,056
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -6.61%
Home Vacancy: 14.1%

7. Rochester, N.Y.
Population: 207,294
Population Change 2000-2009: -12,180
Population Percent Change 2000-2009: -5.55%
Home Vacancy: 15.3%