Hannah Ellis-PetersenLast modified on Sat 11 Apr 2020 09.23 BST The screenshots began to circulate on Delhi WhatsApp groups last week, captioned with varying expressions of disbelief. Having checked the air quality index, something of a sadistic morning ritual among residents of India’s capital, most could not believe their eyes. Gone was the familiar menacing… [Read More]
Don’t believe the hype – electric cars are not the saviours of humanity | The Independent
Donnachadh McCarthy 6 days ago The second most climate-destructive thing anyone is likely to do this year is to buy a new electric vehicle (EV). A new report, published last week in the journal Nature Sustainability (NS), estimates that the manufacture of the average electric car produces nearly 12 tons of carbon emissions. To put… [Read More]
VW installed ‘defeat devices’ to subvert emissions tests, high court finds | Volkswagen (VW) | The Guardian
Fiona Harvey2 Dec 2019 Judge makes major ruling in mass ‘dieselgate’ litigation against VW in England and Wales Published on Mon 6 Apr 2020 11.54 BST The car manufacturer Volkswagen subverted key air pollution tests, a British court has found, by using special software to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides under test conditions. The high… [Read More]
8 in 10 UK cyclists fear mental health effects if outdoor exercise banned | road.cc
Survey results underline importance of being able to exercise outside during lockdown As the UK enters a four-day bank holiday weekend with blue skies and the warmest temperatures of the year to date, almost 8 in 10 cyclists fear that their mental health will be negatively affected should the government ban outdoor exercise to try… [Read More]
How the coronavirus crisis got me back on my bike and feeling free | The Guardian
Toby ChasseaudThu 9 Apr 2020 07.00 BST Like many Londoners, the majority of my journeys over the past 13 years have been underground. I last cycled, briefly, in Brighton in 2005 and found even that short spell somewhat nerve-racking, with drivers cutting in front of me without indicating or even looking to see if anyone… [Read More]
April 2019) Why the Guardian is putting global CO2 levels in the weather forecast | The Guardian
Weekly averages 29 March 2020: 415.74 ppm This time last year: 412.39 ppm 10 years ago: 391.47 ppm Pre-industrial base: 280 Safe level: 350 Damian CarringtonLast modified on Fri 5 Apr 2019 22.10 BST This article is more than 1 year old As CO2 levels climb, the carbon count is a daily reminder we must… [Read More]
UK road travel falls to 1955 levels as Covid-19 lockdown takes hold | The Guardian
Motor traffic and air pollution decline steeply, with walking and cycling in cities also down Damian CarringtonLast modified on Fri 3 Apr 2020 23.40 BST The coronavirus outbreak has brought Britain to a near standstill, with road travel plummeting by as much as 73%, to levels not seen since 1955. All forms of travel have… [Read More]
Big Oil is using the coronavirus pandemic to push through the Keystone XL pipeline | Bill McKibben | The Guardian
Bill McKibbenSun 5 Apr 2020 10.14 BST The oil industry saw its opening and moved with breathtaking speed to take advantage of this moment I’m going to tell you the single worst story I’ve heard in these past few horrid months, a story that combines naked greed, political influence peddling, a willingness to endanger innocent… [Read More]
Pollution made the pandemic worse, but lockdowns clean the sky – National Geographic
Even before the coronavirus, air pollution killed seven million people a year. Will today’s cleaner air inspire us to do better? By Beth Gardiner April 8, 2020 As the novel coronavirus tears around the world, it’s exploiting our biggest weaknesses, from creaking health care systems to extreme social inequality. Its relationship with one pervasive and… [Read More]
Some Thoughts – Bike Snob NYC
View all posts by Eben Weiss April 8, 2020 For many years, on this blog and beyond, I’ve been railing against our obsession with bicycle helmets. The common wisdom in this country and others is that you should always wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. It’s also the official line of governments and medical… [Read More]