Ford is officially bringing its self-driving cars to California’s public roads

Ford is bringing its self-driving cars to California’s public roads.

The American automaker announced plans today (Dec. 16) to begin testing its fully-autonomous Fusion Hybrid model on public streets in 2016, as part of a state-run Department of Motor Vehicle program.   http://qz.com/575609/ford-is-officially-bringing-its-self-driving-cars-to-californias-public-roads/

Article courtesy of Quartz by Ashley Rodriguez

Auto Travel

California Department of Motor Vehicles drafts new regulations say self-driving cars must have licensed driver behind wheel until technology proven safe - @frankmottek
http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/california-us/
Article courtesy of Breaking News-CA US

How the MBTA is handling the first snow of the season

In the first test of MBTA winter readiness, the Red Line’s Braintree branch experienced severe delays early Tuesday morning because of a frozen switch near JFK/UMass.

The T reported the problem shortly after 5:50 a.m. It was addressed by 6:15 a.m., MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.  http://www.boston.com/news/2015/12/29/first-winter-test-mbta-deals-with-early-frozen-switch/1Q8bcyEXEvH1kPSHukLvsO/story.html?p1=Must_Reads_hp

Article courtesy of boston.com by Eric Levenson and Adam Vaccaro

Is El Niño the elephant in Paris or will it change the mindset there?

In 1997, the effects of a great El Niño were first felt around the Pacific and beyond although 400 years had passed since similar weather was last seen Not many realised how and why their crops were dying, wildlife was disappearing and temperatures wildly fluctuated both above and below normal. We have learned the cause and the current Paris Climate Conference faces that evidence alongside the other unimaginable effects of global warming. What is so far not evident are the approaching horrors of this year’s giant El Niño. Since the end of October NOAA(from Hawaii in the US)has reported their increasing worries over huge rises - See more at: http://www.earthtimes.org/energy/el-nino-elephant-paris-mindset/2889/#sthash.oEZ7Qvab.dpuf
Read more at http://www.earthtimes.org/energy/el-nino-elephant-paris-mindset/2889/#iEQowUAsy57MwEQc.99

Article courtesy of Earth Times by JW Dowey

Climate Change

Climate change is the biggest and most controversial environmental issue of our times. Or rather, the cause of climate change is.

The fact that the Earth's climate has changed over its history - sometimes with cataclysmic consequences, called mass extinctions, for many of the planet's inhabitants - is not disputed. However, what has been the cause of fierce debate is whether or not human activity is currently causing a warming of the world.

Read more at http://www.earthtimes.org/encyclopaedia/environmental-issues/climate-change/#mLtEJQMfQE21y6F5.99

Article courtesy of Earth Times by Colin Ricketts

Life On the Edge of Climate Change

Close your eyes and picture your best memory with your family and friends. Have it in mind? If you’re like me, that memory is filled with the warmth and comfort of a familiar home. I hope that, unlike me, you are never asked to put a price on that home.

Welcome to Shishmaref, Alaska, population: 650. We’re a small Iñupiaq community where everyone knows each other. Shishmaref is a barrier island that has been eroding and flooding for the past 50 years, even before climate disruption was widely recognized. Over the past 35 years, we’ve lost 2,500 to 3,000 feet of land. I was born in 1997—over the course of my lifetime, Shishmaref has lost about 100 feet of land.  http://sierraclub.org/sierra/2015-6-november-december/green-life/life-edge-climate-change?mostpopular=true

Article courtesy of sierraclub.org by Esau Sinnok

Another big week coming at the MBTA

It’s shaping up to be another busy week at the MBTA, and Monday’s commute hasn’t even started yet.

Officials continue to investigate how a Red Line train carrying about 50 passengers traveled through four stations with no driver Thursday. The Green Line extension is up for further discussion. Several changes to MBTA policy will be weighed. And a long-awaited report on the embattled agency from transit leaders is due to lawmakers.  http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/12/13/another-big-week-coming-the-mbta/UACLlQi4MO2Boms5LoBqVP/story.html?p1=feature_sec_hp

Article courtesy of Boston Globe by Adam Vaccaro

Hey Mr. Green, How Ecofriendly Is Online Shopping?

Hey Mr. Green,
Could you give your thoughts on the greenness of online shopping and home delivery? I'm sure it varies by product and home location, but what should a person think about in terms of things like transportation usage and added packaging waste.
—Dick, in Philadelphia

It all depends on how far you drive to buy stuff, according to the life-cycle studies that I’ve looked at. If you simply walk or bike to an ordinary, old-fashioned store to make your purchase, you burn through half the energy that it takes for e-commerce, because online delivery requires more packaging, and fuel for its delivery trucks. However, if you drive as far as the average American on the average shopping expedition, online shopping wins. Obviously, a car going to and from a store and hauling a few items is nowhere near as efficient as a UPS truck delivering a load of merchandise to houses only a few blocks apart in a neighborhood. It’s kinda like what I pointed out awhile back regarding the transportation of food: half the fuel used to haul food is burned by cars going to and from the store.
So the moral is the same old one I’ve harped on endlessly: walk, bike, take the bus, or car pool with fellow shoppers instead of driving alone to the store. If this is truly not possible, then go online, with my green blessings, unless you’re a shopaholic, in which case you might be better off deprived of both your car and your internet service.
Article courtesy of sierraclub.org by bob Schildgen