L.A. mayor unveils rail transit plan

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced plans earlier this month to expand the rail transit offerings in the traditionally car-centric Los Angeles County. The plan calls for the quick planning and construction of several high-speed rail tracks in the area.

"The fact is that this is the most important thing that we can do to alleviate congestion and gridlock, to improve the quality of our air, and to really vindicate the people’s will for the need to address transportation,” Villaraigosa said.

Funding for the projects is expected to come from a sales tax measure intended to fund transit projects as well as partnerships with the federal government and members of the private sector. For more information on rail transit plans for Los Angeles County, click here.

NIssan's green guru dismisses eletctric car criticisms

Critics of electric cars often say that the argument that electric cars are much better for the environment than conventional cars is undermined by the fact that the cars must be charged using electricity that is likely created by burning fossil fuels.

Andy Palmer, head of the company's green vehicle program, said that even in countries such as the U.S. and China, where the majority of electricity is generated from fossil fuels, an electric car is responsible for 24 to 54 percent less emissions than a conventional car.

Nissan is currently working on its Leaf electric vehicle, which is slated to be released late in 2010. For more info, check out this story from Business Green.

The future of green automobiles

We hear a lot about the next big technology that is going to change the way cars are manufactured, purchased, and/or driven. But the average person likely doesn't know enough about the technologies (We sure don't.) to know which one could actually latch on and make a large impact on society.

The good news is that The Daily Green has done the work for you. Their columnists know a good bit about the technologies and have written a column talking about which technologies have the best chance to make an impact. From flying cars to zero-pollution engines and beyond, these technologies are certainly coo,l but are they feasible enough to make it into mass production? Check out the article to see.

Six tips for making your commute better

The Daily Green has some great tips today on how you can save time and money and cut a lot of the stress out of your daily commute.

An interesting fact in the article: It is estimated that 30 percent of workday traffic comes from parents dropping their children off of picking them up from school. Imagine how much congestion could be reduced if parents had their kids either take the school bus or walk or bike to and from school.

To read more about this tip and others, check out the full story on The Daily Green's website.

Study finds glaciers melting at alarming rate

A 50-year government study has concluded that the world's glaciers are melting at a rapid and alarming rate.

The U.S. Geological Society has been tracking the movements of three benchmark glaciers, two in Alaska and one in Washington, since 1959. The three glaciers are considered benchmarks by the government because they are in different climate zones and at different elevations. The study is yet another argument that the world is warming at a rate more rapid that anyone expected. For more info on the study, check out this story from cnn.com.

So, what can we do to combat the earth's warming? It's simple, really, and your company wants to help. Your company offers benefits and incentives to encourage you to do things other than drive alone to work and use more eco-friendly methods such as carpooling, transit, or bicycling. If you have any questions about what commuter benefits are available to you, don't hesitate to contact your Transportation Coordinator.

Global warming to increase wildfire damage by 50 percent

Scientists have been telling us that the Western part of the U.S. should brace for longer and more intense wildfire seasons, thanks in large part to the effects of global warming.

A study released today has quantified those effects. The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, claims that wildfire damage will increase by 50 percent by 2050. The study points out that this number is determined by using conservative estimates of temperatures, meaning if the Earth gets even warmer in the next 40 years, the effects could be even worse.

This is pretty scary stuff, especially considering the damage that wildfires are already causing. Your company offers benefits and incentives for choosing environmentally-friendly ways to commute to work. If you have any questions about them, contact Verizon's Transportation Coordinator, Trisha Morris.

Honda to launch its CR-Z sport hybrid next year

In 2007, Honda first introduced its hybrid sports car, the CR-Z, and said that its new models over the next several years would change the way people look at hybrids. Well, it's yet to be seen if the company will be successful with that goal, but the CR-Z is definitely something to look forward to.

This week, Honda announced that the car will go on sale in Japan in February and in the rest of the world later in 2010. The company is expected to announce specific launch dates for Europe and North America by the end of the year.

For more info on the sporty CR-Z, check out these stories from The Daily Green and Auto Blog Green. The Daily Green link includes videos of the car in action.