HUD Announces Additional $1 Billion to Stabilize Neighborhoods Hard-Hit by Foreclosures

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan has awarded an additional $1 billion in funding to all states, along with a number of counties and local communities struggling to reverse the effects of the foreclosure crisis. The grants represent a third round of funding through HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and will provide targeted emergency assistance to state and local governments to acquire, redevelop or demolish foreclosed properties   www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7789

 

Article Courtesy of Smart Growth (www.smartgrowth.org)

EPA Picks Five Capital Cities to Create Models of Green Design

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has committed to help the capital cities of five states pursue high-quality green development that includes cleaning up and recycling vacant lands, providing greater housing and transportation choices, and reducing infrastructure and energy costs. Through its new Greening America's Capitals program, EPA will fund private-sector experts to provide sustainable design assistance to Boston, Mass.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Hartford, Conn.; Charleston, W.Va.; and Little Rock, Ark.

www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7788

Article courtesy of the Smart Growth Network

Green Your Bicycle: Get Comfortable

Let's ride! Pedal power is airy, sweaty, liberating – and exhaust-free. This week's tips are about how to make your bicycle even greener.

The more comfortable your bike, the more often you'll trade engine for pedals.

• Choose a bicycle frame that's your size. When riding, you should feel neither scrunched nor overextended.
• For hilly commutes, get a bike with at least 10 gears.
• Raise your saddle to reduce pressure on the knees.
• Look for a saddle that distributes your weight to your sitting bones, not your cheeks. Women, choose wider seats to accommodate your wider hips.
• Attach fenders to protect from mud splatters.
• Install a handlebar cup holder for your caffeine fix.

Article courtesy of The Green Life (green.life@sierraclub.org)

 

Green Your Bicycle: Accessorize Thoughtfully

Let's ride! Pedal power is airy, sweaty, liberating – and exhaust-free. This week's tips are about how to make your bicycle even greener.

Every bike needs the bling to make the ride smoother and safer. Here are some ways to make your accessories eco-friendly: 

• Instead of lubing your chain with petroleum-based grease, use a product derived from natural plant oils.
• Light up without batteries by investing in a solar-powered bicycle light, or convert a cheap garden lamp into one.
• Tote your groceries in a pannier made of recycled materials, or create one from a kitty-litter box.
• Unless you’re a hardcore racer, you don’t need the infamous spandex suit. Instead, rummage around for your favorite worn-in T-shirt and shorts.

Article courtesy of The Green Life (green.life@sierraclub.org)

 

T's Route 28 ride isn't so smooth

New hybrid vehicles haven’t quelled discontent with transit service

 

When the MBTA recently rolled out 25 new hybrid gas-electric buses on Route 28, the agency said they would make commuting easier for riders in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan, where residents have long clamored for quicker, easier rides to points across the city. The 60-foot buses were billed as quieter, safer, and more fuel efficient. Plus, they can pack on more people.

Read more:   http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/09/14/new_buses_on_ts_route_28_havent_quelled_transit_service_discontent/?p1=News_links

 

Scientists Find Oil On The Gulf's Seafloor, In Least Surprising News Of 2010

Scientists on a research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico are finding a substantial layer of oily sediment stretching for dozens of miles in all directions. Their discovery suggests that a lot of oil from the Deepwater Horizon didn't simply evaporate or dissipate into the water -- it has settled to the seafloor.

Read more:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/13/scientists-find-oil-on-th_n_714951.html

Article courtesy of Jason the Huffingtonpost

Tropical Store Julia Forms Behind Major Hurricane Igor, but Karl May Do the Most Damage

Hurricane Igor, is not expected to make landfall imminently, while a new tropical depression, which would be named Igor if it reaches tropical storm strength, has more potential to do damage in the Caribbean and beyond.

Update Sept. 13: Hurricane Igor, now a major category 4 hurricane, is barreling through the Atlantic, with Tropical Storm Julia on its heels. Neither, however, poses any imminent danger to land. An as-yet unnamed tropical depression, which could become Tropical Storm Karl, has more potential for doing damage, as it forms in the Caribbean.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/noaa-hurricane-2010-forecast#ixzz0zVLP5oDW

Article courtesy of The Daily Green by Dan Shapley

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