Air Quality
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The Persistent Racial Disparities of Motor Vehicle Pollution
While tailpipe emissions have been lowered across the board, racial disparities persist in exposure to fine particles from motor vehicles.
October 17, 2017
Eyes on the Street: Chain Reaction Car Fire on 58th Street
Firefighters had trouble putting out the fire -- because the driver of the blue van parked too close to the nearest hydrant. The blaze spread down the block and reached the First Avenue bike lane before they got it under control.
March 24, 2017
4 Things Schools Can Do to Reduce the Asthma Threat From Idling Cars
Lately, American schools have been pretty responsive to public health and safety threats facing children. Witness the rise of peanut butter bans or the dwindling number of vending machines in schools.
February 17, 2016
The Feds Want to Reform the Cult of “Level of Service”
"What you measure is what you get," the saying goes.
January 28, 2016
MIT Study: Vehicle Emissions Cause 58,000 Premature Deaths Yearly in U.S.
Just when you thought it was safe to breathe, a pair of studies underscore the grave threat that air pollution poses to public health.
October 22, 2013
Report: Pollution From U.S. Parking Spaces Costs Up to $20 Billion Per Year
Parking spaces keep getting more costly.
February 23, 2012
Polluters Rejoice! Obama Caves on Proposed Ozone Standard
This morning, President Obama announced that he would direct the EPA to back off of new ozone standards that would have saved an estimated 12,000 lives [PDF]. They’ll revisit it in 2013.
September 2, 2011
Pedestrians, Including Bill Clinton, Breathe Easier in the New Times Square
A new study commissioned by the city finds that air quality in Times Square has notably improved since the 2009 installation of pedestrian plazas on Broadway.
April 13, 2011
The Problems With Ports, or Why We Need a National Freight Act
Maybe you commute by train, or maybe you've switched from driving to biking. But your stuff is still traveling the country by diesel truck.
August 6, 2010
City Council Moves on Environmental Health, But What About Tailpipes?
The New York City Council moved on two big pieces of environmental legislation last Wednesday. One bill was introduced which would require landlords to participate in a major public experiment to reduce asthma rates. A second, which passed the full council, aims to keep dangerous chemicals out of city parks. Both could be important steps forward for preserving our environment and promoting public health, but you just have to ask, what happened to the internal combustion engine?
May 18, 2010