Recently elected Boston mayor Michelle Wu, a bus rider herself, has the potential to be 'America's first actual climate mayor.'

Alissa Walker posits that Boston's newly elected mayor Michelle Wu, as a bus-riding, transit-friendly leader who wants to eliminate public transit fares, could be "America's first actual climate mayor."
Wu's version of the 'Green New Deal' for the city, writes Walker, "is effectively a localized, citywide pilot for the federal proposal: doubling the number of street trees, electrifying school buses, and incentivizing building retrofits, all led by a jobs program aimed at providing a just and equitable transition to a zero-emission economy that champions the city’s lowest-income workers." If Wu can meet her goals, Walker says, the city could see some transformative changes, including fare-free transit.
She’s already brought about two successful real-world examples of how this might work: a center-running dedicated lane to move buses faster than cars and a pilot project making congested routes free as a way to provide economic relief to transit-dependent Bostonians. She also wants to accelerate the rollout of Go Boston 2030, an ambitious plan meant to lay down networks of accessible sidewalks and safer bike infrastructure.
Walker is hopeful that, as an actual transit user, Wu will follow through on her bold promises and implement policies that will improve Boston's public transit and accelerate the city's progress toward its climate change goals.
FULL STORY: Michelle Wu Can Be America's First Actual Climate Mayor

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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