The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has become one of the most trusted organizations in the wake of both national tragedies and lesser known transportation incidents. The fact-focused agency investigates transportation-related incidents to uncover root causes and offer recommendations to industry and policymakers to hopefully prevent future accidents from occurring….
Just over a month ago, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a $2 million investment in Lithium-ion battery recycling. You can find these batteries in almost anything that is rechargeable – power tools, phones, laptops, electric vehicles, and more. But what makes recycling them such a big deal and, according…
At any given moment the United States is facing an unparalleled number of crises. While there’s much debate over which ones are actual threats to the American well-being, and which may actually be existential, two that are undeniably impacting the average American are ongoing climate issues and housing crises. With…
Much of the developed world is undergoing an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable and technology-based natural energy sources. To date, 96 countries representing almost 80 percent of carbon emissions have made net-zero pledges. Besides a massive investment in renewable energy sources and an increase in overall power production,…
In the past decade, wind and solar have made massive strides in our energy economy. As of 2022, they account for 13.6 percent of the U.S. energy sector’s total electricity generation. As this share of the U.S. energy production mix continues to grow, it is crucial to think about what happens to…
As climate and energy policy continues to evolve, the EPA recently released a new proposed rule for environmental standards regarding emissions from coal and natural gas-fired power plants. An integral part of the proposal is reducing CO2 emissions through a process called carbon capture. First used as early as 1972,…
Have you ever been to Yellowstone National Park? How are national parks and infrastructure related? What can we learn about climate and conservation? If any of these questions intrigue you, check out our latest interview with an environmental educator. Aii sat down with Gabriel Ford to learn more about the…
In the United States, the conversation around decarbonization generally centers around the same handful of options. In large part, the policy approaches include tax, subsidy, grants, or favorable regulatory emphasis. The technological and industrial tools for decarbonization often include wind and solar as the popular energy generators, batteries as the…
Longer trains can be a blessing or a curse, depending on where you sit. Certainly when stuck at a blocked crossing, one can only see the negatives. But what does a more wholistic assessment of longer trains reveal? Does the frustration outweigh the benefits, or are longer trains a key…
This month, the population of the planet is believed to have surpassed 8 billion living people. This milestone serves as a reminder of the importance of critical natural resources, infrastructure, agriculture, and various services. Without well-functioning markets, supply chains, and governments, millions of people will be exposed to heat or…
If the threat is as dire as some believe, we cannot wait for policy changes to take effect. Realistically, tax and regulatory policy cannot bring about the type of innovation revolution needed. Taxes discourage growth and regulation restrictions action. While restriction may be worthwhile when it prevents and holds back…
Wind energy has been used for purposes of sailing and flying for hundreds of years. Wind energy can also be harnessed for electricity via wind turbines. Turbines, advanced from the previous windmills, use the wind to turn propellers that generate electricity, delivered to homes and businesses through transmission and distribution…
The international shipping industry facilitates the movement of millions of products between continents in a matter of weeks. Massive container ships today are so large that they require their own unit (measured in twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs), and with their significant freight capacity, they form the backbone of the…
This blog series is laser-focused on innovative technology that can improve the damage prevention process. While this particular series only discusses one technology – Electronic white-lining (EWL)– we have covered its manifold benefits, including public safety, damage reduction, and communications value. Electronic white-lining has multiple advantages, but here we focus…
While some recent conversations about transportation in the U.S. are relatively simple – like the supply and demand for oil – others are more nuanced and complex. America is a car-dependent country, with more than 90% of households estimated to have access to a vehicle. But with the changing climate…
