Suffolk County Council’s Post

Yesterday, dozens of people with the Sunrise Movement KC, an organization that works to end climate change, gathered in front of City Hall to demand that the Kansas City Council make strides toward a reliable, frequent, safe and ecologically friendly bus system. Sunrise Movement KC has listed 6 demands by 2025 for its Better Buses for KC campaign: 1. Every Kansas City resident will live within 10-minute walking distance of a fast, frequent, reliable bus line. 2. Buses will come every 15 minutes and always be on time. 3. Public mass transit will be powered by good, dignified, unionized jobs. 4. Zero Fare forever. 5. All buses will be electrified. 6. All bus stops will be clean, accessible, and provide protection from the elements, with sidewalks, benches, and real-time transit information.

Oh hey, I did a thing! A decent, dignified public transit service is something that any city should have. Not only is it a solution for reducing on-road transportation emissions, but it's a much more affordable way to move about and experience our city, and often the only affordable option for poor and working-class folks! Having lived in both the east side of Kansas City and near Midtown as a transit-dependent individual, I've literally experienced the inequity of service and experience of using our bus system, where I had to plan my day around taking routes that came once every 45-60 min, using routes that travel through communities that directly experienced the devastating effects of redlining, urban renewal, and car-centric freeway-building. Our most vulnerable Kansas Citians, our most reliable bus riders, do not have the service that they need, with only the 31 route being the only east/west connection with better than 30min headways currently. That's why I'm fighting for better buses. 15-minute headways is, honestly, mediocre for larger cities, but it would be a game-changer in Kansas City. If there were more reliable 15min routes, more folks would be able to get to work on-time, get to and from the grocery store without worry of spoilage, have an easier time visiting family and friends, and compel those who would otherwise drive to take transit for their trips! This isn't a pipe dream, this is possible, and it is necessary! And that starts here, demanding that buses become the priority for our elected officials. And it starts on November 7th, where the transit funding sales tax is up for renewal for Kansas Citians! Vote "Yes" to maintaining the largest single funding source of public transit in KC! And for my fellow Kansas Citians who believe in this vision for better buses, consider signing our petition, and share your thoughts, experiences, and vision for our public transit system! https://lnkd.in/gc9idSz8

🚨 Air Quality Alert for Greater Philadelphia 🚨 An Air Quality Action Day has been declared for the Philadelphia Area, PA, on Friday, June 14. Ozone levels are expected to reach the code ORANGE range, indicating air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions. Friday's Forecast: AQI: 102 Conditions: Times of clouds and sunshine. Ozone Maximums: Likely to reach code ORANGE ahead of a slow-moving cold front with showers/thunderstorms expected in the early evening. Help Reduce Air Pollution: 🚗 Carpool or use public transportation. 🛒 Combine errands to minimize trips. 🚙 Limit engine idling. ⛽ Refuel after dusk. 💡 Conserve electricity by setting A/C higher and turning off unnecessary lights. Let's work together to keep our air clean! 🌍💚 https://lnkd.in/eT8CZMjg #AirQuality #Sustainability #Philadelphia #CommunityHealth #Environment Transportation Management Association of Chester County, Chester County Planning Commission, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

The ACT Emergency Services Agency has again made history, unveiling the nation’s first zero emissions breathing apparatus truck at the Australasian Fire and Authorities conference. The Volvo FL Electric will join ACT Fire & Rescue’s fleet as a support vehicle, providing specialist breathing apparatus capabilities at incidents such as structure fires and hazardous material spills. This vehicle has many exciting benefits: 🔋 All-electric operation; 💨 Reduction in annual emissions of 17 tons of CO2; 🚒 Easy to access storage areas to increase firefighter comfort; 👨🚒 Less exposure to diesel particulates will have long-term health benefits for our firefighters. The arrival of this vehicle, as well as the other six vehicles to be released over the coming years, is a significant step towards the ACT reaching net zero emissions by 2045. 🌎 The vehicle is expected to be operational around Canberra in 2024. Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/g9D2rmxy

How do you get fresh air inside when you can't open the windows? Learn about 5 ways to get rid of stuffy air and improve indoor air quality in a sealed building. https://hubs.li/Q01Y2ttv0 #indoorairquality #cleanair #breathebetter #airpurifier #hvac #airquality #indoorallergens #airpollution #ventilation #airfiltration

The government may be making all sorts of questionable decisions relating to net zero, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all make our own decisions that support rather than damage our planet. Tomorrow is World Car Free Day 🌍 so why not walk, cycle, scoot, take the train, tram or bus tomorrow (or every day!)? It’s a great opportunity to do something good for your health as well as the health of the planet, and a chance to reimagine how our towns and cities could look if streets were for people and not cars. #worldcarfreeday2023 #urbandesign #activetravel #marrons https://lnkd.in/eUia54zs

Air quality. Before covid-19 no one talked about or even cared about their indoor air quality (IAQ). We became all to aware of how much time we actually spent indoors- too much! When we heard 90%, we all thought, let's get outside and get some fresh air! Not so fast! Wildfires and excessive heat are contributing to dangerously toxic air quality, but one community is trying to do something about it. Toronto is experimenting with installing public "cleaner air spaces". Not really getting at the root cause, but the effort is appreciated! https://lnkd.in/ggr7FeC2

- During the smog season keep yourself and your loved ones protected; - Reduce vehicle emissions - Invest in green technologies - Enforce air quality regulations - Raise public awareness about smog prevention

We fret about climate change and feel helpless -- that what we do as individuals won't make a difference. Here's something you can do that will have a massive impact, bigger than anything else you can do -- cut down or eliminate your car idling. Note: "According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heavy- and light-duty vehicles waste 6 billion gallons of fuel each year through idling. Half of those offenders are private vehicles, which together add about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year. If idling stopped tomorrow, it’d be the equivalent of taking 5 million vehicles off the road. A 2009 paper said that idling alone made up 1.6% of America’s total greenhouse gas emissions." This is just one of tons of articles. https://lnkd.in/dUi53fRV

.'U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg underscored the need to de-normalize the roadway safety crisis and to make significant and lasting changes to prioritize safety: “Crashes kill as many people in America as gun violence. And yet, road safety gets less attention than so many other transportation issues. When we do think of it, we too often think of it as inevitable, as if it were a painful fact of life. But these road deaths are not inevitable and every one of us has the power to do something about them.”  The Secretary emphasized ways to advance the goal of zero traffic deaths. We encourage people to read the National Roadway Safety Strategy.  “We need to build greater awareness, cultivate motivated communities, harness better technology, more research, smarter planning, safer design, and infrastructure that keeps us all safe - whether you’re in a car, riding a bike, pushing a stroller, out for a walk, or using a wheelchair.”' .'Calls For Action Heighten On World Day of Remembrance' https://lnkd.in/ei2puxwg #safetyfirstalways #visionzeronow #roadtozero #pedestriansafety #roadtozero