Commuting

San Francisco, CA

Local City Rankings Article

Q&A with SF Environment

In August of 2008, SustainLane spoke with David Assmann, deputy director of San Francisco’s Environment Department and communications manager, Mark Westlund. The city had just passed an ordinance requiring every employer to offer commuter benefits to employees. Assmann and Westlund told us that one of the major challenges San Francisco faces in the next 50 years is sea level rise. If the ocean rises one meter, Assmann says, the city’s international airport will be under water.

Nashville, TN

Local City Rankings Article

Being Gray is Cheaper than Being Green in Nashville

Submitted by Kelley Arnold I have been living in Nashville for seven years now and have been appalled at how little progress we have made towards sustainability, green design, commuter rail and waste management. I have found most people here are very close-minded with regard to recycling or greening of the city. All efforts are dubbed "too expensive."

Detroit, MI

Local City Rankings Article

It's Pronounced De-kwin-dur

Located 25 feet below grade is the Dequindre Cut, an abandoned railway line in Detroit. A neon swath of graffiti – of surreal imagery and philosophical musings – cover the bridges that traverse the old track. Broken bottles, discarded building materials, and an overgrowth of vegetation characterize what was once a busy commuter and freight line for the city. Fast-forward a couple of years, and take in the scene anew...

City Rankings Article

Colorado Springs, CO: Growing Up Smart

It’s no surprise that Colorado Springs—nestled at the base of Pikes Peak on the edge of the southern Rocky Mountains—was declared Number One in Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” survey in 2006, in the big city category. We here at SustainLane are sure we’d love to take in the mountain scenery, but Colorado Springs needs to address a few key sustainability concerns. It can start by working to get its near 80-percent of drive-alone work-commuters out of their cars and onto public transit, and by increasing the availability of local, nutritious food for its residents.