Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at [email protected].
Bus time
How do you get more people to opt for mass transit in the sprawling suburbs found across much of North America? According to a Bloomberg CityLab story shared by RTBC Audience Engagement Manager Vignesh Ramachandran, it might be as simple as running frequent, reliable buses.
Vignesh says:
This was an interesting read about a Toronto suburb that has found success growing its bus ridership namely by running frequent buses. “With a population of about 700,000, Brampton has 226,500 bus riders on an average weekday,” Bloomberg reports, adding that there was “288 percent ridership growth from 2004 to 2018.” It counters the typical narrative that high urban density or major transit-oriented development is a prerequisite for solid public transit, as Brampton is structured like many North American suburbs.
Fuel change
Here at RTBC, we’ve reported on how energy-efficient heat pumps are and the key role they are playing in the transition away from fossil fuels. But there is an ironic catch, according to a Grist story shared by Executive Editor Will Doig: The refrigerant that pumps through them can be released as a powerful greenhouse gas. The good news? Alternative refrigerants are on the way.
Will says:
Heat pumps are a much more sustainable way to heat and cool homes than most other methods, but as it turns out, they could be even greener.
What else we’re reading
In Midwest farm country, a tradition of duck hunting has healed the dried-out landscape — shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby from the Minnesota Star Tribune
How a Funeral Director Brought Wind Power to Rural Missouri — shared by RTBC founder David Byrne from the New York Times
Vultures are among the least loved animals. African conservationists are trying to change that — shared by Rebecca Worby from the Associated Press
From our readers…
This week, RTBC reader Michael Luckett sent us a story about the resurrection of the Southwestern peach. Navajo horticulturist Reagan Wytsalucy is working with the U.S. National Park Service to bring back this particular peach as part of a larger effort to make traditional crops more available to Indigenous communities. According to the Park Service, her research has shown that this peach, which Indigenous peoples grew in orchards in what’s now Canyon de Chelly National Monument for centuries, is more drought-tolerant than modern peaches.
Thanks for the tip, Michael!
The post What We’re Reading: How a Toronto Suburb Supercharged Its Mass Transit appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.
