Ambitious High-Speed Rail Projects
OPS_admin | Mar 24, 2010 | Comments 0
High-speed rails are appearing more frequently in government agendas, as it’s a more economical form of transportation that stimulates job growth, not to mention the numerous environmental benefits. The rails remove millions of passengers from the road and use only a fifth the energy of an automobile trip, while improving air quality and significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
While the U.S. has been lagging in this department for some time, President Obama recently allocated $8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants for high-speed rails across the country, the full list of which you can find here. China, who is miles ahead of us when it comes to high-speed rails, announced plans this month to bid for contracts to build developing high-speed rails in the U.S., deputy railway minister Wang Zhiguo said. According to Wang, “China is willing to share its mature and advanced technology with other countries to promote development of the world’s high-speed railways.”
We’re highlighting some noteworthy projects in the U.S. that have received federal funding, as well as some plans slated abroad. Take a look, and vote for your favorite rail plan!
Full Story: Ambitious High-Speed Rail Projects (PHOTOS).
Filed Under: Transportation
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If we don't change our ways soon...
A new report by the Royal Society, chaired by Nobel prize-winning biologist Sir John Sulston warns that world population must be stabilized and consumption in wealthy nations must be reduced or the entire planet is in big trouble. As the report reads: "The number of people living on the planet has never been higher, their levels of consumption are unprecedented and vast changes are taking place in the environment. We can choose to rebalance the use of resources to a more egalitarian pattern of consumption... or we can choose to do nothing and to drift into a downward spiral of economic and environmental ills leading to a more unequal and inhospitable future."This is the same warning that President Jimmy Carter gave Americans back in the 1970's - but it was ignored when Ronald Reagan came to power with a "more positive" message basically telling Americans we can do whatever we want. And then after 9/11 - Bush told us all we should go shopping and consume ever more.And now with corporations calling the shots in Washington - long-term sustainability of the planet takes a back seat to short-term profits. If we don't change our ways soon - and embrace clean, alternative energy and educate women around the plant - then we all could be headed for a rough century.-Thom(Is there any chance we will learn in time? Tell us here.) -
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