Fachrizal Maulana – via Unsplash If government is supposed to be a bureaucracy that operates on behalf of the citizens, one couldn’t hope to find a better example than a yearly tradition at the state treasury of Iowa known as the “Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.” That makes it sound like there’s a big state tax … Read more
Christin Hume – Unsplash Being that many of the so-called “forever chemicals” are involved in making products water-resistant, a French ban on their use in the textile, fashion, and cosmetics industries should serve to greatly reduce the nation’s population to their exposure. There are hundreds of forever chemicals often called per or poly fluoroalkyl substances … Read more
A bike lane in Cambridge, Boston – credit, Photo by Adam Coppola taken under contract for PeopleForBikes The Better Bike Lanes project in the metropolitan area of Boston has led to a substantial increase in bicycle trips and a modest decrease in the number of motor vehicles on the roads at any given time. Taking … Read more
A recent local election in Virginia was surprising not only because of its outcome but because of its unusual civility. In Surrey County, Virginia, a 19-year-old had the courage and audacity to run against the incumbent Conservative for a seat on the Surry County Board of Supervisors. But there was a catch: He would need … Read more
Valentines Wind Park, in Florida and Treinta y Tres Departementes, Uruguay – credit, NaBUru38 CC 4.0. BY-SA One of the most stable and prosperous South American countries has managed to virtually zero-out fossil fuel use and transition almost entirely to renewable energy—by not focusing on environmental goals. The great folly of politics is believing that … Read more
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population of Egypt, receiving a commendation from Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director for WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region – credit WHO Egypt has become the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health concern, building on a steady string of triumphs over tropical … Read more