COVID-19 and the 2020 Transit Revolution
Over the last year, people around the world have been navigating the challenging landscape of COVID-19 precautions. Looking at the news, most of what is shown relates to the frustrations of these measures: uncomfortable masks, tricky zoom calls, social distancing, etc. However, simultaneously, there has been a silent revolution going on in Houston transit of which telecommuting is only a small part. In fact, this revolution is possibly one of the most substantial shifts towards sustainable transit Houston has ever seen. All one needs to do to begin to grasp the shifting bedrock is try to visit a local bike shop.
Read more
Sustainability in the news
Office of Sustainability Discusses Links between Pandemics and Climate
Throughout the spring and summer, local climate action groups have not let the uncertain times curtail their efforts to keep up the fight against climate change. In fact, many groups like the Climate Action Team (CAT) at Unitarian Universalist Church see the world’s response to COVID as a kind of “pop quiz” for the coming hurdles of addressing climate change. To fully unpack the connections, they invited Gabriel Durham, UH Sustainability Coordinator, as a discussion moderator and presenter for their monthly teleconference. “If you look throughout human history, changes in the environment and climate are linked with the emergence of novel diseases.” Durham said in his opening remarks. “On top of that, our environmental quality is also a major factor in how well one can recover from disease.”
Houston Botanic Garden is Now Open!
The Houston Botanic Garden will officially open its gates to an oasis of learning, discovery, and horticultural beauty on Friday, Sept. 18, kicking off a series of opening season weekends with special educational opportunities that will showcase Houston's cultural richness and biodiversity. Come take a stroll among beautiful plants and trees as you engage your senses while discovering the unexpected in Houston's new living museum for plants. Join the Garden Sept. 18-20 to see and learn more about how Latin American cultures use a variety of plants from the region -- in cooking, crafting, and more -- that are featured in its global collection.
Cullen Boulevard Improvement Project Update
The construction schedule has a 32 month duration with an estimated completion date of May 2023. A Traffic Control Plan is in place. This will assure the safety of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic during construction. Harris County’s goal is to maintain one lane of traffic in each direction and access to Entrance 14 as much as possible. However, the County anticipates a multi-month full road closure from Wheeler to Cougar Place. Harris County and the contractor are committed to working with the University to minimize disruptions and schedule closures around university activities.
New Data Shows How Underwater Channels Facilitate Antarctic Ice Melt
Ice melt into the Amundsen Sea from Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica accounts for about four percent of the world's sea-level rise, according to researchers. Scientists want to know how soon we could expect an even higher rise in sea levels if the glacier were to collapse.
