Notices by Brent Toderian (brenttoderian@mastodon.online)

“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.”

“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.”
https://grist.org/biking/one-mile-on-a-bike-is-a-42-economic-gain-to-society-one-mile-driving-is-a-20-loss/

In a sane world, this would be the biggest, most important news story in the world.

‘Tipping points’ experts issue urgent message to world leaders.

“Every fraction of a degree above 1.5°C matters. And every year of “overshoot” matters too.”

“It’s ultimately a matter of survival.”

#ClimateCrisis
https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-environment-science-and-economy/tipping-points-experts-issue-urgent-message-to-world-leaders/

“A major ocean current in the Southern Hemisphere has reversed direction for the first time in recorded history, in what climatologists are calling a ‘catastrophic’ tipping point in the global climate system.” #ClimateCrisis
https://www.intellinews.com/southern-ocean-current-reverses-for-first-time-signalling-risk-of-climate-system-collapse-389540/

According to the City of Paris, in the last 10 years 150,000 trees have been planted and 45 hectares of parks created in the already hot city, all intended to not only improve quality-of-life today, but also help the city adapt to and manage summer heatwaves of 50℃ (122F) projected by 2050.

They’ll be planting a lot more. It’s common sense, really.

“Tesla's so-called self-driving software won't stop for a school bus or a kid running from behind said bus, but despite that, the automaker is moving forward with plans to introduce robotaxis, saying it's totally safe.”

This one turned onto train tracks…

Read More:
https://www.jalopnik.com/1887837/tesla-in-self-driving-mode-hit-by-train/

Want greener, cooler cities that are a “breath of fresh air?“ In case you thought Paris wasn’t ambitious enough this weekend, on top of our new exhibition, they opened the wonderful new “Urban Forest” in the square in front of City Hall! Part of Mayor Anne Hidalgo and her great team’s brilliant urban greening strategy.

Sadly, the now-famous summer activation of the former highway for cars running along the Seine River in Paris, transforming it into a vibrant and popular people-place, doesn’t start for another two weeks.

So this is all that’s going on.

Yes, I’m being sarcastic.
#ParisPlage

As a general rule, in every election everywhere, we really might want to consider not supporting the candidates that billionaires like best.

The Canadian Election is on Monday.

Pierre Poilievre, who has been running for YEARS, still refuses to apply for the normal security check, in the middle of a security crisis.

He must know that his refusal has been badly hurting him with voters.

So I have to assume that he knows he CAN’T pass it.

BREAKING: Canadians are being warned to be “extra vigilant” against deliberate disinformation efforts & campaigns during the last few weeks of the Canadian Federal Election.

Disinformation has become a constant thing, but a significant ramp-up is expected as we approach the Debates later this week.

Your periodic reminder that cities aren’t loud, cars are loud.

Easier to remember thanks to new sticker by @TheWarOnCars.

You can’t overstate the historic importance of today’s speech to both American and Canadian citizens by Canada’s Prime Minister.

Please watch it and share it wherever you live, but especially if you’re in the United States. You need to know what Trump is doing, and why. youtu.be/wz_42pckM7w

Mike Myers, Canadian legend, on SNL tonight.

“The Tariff Deception. How governments quietly tax their own people under the guise of trade war.”

More precisely, quietly tax their middle and lower income people, to fund a massive tax cut for the rich.
https://proconsul.ghost.io/the-tariff-deception/

Don’t forget those who insisted that actions needed to avoid the #ClimateCrisis were “too expensive.”

Don’t forget all the record-breaking, historic or “100 year” events we’ve seen lately.

They’re not the “new normal.

It’s going to keep getting exponentially worse.

Don’t forget Valencia, Spain.

Commuting by bicycle in Belgium pays off as employees earn compensation for every km they ride. 1 in 6 employees commute by bike and get a bicycle allowance of €0.28/km. People cycling to work in 2024 earned an average of around €460 net per year (some as high as €810), up 20% over the past year.
https://www.brusselstimes.com/1401729/belgian-commutes-pay-off-employees-earn-up-to-e810-for-cycling-to-work

Better for congestion AND better for crashes!

In the first 12 days of New York City’s new de-congestion pricing program, there’s been a 51% drop in crash-related injuries and a 55% drop in crashes year over year.

Via @Streetsblog
https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/01/23/congestion-relief-zone-is-also-a-crash-relief-zone-data

One of the most important city-building model projects in the world.

“Initially, everyone thought it would cause gridlock. But people adapted. Now we can’t imagine the highway ever being here.”

The people-place that replaced a highway, transforming a city.

Seoul, Korea removal of the Cheonggyecheon expressway.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/17/seoul-cheonggyecheon-motorway-turned-into-a-stream

A big part of the reason the rich bad guys are winning is that they understand that buying mainstream media and social media isn’t about making money on that mainstream media or social media. It’s about power and control, and making MUCH more money as a result of that power and control.

Before choosing bottled water over tap water, remember it takes more than 10X the water that a bottle of water holds to make the plastic bottle and transport the water. And that’s before considering the fuel and GHGs, the 1000 year bottle life, and the RIDICULOUS amount of $ we’re paying for water.