Annapolis sues 26 oil and gas companies over climate change
The city seeks to force the companies to help cover the mounting costs of climate change, including severe flooding that disproportionately harms communities of color.
Cities
Denver’s unarmed 911 response team arrested no one in its first 6 months
Denver’s new Support Team Assistance Response responded to 748 incidents, with not a single one of them requiring police or leading to arrests or jail-time.
Austin redirects police funding to buy transitional housing for homeless
The Austin City Council voted unanimously to purchase the Texas Bungalow Hotel & Suites for $6.7 million. The hotel is slated to become transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Gothenburg, Sweden develops world’s first zero-emissions zone
The developers hope to make the city one of the world’s largest-scale testing grounds for zero-emission technologies. If the initiative works as proposed, Gothenburg Green City Zone will implement 100% emission-free transport modes by 2030.
Somerville, Massachusetts decriminalizes naturally occurring psychedelics
The Somerville City Council voted 9-0 to decriminalize the possession of entheogenic plants, including psilocybin mushrooms and ibogaine.
No Newark police officers fired a weapon while on duty in 2020
Newark police and city officials say their de-escalation training program is working, with not one officer firing his or her weapon while on duty in 2020.
Bogotá gets 470 new electric buses
A total of over 300,000 people will be served by the vehicles, saving 12,500 tons of carbon dioxide and 2.5 tons of dust particles from being emitted every year.
Boston is building the world’s largest Passive House-certified office building
Boston’s Financial District will soon welcome the groundbreaking Winthrop Center, a year-round, mixed-use gathering space with a suite of impressive eco-friendly credentials.
Oslo, Norway cuts pedestrian and cyclist deaths to zero
Last year, the city recorded zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths, bringing the capital in line with its “Vision Zero”, an undertaking to eliminate all fatalities on public roads.
Cambridge, Massachusetts to be first US city to post warning stickers on gas pumps
“The gas pump stickers will remind drivers to think about climate change and hopefully consider non-polluting options.”