Dunkirk, France makes all public transportation free
The free bus service started in September of 2018. Since then, there has been an increase in ridership, rising 57% during the week and 115% on weekends.
Cities
Los Angeles commits to planting 90,000 trees by end of 2021
Mayor Garcetti, who in late April announced his version of a Green New Deal for the city tasked the city with the goal of planting a whopping 90,000 trees by the end of 2021.
Abortion decriminalized in Sydney after Australian lawmakers overturn 119-year-old law
Women will now be able to get abortions up to 22 weeks into their pregnancy without proving that their health will be impacted if they continue the pregnancy.
Air pollution in Delhi drops 25% in four years
Five years ago, in 2014, a global study on air quality trends by the World Health Organisation had declared Delhi the most polluted city in the world.
Chattanooga becomes first 100% solar-powered airport in U.S.
Tennessee’s fourth largest city, Chattanooga, became the first American airport to be 100% solar powered — and joins only a handful of airports who claim the same across the world.
Beijing breathes cleanest air on record
Beijing reported the lowest level of air pollutants in the first half this year since the city started recording related data 35 years ago.
Denver City Council kills contracts with private prison giants
Taking an extraordinary stand against the nation’s two largest private prison companies, GEO Group and CoreCivic, Denver City Council voted not to renew contracts with them worth a cumulative $10.6 million.
Tokyo unveils 2020 Olympic medals, made entirely from recycled cellphones
The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee unveiled its Olympic and Paralympic medal designs. They are all completely made of over six million recycled cellphones.
Indian cities to buy thousands of electric buses
The sudden jump in electric buses purchases is the result of a financial subsidy worth US$360 million, offered by the central government.
New York City begins enforcing Styrofoam ban
The city banned Styrofoam because the material can’t be “recycled in a manner that is economically feasible” or “environmentally effective.”