Toronto’s first-ever mental health crisis response teams to launch in March
The teams will dispatch nurses and mental health support workers instead of police officers to respond to 911 calls about people in crisis.
Cities
New Orleans to rename Robert E. Lee Blvd. for legendary musician Allen Toussaint
The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to change the name last week. Toussaint was a New Orleans music legend who died in 2015.
Beijing meets air quality standards for the first time
Since 2013, levels of particulate pollution in China’s capital have dropped 63 percent, China Daily reported.
New York City votes to electrify new buildings, ban natural gas
The legislation, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign, requires electricity-powered heat and hot water in most new buildings under seven stories by 2024 and all other buildings in 2027.
Pittsburgh will become a dark sky city in 2022
Pittsburgh will follow the International Dark Sky Association’s new values-centered outdoor lighting guidelines and switch to lower wattage LED bulbs in streetlights, bridges, and other public spaces.
Tokyo becomes biggest city in Japan to recognize same-sex partnerships
Over 100 local governments in Japan now recognize same-sex partnerships, which grants the right to rent property together and to visit their partner in the hospital.
Barcelona’s bus fleet will soon run on biofuel made from sewage sludge
The initiative is part of the Nimbus Project, which aims to encourage a circular economy in the city, starting with green public transportation.
Dubai becomes world’s first paperless government, saves over 336 million papers
With the Dubai Paperless Strategy fully implemented, no employee or customer of the Dubai Government will need to print any paper documents or transactions, unless they personally prefer to do so.
New York City opens the U.S.’s first safe injection site
The sites, intended to reduce overdose deaths, will serve as a safe place for drug users to inject heroin and other drugs under the supervision of medical professionals.
Boston Mayor Wu divests city funds from fossil fuels
The measure prohibits public investment in any financial instrument deriving more than 15% of its revenue from fossil fuels, as well as from tobacco products or jail or prison facilities.