Thursday’s Headlines Are Burned Out

Travel to and from Burning Man accounted for most of its 100,000-ton carbon footprint. Not to mention all the bikes left behind.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on September 7, 2023

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Burning Man has a carbon footprint of 100,000 tons of CO2 which, ironically, may have contributed to the flooding at this year's festival (Wired). Attendees at the supposedly environmentally conscious event left behind many tons of trash, known as "moop," including hundreds of stuck cars and junked bikes (Reno Gazette-Journal).
Better bike and pedestrian infrastructure and improved transit are three among eight ways to address transportation's impact on climate change. (Earth.org)
Depaving — removing asphalt from parking lots, for example — can help cities reduce the effects of urban heat islands. (Nexus Media News)
Instead of funding a new football stadium, D.C. residents would benefit more if leaders spent that money on transit instead. (Greater Greater Washington)
More publicity for Brightline, the private company that's about to extend its Miami commuter rail line to Orlando and is seeking to build a line between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. (Fast Company)
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is pushing for a vote next year on the Front Range passenger rail line. (Colorado Public Radio)
Downtown Las Vegas residents are opposed to the Nevada DOT's proposal to widen I-95. (Nevada Current)
Phoenix's unreasonable minimum parking requirements are driving up housing costs, according to people in the real estate business. (Arizona Mirror)
The Connecticut DOT has adopted complete streets standards. (CT Insider)
Drivers have killed 23 pedestrians in Nashville so far this year after killing 47 in 2022. (Fox 17)
More than a quarter of the land in downtown Birmingham is taken up by parking. (AL.com)
Ohio transit agencies have all adopted a standardized ticketing process. (Smart Cities Dive)
Thanks to a new traffic circulation plan, driving is down 25 percent in Brussels over the past year, and biking is up 36 percent. (Eltis)