Arizona Testbowl: Denying Human Rights and Experimenting with the Ecological Integrity of the San Francisco Peaks

By Kyle Boggs

In Northern Arizona, on the slopes of the state’s highest peak, stands an on-going controversy illuminating deep cultural divides. Here, human rights and environmental justice stand in opposition to enhanced skiing recreation. As the dominant Euro-American culture shifts its perception of progress to achieve a just and sustainable future, the fight to save the San Francisco Peaks from contamination and further development stands at the crossroads of this transition.

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The Urban Foodshed Collaborative

The Urban Foodshed Collaborative provides a space and structure for New Haven youth to connect to the potential of the land around them. The youth grow food as well as their entrepreneurial abilities, and through this process, UFC grows young leaders. We aim to turn conceptions on their head. We create opportunity where others saw vacant lots. All through collaboration.

UFC braids together a number of trends that allow it to succeed: the need for New Haven youth to have valuable, building experiences that pay a deserved wage, the desire of restaurants and markets to source locally-grown, culturally-relevant produce, and the city of New Haven’s aim to turn vacant lots into green, productive space. To watch the video, click below: … Continue Reading

Bus Rapid Transit as a Sustainable Public Transit Alternative

By Neal Humphrey

Abstract

In order to investigate the potential growth of public transit for the creation of a more sustainable transit paradigm, this paper seeks to explore the features of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, and compare them to the costs and benefits of other public transit options. BRT is often viewed as an intermediary transit option, providing many of the benefits of light rail systems that normal buses cannot provide, yet doing so with reduced cost and, therefore, greater potential service. As growing cities seek to meet their transit needs, Bus Rapid Transit can provide many of the benefits of both light-rail and bus services and as such may prove to be the most effective public transportation option in many communities.

This paper presents the five main components comprising the definition of a BRT system, as summarized from a variety of presentations. It discusses the implementation of these five components, related costs, and potential benefits. Importantly, it provides context of why a BRT system must be viewed as separate from a standard bus system. BRT systems can be a valuable tool to broaden public transportation accessibility, increasing the sustainability of our increasingly urban population. … Continue Reading