Macedonia: free public transport for seniors

MINA Breaking News: "Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski met Sunday with pensioners living in a retirement home in Gjorce Petrov and gave them a plasma display TV on the occasion of New Year's and Christmas holidays.

The pensioners voiced their gratitude for the measures taken by the government in an effort to improve their living standards, such as the announced pension hike in 2013, free public transportation and free spa treatment."

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Race for green energy damaging our marine ecosystem | Herald Scotland

Race for green energy damaging our marine ecosystem | Herald Scotland: "Some 93% of the earth's CO2 is stored and cycled through the oceans and Scotland's blue carbon sinks play a vital role in this process. Keeping them in good shape is one of the most important things we can do to keep climate change under control. Tearing up our blue carbon sinks to build useless and costly renewable energy machines is counter-productive and will lead to the release of millions of tonnes of stored CO2 into the atmosphere."

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Austerity does not address Europe's oil problem

EU must drastically reduce its oil imports | Energy Bulletin: "It is time for the EU’s finance ministers to begin to discuss oil and Peak Oil. Austerity measures that reduce a nation’s government spending have only a marginal influence on its oil import needs. The fact is that the EU must drastically reduce its oil imports. Politically, the EU’s governments currently want to do this to protect the environment from climate change but the reality is that reducing oil consumption and oil imports is vital to the EU’s future economic success."

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Гражданска Инициатива за безплатен градски транспорт

Гражданска Инициатива за безплатен градски транспорт: "ЗЗдравейте тази група, ще е инициатор за създаване на по-широка организация бореща се за свободен или безплатен градски транспорт(Г. Т.) в София. Основната фунция на Г .Т. е да бъде достъпен за всички нуждаещи се. Сегашната система за таксуване на гражданите ограничава този достъп, докато приходите от продажба на карти и билети са незначителни на фона на субсидиите и компенсациите, които Центърът за градска мобилност ( ЦГМ) получава.
Нашата алтернатива е свободен (безплатен) градски транспорт, финансиран изцяло от гражданите - данъкоплатци, достъпен за всички граждани и гости на София - без ограничения!Който желае да се включи активно в групата и подкрепя целите и нека ни пише."

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Riga, Latvia makes #publictransit free -- car-system doesn't work in snow and ice

Death toll rises from eastern Europe deep freeze | euronews, world news: "To encourage drivers to leave cars at home, authorities in Latvia’s capital Riga are offering free public transport until the worst of the snow clears."

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Tallinn: Free Public Transport | New Europe

Tallinn: Free Public Transport | New Europe: "The long-term environmental benefits to having less cars circulating are evident while citizens will also enjoy cleaner air and less noise pollution. Although several small and medium size cities have already converted to the free-fare public transport system, Tallinn is definitely setting an example and opening the way for other European capitals to follow."

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Plan to let unemployed ride buses free

Stagecoach backs ‘Bus for Jobs’ initiative | Eurotransport Magazine: "Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “Good bus services play a huge role in boosting economic growth by helping people to access employment and training opportunities. I have been encouraging bus operators to look at the fare deals they can offer to young people looking for work, so I congratulate the operators that are doing so in January and look forward to seeing other offers in the future.

“This move will benefit the industry as well as job seekers as young people are not only a key section of the market – they are the future of the local bus industry.”

Latest government figures show the free bus travel offer will be available to as many as 817,000 people who are currently out of work and claiming benefits."

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Free public transport is more and more a competitive requirement for events

CMW: In-depth features about the conferences, conventions, meetings and event industry: "In May 2011, the Prague City Council approved a new incentive for congress organisers in the form of free public transport for events with more than 500 participants. The support is for association congress organisers approved by the council, working on events with at least 20 per cent overseas delegates, for at least two nights."

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Drinks companies admit that drunk driving is a killer and pay out big bucks

Headline Story | equities.com: "LONDON - As London gears up to celebrate the end of an unforgettable year for the capital, Transport for London and Diageo reveal the incredible operation on New Year's Eve to ensure everyone gets home safe -- free of charge."

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Road traffic is out of control in Russia - now a 3 day jam

http://englishrussia.com/2011/12/20/hopeless-traffic-jams-in-moscow/

Heavy snowfall caused an almost 200-km traffic jam on a highway between Moscow and St. Petersburg. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Three-day 118 mile jam between Moscow and St. Petersburg

Click here for full story

"Recovery" ... we believe and do as before

"Recovery" ... we believe and do as before: "Yet the great catastrophe is we believe we can continue in the same way that growth returns, a country needs car factories. That we can continue to produce cars again and ever!"

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Could public transport in the UK ever be free? - News & Advice - Travel - The Independent

Could public transport in the UK ever be free? - News & Advice - Travel - The Independent: "Free public transport isn't as rare as you might imagine. The Flemish city of Hasselt has an entirely free public- transport system, as do a handful of left-leaning villes in France – Châteauroux, near Orleans, and Toulouse suburb Colomiers – which abolished tickets in 1971. In Marcel Pagnol's birthplace, the cultured Provençal town of Aubagne, the free transport system is wryly marketed under the slogan "Liberté, égalité, gratuité!" – also the title of a book about the scheme penned by the philosopher Jean-Louis Sagot-Duvauroux and Aubagne's feminist Mayor Magali Giovannangeli."

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Biofuel, green killer of 21.century !

Thousands march in London for Gaza and freedom for Palestine: report and pictures

Thousands march in London for Gaza and freedom for Palestine: report and pictures: "Nor did the incessant and gloomy rain stop the determination of 10-15,000 protesters from marching through London to show the British government that the green light it gave to Israel's assault was not in our name."

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People of Greece fight back against looting by troika

Greek main opposition radical left extends lead in polls, as Athens awaits creditors’ verdict | iPolitics: "ATHENS – Greece’s main opposition radical left party has extended its lead over the governing conservatives, according to a new poll released as Athens awaits its creditors’ verdict on a vital loan payment."

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George Monbiot – Feeding Cars, Not People

George Monbiot – Feeding Cars, Not People: "We need a solution to the global warming caused by cars, but this isn’t it. If the production of biofuels is big enough to affect climate change, it will be big enough to cause global starvation."

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Economic growth, austerity, neither can work

Notes on a Greener Economy | Post Growth Institute: "We have an economy that can never work!"

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The Grand Views : Students say life in Vejle much different than life in Iowa

The Grand Views : Students say life in Vejle much different than life in Iowa: "Forbes Magazine declared Denmark the happiest country in the world in 2010.Therefore as the high tax rates are not opposed as they might be in Iowa where they pay 6 percent sales tax and, in an Iowan’s eyes, a whopping 24-28 percent income tax.
People may wonder how anyone can be so happy paying such a high tax rate, but as a result of the high taxes, they get a free college education, free public transportation and continued support from the government.

...In Denmark it is not very common for students to get a driver’s license. This is due to two main reasons. First, Denmark public transportation is easily accessible and free so they have no need to drive. And second, it costs the equivalent of $1,300, not a sum that many young adults can afford."

Chi siamo | Comitato Romano per le Autoriduzioni

Chi siamo | Comitato Romano per le Autoriduzioni: "Pensiamo che tutto questo non sia più accettabile. Riteniamo che il diritto alla mobilità sia un diritto fondamentale per le società contemporanee. Il servizio scadente e i costi imposti sono cause di emarginazione sociale, nei territori metropolitani come nelle province. Per questo pensiamo che nel momento in cui alzano le tariffe e peggiorano i servizi sia giusto e necessario non pagare più e proporre un altro modello possibile, che non pensi a costruire opere avveniristiche peri ricchi quali il Tav, ma che garantisca il diritto alla mobilità a tutti e a tutte."

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Tallinn free transport idea is spreading to Narva

Narva Mulls Free Public Transport | Economy | News | ERR: "The Narva City Government is considering going the way of Tallinn and making its public transport free of charge, according to a city official."

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'Free' Public Transport - Tallinn's View | News | ERR

'Free' Public Transport - Tallinn's View | News | ERR: "In Tallinn, most CO2 comes from cars. We know that only 6 percent comes from public transportation, meaning buses, and 60 percent from cars. In Europe they want to reduce CO2 output by 20 percent by the year 2020. If we also want meet this target in Tallinn, [...] we have to deal with the cars. Maybe we can reduce it by this 20 percent. "

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News from Belarus - Businessman campaigns for free bus rides

Pickets for free public transport banned - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk: "“I planned to carry out a picket on October 7. I wanted to inform people about creating an initiative group in Baranavichy to collect signatures for free rides for schoolchildren if they use public transport to get to elective classes and hobby groups after school,” Mikalai Charnavus says. “I think we'll find ways how to attract people to create this initiative group and collect enough signatures.”"

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People of Spain reject austerity

Austerity is presented to us an economic solution. Actually it is not an economic policy at all, it is just the billionaires scooping up social capital as a cheap asset to consolidate their power. People all over the world are not falling for the phony conflation of public and private debt. Instead of bailing out banks, we could make public transit fare-free and create beautiful car-free cities.

https://twitter.com/northaura/status/250627736824057857/photo/1

100 mln will die by 2030 if world fails to act on climate - report | Reuters

100 mln will die by 2030 if world fails to act on climate - report | Reuters: "(Reuters) - More than 100 million people will die and global economic growth will be cut by 3.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 if the world fails to tackle climate change, a report commissioned by 20 governments said on Wednesday."

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Helsinki eyes Tallinn's free public transport plans | Yle Uutiset | yle.fi

Helsinki eyes Tallinn's free public transport plans | Yle Uutiset | yle.fi: "City officials in Helsinki are keeping a sharp eye on a trial of free public transport in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. Helsinki's city planning office may re-evaluate the impact of a similar move if the Estonian venture proves viable."

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Free public transport for elementary school students in Belgrade

Free public transport for elementary school students in Belgrade: "Elementary school students in Belgrade could use the public transportation free of charge starting Saturday, 1 September.

Elementary school pupils will be issued a new card by the end of the year. The card will be valid until high school enrolment, without need of extension every year. In the meantime they will ride for free with the report book, health card or the old pass.

The card will be issued in the school while the procedure is similar to one when issuing "Bus Plus" for high school students but they are free of charge. Monthly pass is still required for the high school students and university students and could be issued at favorable terms."

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Reclaim the Streets

Reclaim the Streets: "we have already seen a very radical and proactive, world-wide anti-car movement, and it began in the UK. "

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Free Public Transport Conference, Tallinn 2012

Free Public Transport Conference, Tallinn 2012: "The City of Tallinn/Estonia has a challenging project to start providing free public transport to its residents from January 1, 2013.  With this step, Tallinn will safeguard social cohesion of local community granting equal mobility opportunities to all social strata. To many car drivers, free public transport will be a major incentive to switch to public transport thus reducing pollution and noise, and, in the long run, will improve living standards of all citizens.
"

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The Demise Of The Car | Peak Oil News and Message Boards

The Demise Of The Car  |  Peak Oil News and Message Boards: "According to the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (EAMA), new car registration declined by nearly 7% in the first half of the year. All told, projected total sales of 12.4 million cars in 2012 would represent a nearly 20% slide in volume over 2007, when the current string of annual shrinkage began. Forecasts that once saw activity improving by 2013 now push returning health in the sector beyond the recessionary horizon now stretching far off into the European distance….That dismal outlook on the demand side is compounded by concerns over excess supply. Industry analysts say auto manufacturers in Europe maintain around 30% more production capacity than the market will bear."

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Visit Akureyri, Iceland, city buses are fare-free

Domestic travel | Visit Akureyri: "AKUREYRI CITY BUSES
Note that when you have arrived in Akureyri all transportation with the city buses are free. The bus schedule covers a timeframe from 6.28 am till 22.36 pm all weekdays, schedules during weekends depend upon time of year, for further information see City bus time schedule."

http://www3.akureyri.is/media/vefmyndir/akureyri/pdf/SVA_baksida_.pdf

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To get rid of cars, implement free public transport

RLS - Just Mobility: "Long-term experiments with a free-of-charge public transport system could act as a global model."

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UK Chancellor wants to scrap climate goals

BBC News - Chancellor letter reveals pressure on climate targets: "The Chancellor has demanded that the Energy Secretary Ed Davey abandon the UK's pathway towards climate targets.

In a leaked letter, George Osborne says renewables are too expensive and suggests expanding plans for gas-fired generation.

The government's adviser, the Climate Change Committee, says this will cause the UK to miss its 2030 climate goals."

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Millions take to the streets as Spain unites against austerity - Eagainst.com

Millions take to the streets as Spain unites against austerity - Eagainst.com: "On Thursday, millions of Spaniards took to the streets in over 80 cities around the country in the largest protest since the past 15th of October, just hours after the Rajoy government ratified the largest budget cuts in the history of Spanish democracy. Once again, in times of crisis, the system shows it true face: as Congress and the streets around it were barricaded by militarized police forces, the ruling party (PP) enforced its absolute majority by carrying out the vote alone, while other parties left Parliament in protest."

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Tallinn takes action against cars

Deputy Mayor Defends Moves to Prioritize Public Transport | News | ERR: "Tallinn officials defended the new restrictions on cars in the city center as modern and European while opponents said the way recent closures were decided and implemented was anything but.
Deputy Mayor Taavi Aas said that without traffic reduction measures, Tallinn would soon grind to a halt. He said priority lanes for public transport, mergers of public transport companies and transition to free public transport were "critical.""

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Town by Black Sea: two months of rain in one night

Aleksandr Tkachyov

'Wave of water,' torrential rains kill dozens in Russia - World News: "RT said the Interior Ministry confirmed 92 people had been killed in Krymsk after an average two-months' rain fell in just a few hours in the popular holiday region on the Black Sea where Russia will host the 2014 Winter Olympics."

Oil companies admit that arctic spills will not be cleaned up

Ends of the Earth | Greenpeace International: "This summer, Shell Oil intends to drill five exploratory wells in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas on Alaska's continental shelf. Although the sea bottom in this region is relatively shallow – 50-meters, compared to a thousand meters or more for deepwater wells – drilling rigs in the Arctic must negotiate moving ice floes, Arctic storms, freezing weather, and 10 weeks of darkness.
Shell admits that they would likely abandon a well capping or spill cleanup during poor Arctic weather. Oil moving under ice floes is out of reach, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) warns that “there is no comprehensive method for cleanup of spilled oil in sea ice.” Furthermore, US Coast Guard Admiral Robert Papp admits that Alaska infrastructure to respond to an oil well blowout, does not exist. Canadian regulators conclude that to drill a blowout relief well in the arctic would take three years."

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Populär premiär för gratis busstrafik - Nyheter - m.avestatidning.com

Populär premiär för gratis busstrafik - Nyheter - m.avestatidning.com: Populär premiär för gratis busstrafik
NYHETER Två år har gått sedan förslaget om gratis busstrafik lades fram. Nu har det blivit verklighet och gratistrafiken är i gång. På måndagen kom många till busstationen för att delta i premiärminglet.

Representanter från Avesta kommun och Dalatrafik berättade om förslaget som kom under valrörelsen 2010 och som tagit två år att få igenom. Invånare från hela kommunen hade samlats för att fika, lyssna, ställa frågor och åka en första gratistur.

Inför projektstarten har enkäter gjorts. 200 resenärer tillfrågats om sina resvanor.

Hoppet är nu att fler ska välja att åka buss i stället för att ta bilen, vilket är en förutsättning för att kunna fortsätta med gratisbussarna också efter den två år långa prövoperioden.

PressTV - Greek party vows to scrap bailout deal

PressTV - Greek party vows to scrap bailout deal: ""The bailout deal is already in the past. It will be history for good on Monday," AFP quoted Alexis Tsipras as saying on Tuesday.

"On Monday, the forces of internal corruption and global usury will stop writing [bailout deal] because our people are about to write history," he added. "

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Iceland puts people first, forces bank default, forgives mortgage debt, prosecutes fraud

Iceland forgives mortgage debt to save its economy | TruthTheory: "Iceland banks have forgiven loans equaling 13 percent of the country’s annual gross domestic product, which has eased the debt burden for more than 25 percent of Iceland’s population, according to a February report published by theIcelandic Financial Services Association."

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People of Bahrain show tremendous courage standing up to US-Saudi power

Tens of thousands protest in Bahrain in biggest opposition push in weeks - The Washington Post: "Bahrain has experienced near daily protests for 16 months caused by an uprising by the kingdom’s Shiite majority seeking greater political rights from the Western-backed Sunni monarchy. At least 50 people have died in the unrest since February 2011."

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Default is the only path for Greece. Next step. Get rid of cars!

Without growth, there’s only one ending for Euro debt crisis | Energy Bulletin: "Consider the European economies in the worst shape: Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. The cumulative national debt of these countries may as well be denominated in barrels of oil instead of euros, because millions of barrels of oil is what will be needed to get those economies growing again. Can those countries afford the cost of economic growth when oil is trading in the triple-digit range?

How much more fiscal punishment can the eurozone endure before countries start throwing in the towel? Without economic growth, there can be only one ending to Europe’s debt crisis. Default. Judging by the newly elected socialist politicians in Greece and France that eventuality is a lot closer than financial markets might think."

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Gratuité dans les transports en commun pour sortir de la crise climatique

Gratuité dans les transports en commun pour sortir de la crise climatique: "Suppression des 6 zones et mise en place d’un tarif unique revu à la baisse. Instaurer la gratuité pour les chômeurs, les précaires, les étudiants, les personnes âgées à faible revenu, les jeunes en insertion. L’objectif est d’aller vers la gratuité des transports en commun. C’est la seule mesure qui permette de répondre à l’urgence sociale et à la crise climatique pour sortir du tout-camion et du tout-voiture."

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Palm Oil Even Worse For Deforestation, Emissions Than Thought : TreeHugger

Palm Oil Even Worse For Deforestation, Emissions Than Thought : TreeHugger: "The report says that currently about two-thirds of all forest outside of protected areas is leased to palm oil companies. At the present rate of expansion, by 2020 one-third of that land will be plantation and intact forest will shrink to just 4% of land cover. Yes, 4%. By this time, the study says, 90% of the emissions from palm oil plantations will come from those planted on cleared forest growing in peaty soils."

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Walkability drives Europe´s fastest growing housing market | Post Car(d) Urbanism

Walkability drives Europe´s fastest growing housing market | Post Car(d) Urbanism: "Stockholm is the fastest growing city in Western Europe. What then is so attractive here, except thriving businesses and a healthy environment? A recent big study shows that the housing market is basically driven by walkability."

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Free-Public-Transport Pirate Party Raids Its Fourth State Parliament | Global Spin | TIME.com

More Trouble for Merkel as Pirate Party Raids Its Fourth State Parliament | Global Spin | TIME.com: "Whether established parties were left celebrating or commiserating last night, all will have talked about the Pirates. Campaigning for free public transportation and a basic income guarantee, they managed to attract 30,000 first-time voters, according to research from Infratest dimap/ARD. The Greens could only attract 20,000. And they also coaxed 70,000 non-voters to the polls, compared with 50,000 for the Greens. But Germany’s mainstream parties will be most worried about the direct hits they sustained in NRW. The Pirates marauded voters from all major parties, stealing 60,000 from Merkel’s CDU, 80,000 from the Greens, and 90,000 from the SPD. “Germany’s party system lacks a party that is young, modern, progressive and representative of the 21st century’s Information Society,” says Alexander Hensel, a political scientist who studies the Pirates at Germany’s Goettingen Institute for Democracy Research. “The Greens had this role, but they are too old now.”"

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Prague attracts conventions with free public transport

News - News details: "Prague will put on free transport for congresses with more than 500 delegates - at least 20 per cent from abroad - who spend two nights or more in the city. The announcement was made at a ceremony at the Mayor’s Residence to pay tribute to scientists and experts in other fields who have helped to bring conventions to the Czech capital."

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Want to jump start the green revolution? Free public transit is the way.

Estonia's Capital Pursues Free Public Transit - Commute - The Atlantic Cities: "Tallinn, Estonia, looks set to become the first European capital with a completely free public transportation system. As the BBC reports, Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar wants his city of 416,000 to be "the flagship of the green movement in Europe." By providing free public transit for locals (visitors would still pay), city government believes car usage will decrease enough to make it worthwhile."

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Party for free public transport continues to grow in Germany

Pirates raiding German politics - Chicago Sun-Times: "The tremendous success has doubled the Pirates’ membership to 25,000.

About 1,500 members gathered at a party convention Saturday in Neumuenster to discuss the group’s growth. New polls predicted it would win seats in two more state legislatures in May. Forecasters expect it to secure about 9 percent of the vote in both states."

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Yevgenia Chirikova Honored - Robert Amsterdam

Yevgenia Chirikova Honored - Robert Amsterdam: "Despite the government’s continued efforts to suppress the movement, Chirikova has succeeded in garnering widespread support from a diverse range of interest groups. Even the Moscow chapter of the Russian Federation of Motorists, an unlikely ally for an environmental group, has joined their efforts to fight the construction project. Defend Khimki Forest’s first rally amassed a crowd of 5,000 people—one of the largest public environmental protests in Russian history—and gathered more than 50,000 signatures."

http://yfrog.com/obnulbxj

Riga City Council approves free public transportation for school children

Riga City Council approves free public transportation for school children: "RIGA - During the session of the Traffic and Transport Affairs Committee on April 10, Riga City Council members supported Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs’ (Harmony Center) motion to introduce free public transportation for school children in grades 1-12 as of Sept. 1, 2012, reports LETA.

The opposition, however, emphasized that vocational education students should also be able to use Riga public transportation free of charge.
"

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German city seeks to woo drivers with free public transport | theSundaily

German city seeks to woo drivers with free public transport | theSundaily: "BERLIN (April 10, 2012): The eastern German city of Leipzig began a four-day offer of free public transportation to drivers Tuesday in a bid to wean them off their cars for good, transport authorities said.

Citing high petrol (gasoline) prices, snarled traffic and greenhouse gas emissions as deterrents to taking cars to work, local bus, rail and tram service providers banded together to offer what they called a better option to commuters."

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Yo no pago. Free public transport in Spain

The Spanish 15-M movement deepens its civil disobedience, with a dash of Gene Sharp / Waging Nonviolence - People-Powered News and Analysis: "Spanish activists associated with the May 15 movement began a new campaign, Yo No Pago (I Don’t Pay), inviting fellow citizens to practice civil disobedience by not paying for public transport. "

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75% Vote for Free Public Transit in Tallinn Referendum | Society | News | ERR

75% Vote for Free Public Transit in Tallinn Referendum | Society | News | ERR: "A week-long referendum on free public transit conducted among Tallinn residents ended on Sunday with 75.5 percent of participants voting in favor of the idea."

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Free transport for pensioners ‘a lifeline’ - Local - Dromore Leader

Free transport for pensioners ‘a lifeline’ - Local - Dromore Leader: " “Free public transport for pensioners is therefore kinder to the environment, of greater economic benefit to pensioners than the remitted fare alone, encourages the increased usage of our public transportation network and leads to greater social integration of pensioners into the community.”"

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Planka Oslo | - for en avgiftsfri kollektivtransport

Planka Oslo | - for en avgiftsfri kollektivtransport: "På lørdag feirer vi Billettfri Dag i Oslo. Møt opp på Vestli T-banestasjon kl. 14.00, og bli med på feiringen. Flinke, talentfulle Ida Isax skal spille konsert for oss!"

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Apartment for rent, no cars allowed.

New Green Housing Developments In Switzerland: Car Owners Need Not Apply - Worldcrunch - All News is Global: "ZURICH – Many landlords make a point of keeping their properties pet, or maybe smoke-free. But in Switzerland, some new apartment blocks demand that tenants also be car-free."

'via Blog this'

Swedish NGO Nominates Tallinn for Free Public Transit Award | Environment | News | ERR

Photo: Postimees/Scanpix

Swedish NGO Nominates Tallinn for Free Public Transit Award | Environment | News | ERR: "Tallinn has been nominated for an award given out by a Swedish NGO for its decision to hold a referendum on whether the city should introduce free public transportation.
“We wish them good luck with this referendum and hope that the outcome will be a yes and thus making Tallinn one of the most forward thinking and green cities in Europe,” Anna Nygård, spokesperson for Planka.nu, said in a press release."

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Me and Public Transportation

Let me first start off by saying that I have never driven a car. All my life I have been walking, riding a bicycle or using public transportation. Now I'm 60 and I can say that I never regretted making a decision at a younger age to never pollute the environment by driving a car.

That's what my life was like without a car:

- Go to kindergarten - walking - 2 km one-way
- Go to elementary school - walking - 1.5 km one-way
- Go to high school - walking - 1.5 km one-way
- Go to college - by bus - 5 km - and walking - 1 km one-way
- Go from home to work - walking - 1.5 km one-way
- Go from the second location to work - walking - 1 km one-way
- Go from a third location to work - bus or bicycle - 5 km one-way

- For the past 20 years I've been going from home to work either by foot and taking a bus, or by taking a ride with my wife or a coworker - 11 km one-way.

My way to go to the workplace:

Our home on a hill (wife has a car -- a Hyundai Atos - and takes care it's used rationally)

A view from our hill to the bus stop down below.

I start off by walking downhill through the forest and to the bus stop - 2.5 km.

"Morje" bus stop.

Taking a bus to the next town (Hoce) - 8 km. (Fare: 1.8 euro).

By foot to the company where I work - 0.5 km

While I certainly don't expect that everybody would give up a car like I have, I believe that everybody has a chance to decide to do something beneficial for a cleaner environment, a cleaner planet, for the health of all of us. Everyone without exception. There's no excuse! We can't only talk, we have to make a decision and stick to it.

I hope my post will encourage others as well to add their personal experiences with public transportation to this web site.

My son Rok also doesn't own a car. For the past 3 years while living in Tokyo, he's been relying on a very efficient public transportation there. Before that, while living in LA for 9 years, he's been using public buses and trains there.