ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of November 16, 2020
Nora's Note
Words from the Wiser.
You’ve run into a headwind few in business have experienced, but I expect the new administration will go to work to provide the tailwind to help small businesses—the future of this country, was the message Warren Buffett shared with 10,000 Strong, the next evolution in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. At a socially-distanced in-person and meeting Tuesday, I was among the collective of alumni gathered to hear David Solomon, Michael Bloomberg, Mary Barra and Buffett share the blend of instructive guidance and cheerleading that is the hallmark of this extraordinary program. Solomon advised us always to start with people and use data to learn how your workforce is progressing, how clients can be better served and how risk can be balanced. Bloomberg reminded us companies are built for everyone who works there and that there can be no “or” between saving lives and saving jobs. Barra urged over-communication with distanced staffs, while Buffett said there will always be surprises in business and called on us to focus less on endpoints and more on having fun on the journey. Oh yes, and have a cash reserve.
Transportation
How bus lanes speed up the morning commute. Fighting congestion and reducing transportation-related carbon emissions are two major issues for transportation networks. Dedicated bus lanes are a simple, cost-effective tool that can address both issues. Bus transit produces 33% less greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile than private vehicles, and in comparison to the 600 to 1,600 passengers per hour that can travel in a lane of private vehicles, a bus-only lane can carry up to 8,000 passengers per hour. Read on to learn more about why cities should invest in dedicated bus lanes.
FHWA Public Roads: Savvy City Financing Supports Future Infrastructure
Transport Topics: New York Completes Bridge Project to Prevent Truck Strikes
Progressive Railroading: Commuter-rail industry poised to meet PTC deadline
Government Technology: The Pandemic Cleared the Way for Smarter Parking Tech
Gothamist: Fate Of Stalled Flushing Busway Plan Up In The Air For Now
Smart Cities Dive: Tampa Bay weighs competing aerial transit projects
The Conversation: Smart concrete could pave the way for high-tech, cost-effective roads
Yale E360: Students Build Electric Car Made Entirely From Recycled Materials
Energy/Environment
This Library Doubles as An Environmental Education Center. At the new Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center in Brooklyn, sustainability goes beyond the building’s impressive list of environmentally-friendly features. The new building opened with partial library services last month, and once in-person group events are feasible again, the space will be a community hub for environmental programming. Schools, community groups and library patrons will be able to engage in environmental education and citizen science in the Environmental Education Center’s facilities, which include a demonstration garden and flexible lab space. Read on to learn more about how the new center will help engage its community in addressing today’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Marketplace: More people unable to pay utility bills, with colder months coming
Grist: Climate change is pushing hurricanes inland
Energy News Network: Crowdfunded solar puts Red Lake Nation on a path to energy sovereignty
Scientific American: Low-Carbon Cement Can Help Combat Climate Change
Inform NNY: NY $10M climate progress program to ‘bolster’ clean energy economy
Clean Technica: Increased Resiliency Is Necessary To Battle The Pandemic & The Climate Crisis
GreenTechMedia: South Korean Firm Touts Novel Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Tower Concept
E&T: New battery recycling process lowers energy usage and greenhouse gases
Economic Development
A Lopsided Revolution. One of the biggest work life changes of the pandemic has been the rapid shift to telework for those can complete their jobs from home. But many jobs don't translate to telework, and a survey shows COVID-19 layoffs were much higher for those who cannot telework (25%) in contrast to those who can (6%). Many of the positions that cannot be completed from home are lower-wage jobs, disproportionately held by younger workers and racial minorities, creating an unequal access to telework that highlights a range of systemic inequities in the work landscape. Widespread telework will likely continue—read on to see about how creative solutions could address existing disparities.
Planetizen: Winter Is Coming—Capitalize on It
CNN: These small businesses might not make it without more stimulus
Westfair Communications: Westchester IDA OKs and reviews $82.6M in bonds for affordable housing fixes
Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia’s affordable housing strategy depends on repairing existing homes
NNY 360: SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center posts $22 million in economic impact, expands resources
Stateline: Manufacturing Rallies as Tourism, Energy Lag
StateScoop: Small businesses need continued cybersecurity assistance through pandemic, officials say
Hartford Courant: Connecticut’s small towns get state grants for infrastructure projects
New at ASC
Our recent webinar “How to Maximize Your Virtual Engagement" with CEOs Nora Madonick (ASC) and Rebecca Karp (Karp Strategies) is now available on-demand.
Learn to use new technology to reach and engage audiences
Find out what works and what doesn’t
Take away guidance from real-world scenarios
The webinar showcased the teams' collaboration—Toolkit for Virtual Engagement—and you can download it today at ascRemote to build a strategy to meet your audiences where they are to advance the civic planning projects and initiatives that will speed recovery.
Get in touch to learn how our signature approach can work for you.
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