The Great Era of Metro Railways Is Just Beginning
The Metropolitan Railway, which you can still ride today as part of the London Underground, was the first to put regular trains on dedicated tracks, cutting through the gridlock that would otherwise plague modern cities. Over the years, networks sprouted in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Moscow, Hong Kong, Cairo, and elsewhere. By 2013, they encompassed more than 130 cities, stretching 10,922 kilometers (6,787 miles) — sufficient to get you from the equator to the North Pole.
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2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Going on holiday? Here's how to make sure your trip is sustainable
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Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Sustainability certification is a voluntary, third-party assessment that verifies a product, service, or organisation meets certain environmental, social, or ethical standards. These certifications provide a structure to manage, improve and communicate sustainability performance. More than 100 sustainable certifications promise that they have vetted tourism businesses so you can have a satisfying and guilt-free holiday. Yet, not all certifications are made equal, as our recent research shows. Most certification schemes audit actions taken, rather than assessing how effective these are. They assure you that the hotel you are staying in has an environmental policy or that it is progressively reducing some of its negative effects on the environment, but not that their energy or water consumption is well below that of its competitors, for example. One major challenge is that consumers are not using these labels to inform their buying decisions. Next time you travel, select businesses certified by an organisation with a proven track record of verification and transparency. There are several things a strong certification should do: First, it should be third-party verified. This ensures that the green claims are independently checked. Second, it needs specific and clear criteria. Beware of vague sustainability claims, such as 'eco-friendly'. Look for certifications that require transparent reporting on performance for specific environmental actions, such as waste management, or responsible sourcing. Third, it should go beyond eco-savings. 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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man walking from John o' Groats to Land's End in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance
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