Street Smart? adapting to climate change

by Margaret DeStefano

By 2050, the number of cars on the road is expected to total three billion. And with most of the world’s population expected to live in urban cities by then, there will be a growing demand for smart streets. Our roads will have to innovate, much like the cars themselves. By 2050, roughly half of cars on the road will be electric. The transition from gas to electric vehicles will mean an increased demand for charging infrastructure. One of the companies at the forefront of wireless transfer charging, a German tech startup group, is developing power transfer pads made from recycled materials to integrate into the road’s surface. These electrified street lanes will theoretically allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive. In addition to charging as they drive, the surface pressure of cars could also serve as a source of renewable energy.

Smart street technology of the future will also have to battle the effects of climate change. Heat gets trapped between buildings and is exacerbated by pollution, creating what is called the urban heat island effect. The Cool Pavement Pilot Program is one way of fighting rising temperatures in one of the United States’ hottest urban environments. The process involves spraying a water-based asphalt treatment on top of existing pavement. Modular or “jigsaw” roads are designed to be quickly disassembled and reassembled like puzzle pieces. The mobile nature of jigsaw roads will allow cities to adapt quickly to traffic patterns, construction needs, or emergencies. Thanks to a company in the Netherlands, they are already being used as bike and foot paths there and in Belgium.

Watermelon slushie!

Try this simple recipe. It tastes great and your kids will love it as well!

Recipe: Use seedless watermelon (organic optional), freeze 3 cups of watermelon chunks overnight and blend with 2½ cups of coconut water.

Quick Tip!

To save water, wash vegetables in a bowl of water rather than under a running tap. Then you can water your houseplants with the discarded water.

EFT consists of fingertip tapping on meridian end-points. Research shows EFT influences positive Neuroplasticity and supports the healing of PTSD, anxiety, stress, fear, phobias and depression, and reduces cortisol levels. EFT balances the activity of the parasympathetic and sympathetic regions of the brain, making EFT a powerful healing tool.