Author Archives: Liz

Lombard Street: San Francisco’s Most Popular Road

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Current Day Lombard Street // Image from: http://sanfranciscoforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lombard-street.jpg

Guidelines is a monthly newsletter of the San Francisco City Guides webpage containing articles about San Francisco’s history. One article in particular focuses on Lombard Street, a road constructed in 1922 with 8 turns, a 16% steep grade, and 250 steps per side. This is one of the steepest and curviest streets to date and upon construction immediately posed problems for the growing urban city. In this article, Susan Saperstein writes about how the city paid for the street on the condition that the residents maintain the plantings. As would be expected, neighbors complained and argued about the management of the plants and shrubbery. On top of this, the plants did not hold the soil back and erosion problems arose. However, it was soon discovered that hydrangeas have the ability to prevent erosion and these plants soon lined the 250 steps of Lombard Street. Today this road is a popular tourist destination and illustrates the marvels of urban road planning and environmental wonders.

 

 

 

Airports act as ideal hubs for disease transmission

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The Homeland Security News Wire published an article in March 2011, “Stemming the spread of diseases at airports”, which focused on airports acting as ideal places for dangerous diseases to quickly and easily transport themselves to other countries in a matter of hours. The CDC is quoted saying “Advancements in transportation coupled with the growth and movement of human populations enable efficient transport of infectious diseases almost anywhere in the world within 24 hours.” This quote emphasizes the importance of amping up security in airports. Thermal scanners could be used in order to detect fevers, a sign of infectious disease, in passengers moving throughout the airport. These scanners could help prevent the spread of diseases, such as SARS and measles, which are two of many ailments that are spread rapidly by air travel. With 2 million people traveling through airports every day, it is a serious challenge to contain major disease outbreaks.

On the Road with the EPA

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The Environmental Protection Agency created this website page, titled On the Road, in order to educate readers on the environmental impacts of transportation. It focuses on the harm and pollution vehicles create on a daily basis and how to to reduce these damages. This page serves as a base of information for those looking to be more environmentally friendly, as well as economically smart. With the continuously rising gas prices, its important to have information out there that can be easily accessed for people trying to find more fuel efficient vehicles.

The website is well organized and easy to read. Viewers can find what they are looking for based upon the headings in bold and links to other pages with more information. There are links to the EPA’s data on improving gas mileage, current ozone levels, and automobile emissions. This informative website succeeds at educating the general public in a clear and concise manner.