World Wide Wednesday: Bankruptcy, transit pass, commute times

Each week we will be focusing on blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.

• Harrisburg, PA filed for bankruptcy protection last week after failing to make debt servicing payments on its trash-to-energy incinerator. Bloomberg reports that Harrisburg is the second and largest American city to file for protection this year.

• In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel will require city employees to take transit when travelling on official business. The new policy is expected to save $1 million (in expense claims for car washes and parking tickets). (Grist)

• UK-based researchers are exploring the potential of synthetic protocells to capture atmospheric CO2. While scalability and commercial production remain concerns, the team suggests that such materials may one day improve the carbon footprint of the buildings they coat. (CNN)

• The Atlantic speculates on the rationale behind the private philanthropy which made the construction of Kansas City’s Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts possible. With taxpayers contributing the cost of the underground parking garage, it was up to private and corporate donors to foot the $326 million bill for this unique cultural central. Author Hampton Stevens suggests that the desire to attract the elusive creative class may have prompted corporate support.

• Also at The Atlantic, Eric Jaffe considers how the OECD finding that the average American’s commute time is low compared with others around the world may be misleading.  Jaffe points to geographic discrepancies (comparing NYC to Great Falls, Montana), modal discrepancies (comparing transit to car commutes) and survey methodology.

Image from The Atlantic

Do you have a World Wide Wednesday worthy article you’d like to share? Send the link to www@spacing.ca