The Alpine Country Going All-You-Can-Ride

In Stockholm, an electric ferry that uses hydrofoils—underwater wings that increase the ship’s speed by allowing it to glide above the water’s surface—causes 98 percent fewer carbon emissions than a traditional diesel ferry. Other cities, such as Lake Tahoe and Berlin, are now considering implementing the technology.

The extensive, all-electric tram system in Strasbourg has emerged as a solution to address air pollution and street congestion caused by cars as well as a critical medium of transport as the city expands its low-emission zones. The tramway's ridership has been resilient, even during the pandemic, and its inspiring a revival of the system across France.

Whether encouraged by government incentives and regulations, environmental impacts, or business benefits, restaurants are switching to electric cooking appliances like induction cooktops instead of gas-powered options.

The Massachusetts state government introduced a new building code, called the specialized stretch code, to set new construction up for decreased fossil fuel use. It’s an opt-in code, so municipalities vote on whether to adopt it, and many have.

After extreme flooding damaged homes, the energy efficiency utility Efficiency Vermont offered emergency flood rebates to those impacted. Recovery teams helped people plan and find funding to repair and replace energy systems and appliances with more efficient models that will help them reach their decarbonization goals. In this circumstance, exceptions were made to include rebates for high-efficiency fossil fuel systems, too.

An architect in Chennai, India, is retrofitting private residences and public buildings to be more sustainable. They make changes like installing energy-efficient upgrades, solar panels, improved ventilation, and low-flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water and energy consumption.

After decades of planning and development, Sacramento’s R Street corridor went from an area full of abandoned warehouses to a flourishing, walkable neighborhood. The city planners’ prioritization of building high-density housing, bringing in new businesses, ensuring access to a light rail transit line, and safe, pedestrian-friendly streets helped this project succeed.

Vivian Kide learned to build fuel-efficient stoves in a Ugandan refugee camp to use less charcoal and prevent deforestation. When she returned home to South Sudan, she began building stoves for other women in her community and teaching them how to do so themselves.

Hempcrete, a combination of hemp, water, and lime, can be used as a more sustainable insulation option for buildings. The material improves energy efficiency, produces less carbon than options like fiberglass and foam, and will continue to capture carbon while used as insulation.

Instead of demolishing a campus building in need of many renovations Rockhurst University repurposed it. The focus on sustainability during the rebuild made it the most energy-efficient building on campus and prevented the release of the carbon embedded in its concrete.