Carectomy week in review #6

In Norway, no car is "green"

Apparently Norway takes the phrase “truth in advertising” to heart. New restrictions imposed by the state-run Consumer Ombudsman have banned the use of the words “green,” clean,” and “environmentally friendly” in car advertisements.

Model green city: Treasure Island starts from scratch

Design firm Arup is looking to turn Treasure Island – a 400-acre man-made structure halfway across the Bay Bridge, between Oakland and San Francisco – into a model of sustainability. The island, a former naval base decommissioned eleven years ago, currently features low- to mid-income housing for about 1,400 residents mixed with military and industrial refuse. The revamped area will house over 13,000 people, and the Super Fund site will be cleaned and greened-up.

Amtrak hopes to see more green with federal funding, increased ridership

As fuel prices rise and air travel becomes more of a nuisance, Amtrak has become a more popular choice — especially among environmentally-conscious travelers who want to minimize their footprint. While trains are a lesser evil than cars or crowded, carbon-belching airplanes, Amtrak isn't without its concerns. The company is $3.3 billion dollars in debt and is asking the government for financial support. Amtrak "gets enough funding to survive, but not to flourish."