Back

Director's Picks

Street Views: The Real Cost of Highways

Summary

Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their construction, while suburban areas benefited from wealth-building opportunities enabled by highway access. Today, neighborhoods near highways face higher pollution, urban heat islands, lower homeownership rates, and reduced property values, with life expectancy nearly five years shorter than suburban areas. These areas also report higher asthma hospitalization rates and more households without cars. Advocates are pushing for cumulative impact laws to address these inequities and promote fair housing, healthier environments, and improved transportation. Reconsideration of highways like I-94 could provide a historic opportunity for transformative change.

discover more

December 4, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions

December 3, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in

December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende

December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production

November 29, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i

November 28, 2024
Economic Justice
Economic Justice

A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i

November 27, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with

November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f

November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,

November 26, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const

November 26, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,

November 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui

December 25, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid

November 22, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled its "National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution," the third installment in its series to build a circular economy b

November 21, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change are causing extended power outages, leaving medically vulnerable individuals at severe risk. In Houston, Hurricane Beryl cause