ef Experts assess the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 50 years after it went into effect By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:51:09 +0000 March 5, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the entry into effect of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Five decades on, is the treaty achieving what was originally envisioned? Where is it succeeding in curbing the spread of nuclear weapons, and where might it be falling short? Four Brookings experts on defense… Full Article
ef Universal Service Fund Reform: Expanding Broadband Internet Access in the United States By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:51:00 -0400 Executive SummaryTwo-thirds of Americans have broadband Internet access in their homes.[1] But because of poor infrastructure or high prices, the remaining third of Americans do not. In some areas, broadband Internet is plainly unavailable because of inadequate infrastructure: More than 14 million Americans – approximately 5 percent of the total population – live in areas where terrestrial (as opposed to mobile) fixed broadband connectivity is unavailable.[2] The effects of insufficient infrastructure development have contributed to racial and cultural disparities in broadband access; for example, terrestrial broadband is available to only 10 percent of residents on tribal lands.[3] Even where terrestrial broadband connectivity is available, however, the high price of broadband service can be prohibitive, especially to lower income Americans. While 93 percent of adults earning more than $75,000 per year are wired for broadband at home, the terrestrial broadband adoption rate is only 40 percent among adults earning less than $20,000 annually.[4] These costs also contribute to racial disparities; almost 70 percent of whites have adopted terrestrial broadband at home, but only 59 percent of blacks and 49 percent of Hispanics have done the same.[5] America's wireless infrastructure is better developed, but many Americans still lack wireless broadband coverage. According to a recent study, 3G wireless networks cover a good portion of the country, including 98 percent of the United States population,[6] but certain states have dramatically lower coverage rates than others. For example, only 71 percent of West Virginia's population is covered by a 3G network.[7] Wireless providers will likely use existing 3G infrastructure to enable the impending transition to 4G networks.[8] Unless wireless infrastructure expands quickly, those Americans that remain unconnected may be left behind. Though America is responsible for the invention and development of Internet technology, the United States has fallen behind competing nations on a variety of important indicators, including broadband adoption rate and price. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's survey of 31 developed nations, the United States is ranked fourteenth in broadband penetration rate (i.e. the number of subscribers per 100 inhabitants); only 27.1 percent of Americans have adopted wired broadband subscriptions, compared to 37.8 percent of residents of the Netherlands.[9] America also trails in ensuring the affordability of broadband service. The average price for a medium-speed (2.5Mbps-10Mbps) Internet plan in America is the seventeenth lowest among its competitor nations. For a medium-speed plan, the average American must pay $38 per month, while an average subscriber in Japan (ranked first) pays only $22 for a connection of the same quality.[10] The National Broadband Plan (NBP), drafted by the Federal Communication Commission and released in 2010, seeks to provide all Americans with affordable broadband Internet access.[11] Doing so will not be cheap; analysts project that developing the infrastructure necessary for full broadband penetration will require $24 billion in subsidies and spending.[12] President Obama’s stimulus package has already set aside $4.9 billion to develop broadband infrastructure,[13] and some small ongoing federal programs receive an annual appropriation to promote broadband penetration.[14] However, these funding streams will only account for one-third of the $24 billion necessary to achieve the FCC's goal of full broadband penetration.[15] Moreover, developing infrastructure alone is not enough; many low-income Americans are unable to afford Internet access, even if it is offered in their locality. To close this funding gap and to make broadband more accessible, the National Broadband Plan proposes to transform the Universal Service Fund – a subsidy program that spends $8.7 billion every year to develop infrastructure and improve affordability for telephone service – into a program that would do the same for broadband Internet. [1] Federal Communications Commission, Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan 23 (2010) [hereinafter National Broadband Plan]. [2] Id. at 10. [3] Id. at 23. [4] Id. [5] Id. [6] Id. at 146. [7] Id. [8] Id. [9] Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD Broadband Portal, OECD.org, (table 1d(1)) (last accessed Jan. 28, 2011). [10] Id. (table 4m) (last accessed Jan. 28, 2011). [11] National Broadband Plan, supra note 1, at 9-10. [12] Id. at 136. [13] Id. at 139. [14] Id. [15] Id. Downloads Download the Full Paper Authors Jeffrey Rosen Image Source: Donald E. Carroll Full Article
ef Boosting Jobs with the Right Kind of Housing and Transportation Efforts By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Last week, President Obama called for “any idea, any proposal, any way we can get the economy growing faster so that people who need work can find it faster.” There is a tried and true idea that has always been used in past recoveries; activate the building of the built environment … but with a major… Full Article Uncategorized
ef Rethinking unemployment insurance taxes and benefits By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:46:21 +0000 Full Article
ef Trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see: Four take-aways from CBO’s new budget outlook By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 03 Feb 2020 14:00:59 +0000 The Congressional Budget Office's new Budget and Economic Outlook provides a useful update on the state of the economy and the budget. While the headline news is the return of trillion-dollar annual deficits, there is much more to consider. Here are four take-aways from the latest projections: 1. Interest rates have fallen and will remain… Full Article
ef What are capital gains taxes and how could they be reformed? By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 21:28:00 +0000 The Vitals Over the past 40 years, the distributions of income and wealth have grown increasingly unequal. In addition, there has been growing understanding that the United States faces a long-term fiscal shortfall that must be addressed, at least in part, by raising revenues. For these and other reasons, proposals to raise taxes on wealthy… Full Article
ef Careful or careless? Perspectives on the CARES Act By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:42:34 +0000 The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by the Senate on March 25 and expected to be rapidly approved by the House and President, is the largest aid package in history. The bipartisan deal allocates $2 trillion in an effort to mitigate the mounting fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, including $1.5 trillion… Full Article
ef Previewing this Week’s Public Forum on Immigration Reform at Claremont McKenna College By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Today at Claremont McKenna College, a new bipartisan public forum—the Dreier Roundtable—will convene leaders in politics, business, journalism and academia to hold constructive, substantive discussions about immigration reform. Just days after the midterm elections of 2014, the panel of experts will examine the strengths and weaknesses of current immigration policy and debate the economic and… Full Article Uncategorized
ef With the US out, how can Iran benefit from the JCPOA? By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 16 May 2018 16:22:28 +0000 In Iran, the only surprise regarding President Donald Trump’s May 8 announcement to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was that it was four days early. The decision was anticipated, and most Iranians believed that the deal was not doing much anyway. What did surprise them was the response of their own leaders.… Full Article
ef Iran’s economic reforms in retreat By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 04 Dec 2018 21:04:53 +0000 If the intended aim of the new round of U.S. sanctions were to change Iran’s behavior, it already has. Just not the behavior the Trump team had in mind—Iran abandoning its pursuit of pro-market economic reforms. President Hassan Rouhani, who was elected twice, in 2013 and 2017, on a platform of liberal economic reforms, has… Full Article
ef Despite Gaza Conflict, Turkey and Israel Would Benefit from Rapprochement By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 11:00:00 -0400 The recent outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas is a serious setback to ongoing Turkish-Israeli normalization efforts. Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, its third operation against Hamas since leaving Gaza in 2005, in response to rockets and missiles fired by Hamas from Gaza into Israel. As in Israel’s two previous Gaza campaigns, Operation Cast Lead (2008-09) and Operation Pillar of Defense (2012), Turkey quickly condemned Israel’s actions, yet offered to mediate, together with Qatar, between Israel and Hamas. After Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the midst of his presidential campaign, equated Israeli policy towards Gaza to a “systematic genocide” and accused Israel of surpassing “Hitler in barbarism,” Israel accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Turkey and Qatar of “sabotaging the cease-fire proposal,” and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu complained to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry about Erdogan’s statements. Turkish leaders’ harsh rhetoric sparked violent demonstrations in front of Israel’s embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul, lead the Israeli government to evacuate diplomats’ families, and issue a travel warning advising against travel to Turkey, which prompted numerous cancellations of tourist travel. On Sunday, Netanyahu refrained from declaring Turkish-Israeli reconciliation dead, but accused Erdogan of anti-Semitism more aligned with Tehran then the West. These heightened Israeli-Turkish tensions come just as the two countries were negotiating a compensation deal for families of victims of the May 31, 2010 Mavi Marmara incident. The deal was intended to facilitate a long-awaited normalization between the two countries, more than a year after Israel’s official apology. The draft stipulated an estimated $21 million in Israeli compensation, the reinstatement of each country’s ambassador, and the reestablishment of a senior-level bilateral dialogue. However, a series of issues has prevented the deal’s finalization, including: Turkish domestic political considerations about the timing (related to March 2014 municipal elections and August 2014 presidential elections) and Israeli demands for Turkish commitments to block future lawsuits related to the Marmara incident. With the ongoing Gaza conflict, prospects for normalization have again faded at least in the short term, and policymakers on both sides seem to have accepted a limited relationship. Erdogan even declared publicly that as long as he’s in power, there is no chance “to have any positive engagement with Israel”, dismissing any prospect for normalization. Israeli-Turkish animosity runs deep, not only among leaders, but at the grassroots level as well. While it may be difficult to look beyond the short term, a focus on the broader regional picture suggests four reasons why the two countries would benefit from restoring ties. First, they share strategic interests. Turkey and Israel see eye to eye on many issues: preventing a nuclear Iran; concerns over spillover from the Syrian civil war; and finally, the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS/ISIL) and security and stability in Iraq. A resumed dialogue and renewed intelligence sharing can pave the way for more concrete cooperation between Turkey and Israel on all these regional issues, with development of a joint approach toward Syria topping the agenda. Second, regional environment may be beyond their control, the bilateral relationship is not. Normalization can eliminate one factor of instability in an unstable region. Third, Washington sees greater cooperation and cohesiveness in the U.S.-Turkey-Israel triangle as essential. President Obama has sought to restore a dialogue between Ankara and Jerusalem, including efforts to “extract” an Israeli apology and Turkish acceptance. Senior U.S. officials remain active in trying to improve the Turkish-Israeli relationship. Fourth, normalization may convey benefits in the economic sphere, with possible cooperation on natural gas, tourism, and enhanced trade. Gas in particular is viewed as a possible game-changer. In 2013, bilateral trade first crossed the $5 billion mark, and data from the first six months of 2014 indicates a continued rise. A political thaw can help accelerate these joint business opportunities. Nevertheless, at this stage it is clear that serious U.S. involvement is required for Turkish-Israeli rapprochement to succeed, even in a limited fashion. At present, there are far greater challenges for U.S. foreign policy in the region. The question now is whether the relationship between two of America’s closest regional allies reflects a new “normal,” or whether the leaders of both countries – and the U.S. – can also muster the political will to reconnect the US-Turkey-Israel triangle along more productive lines. Check back to Brookings.edu for Dan Arbell’s upcoming analysis paper: The U.S.-Turkey-Israel Triangle. Authors Dan Arbell Image Source: © Osman Orsal / Reuters Full Article
ef Whole Foods CEO Defends Health Insurance Views, His Right to Speak, in New WSJ Interview By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:03:27 -0400 Treehugger has been closely following the saga of Whole Foods CEO and co-founder John Mackey since he published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal saying, among other things, that "A careful reading of both the Declaration of Independence and the Full Article Business
ef Redesigning How We Clean: Ami Shah of iQ on Their Award Winning Refill Packaging (Interview) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:12:38 -0400 Over one billion plastic cleaning containers go into landfill each year, according to the Canadian eco-cleaning company Planet People. And did you know that the majority of household cleaners are 95 per cent water and only five per Full Article Design
ef USA: food scarcity and the “efficiency of the market” By www.marxist.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 11:17:37 +0100 In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions tried to prepare for social isolation like they would for a blizzard—stocking up not just on toilet paper and sanitizer, but also on pantry basics like milk, eggs, flour, and beans. Faced with this sudden surge in demand, grocery stores across the country were completely overwhelmed. Not just shelves but entire stores were cleared out, so “one-per-customer” rules were established on select items and notices were posted detailing which were out of stock. As we have written elsewhere, the capitalists can’t efficiently sustain supply chains through a crisis such as this. Full Article United States
ef Tomorrow: 1945 movie shows the glorious future of prefab By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 05 Nov 2018 13:54:52 -0500 We have seen this movie before. Full Article Design
ef Tour Facebook's New Energy Efficient Data Center (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 02 May 2011 15:09:00 -0400 Facebook just opened their newest data center, which they've pushed to make as energy efficient as possible. In fact, it even inspired the Open Compute project in which they open source every last detail about the data Full Article Technology
ef PG&E; Replacing 1,600 Smart Meters with a Rare Defect Affecting Customers' Billing By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 05 May 2011 12:42:00 -0400 Pacific Gas & Electric, a California-based utility, has been plagued with issues during their major push to get smart meters installed in every household in their area, from complaints about possible health Full Article Technology
ef Opponents of Smart Meters Fall Short on Effort to Ban Installations In Illinois Town By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:53:00 -0500 A judge rules against smart meter opponents in Naperville, Illinois who wanted to hold a vote on whether the devices should be installed in their city. Full Article Technology
ef Italian energy giant to phase out coal, go carbon neutral before 2050 By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 19 Mar 2015 06:34:27 -0400 In the future, we'll be buying energy from utilities that look very different than what we are used to. Full Article Energy
ef The Starck difference between two "green" prefabs By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 13:59:00 -0400 The differences between the new prefabs by Philippe Starck for RIKO and the Bright Built Homes are instructive. Full Article Design
ef Wretched Excess or Clever Design? Apartment tower with car elevators is definitely the former. By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 15:45:38 -0500 Two years ago we couldn't decide, but when you see it in action the answer is obvious. Full Article Design
ef Why the Filthy Rich Aren't Green: 7 Habits of Highly Inefficient People By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:55:00 -0500 Photo Courtesy of Millionaire-Maker PackageOh how we love to hate the filthy rich--even more so in these tough economic times. While the rest of us mere mortals are struggling to make ends meet, the hyper-rich live by the motto "if you've got it, Full Article Living
ef It's Gonna Take a Lotta Love to Reforest Indonesia By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2009 08:30:00 -0400 Love is often said to blossom, but a new government initiative in the Indonesian district of Garut aims to make that metaphor literal by requiring newly married couples to plant 10 tree saplings.Two years ago, Indonesia Full Article Business
ef 10 Wacky (and Mostly Wasteful) Royal Wedding Souvenirs By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 06:37:48 -0400 In the market for a royal PEZ dispenser? The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton -- set for this Friday, April 29 -- has inspired dozens of trinkets, tchotckeys, and souvenirs of varying usefulness, quality, and taste, from cheesy mugs and ugly Full Article Living
ef 10 Wacky (and Mostly Wasteful) Royal Wedding Souvenirs (Slideshow) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:02:56 -0400 In the market for a royal PEZ dispenser? Full Article Living
ef Eco Wine Review: Hahn SLH Estate 2010 Chef's Table Viognier By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Tue, 08 May 2012 06:50:38 -0400 Hahn SLH Estate's 2010 Chef's Table Viognier is one of the most interesting whites you'll ever smell. It's completely intoxicating with notes of white peach, banana, honeydew and jasmine. Only 100 cases were made, so get this one quickly! Full Article Living
ef Organic winemaker faces jail for refusing to apply pesticide By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 15:41:27 -0500 The French agriculture ministry has sentenced Emmanuel Giboulot six months in jail for not taking preventative measures against a bacterial vine disease. Full Article Science
ef Recycled suitcase sculptures 'unpack' metaphysical baggage of the refugee experience (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Sun, 30 Sep 2018 12:38:18 -0400 Using recycled materials and audio recordings from refugees, this exhibition hopes to deepen understanding and connection with those who have had to flee their home countries. Full Article Living
ef Reused Tires Make a Squid-Like Playground for Refugee Children By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:00:00 -0400 When Go Play! announced a competition to design an innovative playground for 1,000 refugee children along the border of Thailand and Burma, Dutch designer AnneMarie van Splunter thought of old car tires. To Full Article Design
ef Rare Footage of Wildlife in Thailand's Forests Shows That Anti-Poaching Efforts Work (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:11:02 -0500 Elephants, tigers, and other threatened species are thriving in Thailand's Western Forest Complex thanks to conservation efforts. Full Article Science
ef Innovative prefabricated bamboo trusses hold up this new sports hall By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:04:45 -0400 Marrying the traditional material of bamboo with modern engineering, this impressive sports hall in Thailand was constructed without steel reinforcements or connections. Full Article Design
ef American roads are dangerous by design, and more people are dying than ever before By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 25 Jan 2019 13:46:35 -0500 "The time for complacency has passed. We must treat this crisis as if our lives, and the lives of our friends, families, and neighbors, depend on it. " Full Article Transportation
ef Could Cities Benefit from Small-Scale, Local "Urban Acupuncture" Projects Like This? (Photos) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 -0500 Woven from bamboo, this inviting structure transforms an empty lot in busy Taipei into a haven where neighborhood residents can relax and gather over a fire. Full Article Design
ef These clever concrete defense pods double as mangrove planters (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 14:52:21 -0400 This design is a hybrid of existing concrete sea defenses that can hold a mangrove seedling inside. Full Article Design
ef Do you prefer a paper book or an e-book? (Survey) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 07:50:02 -0500 A recent post that claimed readers absorb less from e-books. I wonder (and so do many commenters) if that's really true. Full Article Living
ef Ozone hole is officially shrinking, proof that international treaties can be effective By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Jan 2018 12:12:34 -0500 New NASA study offers first direct proof that the ozone hole is recovering thanks to the Montreal Protocol treaty and the international ban on CFCs. Full Article Business
ef Reflecting Sunlight Away From Earth to Cool the Planet Could Help Some Places, Really Hurt Others By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:13:00 -0400 Among the more high risk methods of geoengineering, methods that reflect sunlight away from the Earth to counteract temperature rise are right up there in terms of potential unintended consequences. Well, a new piece of Full Article Science
ef Climate News Recap: Climate Scientists Get A Legal Defense Fund; Warming to Both Help & Hurt UK; More By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:41:00 -0500 Plus, spewing sulfate into sky to stop warming won't fully work (redux); what Singapore's doing to make sure sea level rise doesn't swamp their city. Here's what caught our eye this morning. Full Article Science
ef Why interconnectedness makes disaster relief so hard By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 23 May 2013 09:10:00 -0400 Kevin Kelly explains why the complex interconnectedness of modern technology and society makes disaster relief and system change so challenging. Full Article Design
ef LaneFab's little Vancouver laneway houses are pretty fab By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 26 Apr 2018 13:31:22 -0400 They may not be the answer to the housing crisis, but they certainly are wonderful little homes. Full Article Design
ef Finally! U.N. to create asteroid defense group to prevent death from above By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:44:20 -0400 What's the point of protecting the environment if bad luck brings a big space rock on a trajectory that crosses Earth's path? Full Article Science
ef It's World Toilet Day, and there is a new standard defining what a toilet should do By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:00:06 -0500 In a few years people around the world, including you, may be sitting on a different kind of toilet. Full Article Design
ef Fans manufacturers who tout their products' energy efficiency fight energy efficiency regulations By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:01:00 -0400 Normally you can't have it both ways, unless you have a member of congress in your pocket. Full Article Business
ef NASA Satellite Images of Istanbul Put Causes and Consequences of Urban Sprawl in Stark Relief By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0500 Building new roads has been a major contributor to the city's unsustainable growth, newly released Landsat photos show, but more of the same appears to be on the horizon. Full Article Transportation
ef Prefab off-grid cabin opens up with pulley-operated windows By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 23 May 2018 14:42:10 -0400 This compact shelter is a place for a family to spend their summers in the middle of nature. Full Article Design
ef How Istanbul is extending the olive branch to Syrian refugees By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 06 May 2019 07:00:00 -0400 Tourists can witness it firsthand, thanks to Intrepid Travel's partnership with a local NGO. Full Article Living
ef Bootleg oil refining photographed in Niger Delta By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:30:00 -0500 Samuel James captures must-see photos of bootleg oil refining taking place in Nigeria's Niger Delta. Full Article Living
ef Biophilia & growing baby corals to rebuild reefs (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Sun, 20 Dec 2015 07:00:00 -0500 One scientist speaks about how the knee-jerk reaction to "save the corals" needs to deepen into a real love for these fascinating creatures. Full Article Science
ef Cabin project follows stress-reducing effect of living in nature -- the Swedish way (Video) By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:52:22 -0400 Swedes enjoy an interesting "close-to-nature" lifestyle -- this informal study shows how it might help visitors from other countries. Full Article Design
ef Lego’s refusal of bricks to artist Ai Weiwei sparks beautiful action By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Oct 2015 17:39:22 -0400 Art meets accidental crowd-sourced recycling. Full Article Living