Which Way, L.A.?
Can the Port of Los Angeles Slash Emissions and Still Grow?
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest employers in the region--and some of the worst polluters. Last week Port Commissioners adopted a $2 billion "green growth" action plan. Do the technologies exist? Who will pay for it? Will the transformation help the hundreds of thousands already hurt by pollution? Plus, the auto engineer who drove fashionable Angelenos out of their BMW's--and into Priuses. Jim Sterngold guest hosts.
By Jim Sterngold • • 30m ListenThe Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest employers in the region--and some of the worst polluters. Last week Port Commissioners adopted a $2 billion "green growth" action plan. Do the technologies exist? Who will pay for it? Will the transformation help the hundreds of thousands already hurt by pollution? Plus, the auto engineer who drove fashionable Angelenos out of their BMW's--and into Priuses. Jim Sterngold guest hosts.
In this episode
2 storiesPorts of Long Beach and Los Angeles Go for Cleaner Air
Together, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles handle more cargo than any other harbor in the US and provide more well-paying jobs by far than Hollywood. But they're also among the worst polluters, spewing volumes of dangerous emissions and particulates, which experts say are causing hundreds of early deaths each year.
Read the story20 minThe American Father of the Prius Dies
Over the past couple years a snub-nosed Toyota--ungainly, quiet, and cheap--has replaced ultra-expensive imports as the fashionable car for the well-to-do. The man who helped engineer the shift was David Hermance , who fought to create acceptance for the fuel-efficient Prius and its distinctive hybrid motor.
Read the story6 min