Norway offers bus-lane access for electric vehicles, many recharging stations, privileged parking, and toll-free travel. The initiative began in the 1990s as an effort to cut pollution, congestion, and noise in urban centres; now its primary rationale is combating climate change. Today, Norway has the highest per capita number of all-electric [battery only] cars in the world. Last year, electric vehicles constituted nearly 40% of the nation's newly registered passenger cars.
Earlier this year, Norway opened the world's largest fast-charging station, which can charge up to 28 vehicles in about half an hour. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/07/power-to-the-ev-norway-spearheads-europes-electri
Portugal decriminalised the use of all drugs in 2001. Possession and use of small quantities of these drugs was treated as a public health issue, not a criminal one. The drugs were still illegal but now getting caught with them meant a small fine and maybe a referral to a treatment program, not jail time and a criminal record. Drug-induced deaths have decreased steeply since then. Portugal's drug mortality rate is now the lowest in Western Europe, one-tenth the rate of Britain or Denmark, and about one-fiftieth the latest number for the U.S.https://mic.com/articles/110344/14-years-after-portugal-decriminalized-all-drugs-here-s-what-s-happening
People often ask how current political representation might be improved, to avoid the cheap point scoring and sloganeering of elected/campaigning politicians. One option might be to trial an Upper House selected by lot - a Citizens' Senate - with an advisory role, to start with.
Senators (say 99) would be recruited at random - like a jury - from the Australian population, with a third rotated out every 2 to 3 years. Consider it paid National Service. If nothing else, there'd be 50% women, and it would provide an insight into the thinking of everyday Australians, away from the parti-political machinations of elected representatives. www.newdemocracy.com.au
Tech:NYC aims to be the leading voice of NY's fast-growing, entrepreneurial high-tech industry. It represents the city's high-tech sector as well as government, media and civic institutions involved in business and public policy forums with an interest in the sector. Its primary goal is to continue to attract tech talent and jobs to NYC and it's modelled on a similar NFP representing the tech sector in San Francisco. It advocates for policies that underscore a regulatory environment supporting the growth of technology companies and technology talent in NYC. In the past few months issues they have considered include a data breach bill, local drone regulation, how to handle ride-sharing and home-sharing services, and how to treat contract employees. www.technyc.org
