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Some developers are building homes like Paulson's with an eye toward making them more resilient to the extreme weather that's increasing with climate change, and friendlier to the environment at the same time. Solar panels, for example, installed so snugly that high winds can't get underneath them, mean clean power that can survive a storm. Recycled or advanced construction materials that reduce energy use as well as the need to make new material. Pearl Homes' Mirabella community in Bradenton, Florida, consists of 160 houses that are all LEED-certified platinum, the highest level of one of the most-used green building rating systems. “We’re building the same old stuff that got blown away.”Babcock Ranch is another sustainable, hurricane-resilient community in South Florida.

Persons: Hurricane Michael, Bonny Paulson's, ” Paulson, Steve Linton, “, Marshall Gobuty, ” Gobuty, Paulson, she's, ”, ” Babcock, Syd Kitson, Ian, Kitson, you’re, Nature, Natalia Padalino, Alan Klingler, ” Klingler, ” Padalino, Laura Bargfeld, Gerald Herbert Organizations: Hurricane, Florida Panhandle, Homes, Pearl Homes, University of Central, Babcock, Florida Keys, Associated Press, AP Locations: Mexico Beach , Florida, Bradenton , Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida, Mexico Beach, South Florida, U.S, New Orleans

☆ A third of Columbus, Ohio's population just had $335 million in medical debt wiped out thanks to Biden's American Rescue Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The letters are informing more than 300,000 residents that some, if not all, of their medical debt will be forgiven. All told, the hospitals are wiping clean about $335 million in medical debt for nearly one-third of the city's population. The Columbus City Council first approved the plan on October 16 after months of research and planning. The plan was made together with the Central Ohio Hospital Council, which represents four major hospital systems in the region. Cook County, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have all implemented similar plans to provide medical debt relief.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Pro Tem Rob Dorans, Dorans, Jeff Klingler, Columbus, Klingler, Andrea Organizations: Rescue Plan, Morning, Columbus City Council, City, Pro Tem, Central Ohio Hospital Council, Associated Press, American Rescue, Ohio State University Locations: Columbus , Ohio, Columbus, New York, Ohio, Toledo, United States, Cook County , Illinois, New Orleans , Louisiana, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, Franklin County

☆ Tens of Thousands Demand Climate Action in Swiss Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 60,000 protesters gathered in the Swiss capital Bern on Saturday demanding tougher policies to combat climate change, organisers said, less than a month ahead of a national election. Such large protests are rare in Switzerland and show growing public frustration with the pace of policy-making to combat global warming despite ample evidence of its impact. "Many have been losing hope because the government is approving new roads and delaying the climate law. "Parliament, with its bourgeois majority, is preventing rapid, consistent and effective climate protection," the Green Party said. Its voters approved a draft climate law in June that aims to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 by giving financial incentives for firms and consumers to switch to renewables.

Persons: Georg Klingler, Emma Farge, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Greenpeace, Green Party Locations: GENEVA, Swiss, Bern, Switzerland

☆ Tens of thousands demand climate action in Swiss capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Protesters gather demanding policies to combat climate change in Bern, Switzerland September 30, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Setayesh Ansari/Instagram @setayesh.ans via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - More than 60,000 protesters gathered in the Swiss capital Bern on Saturday demanding tougher policies to combat climate change, organisers said, less than a month ahead of a national election. "Many have been losing hope because the government is approving new roads and delaying the climate law. Switzerland's policies are deemed "insufficient" by research consortium Climate Action Tracker. Its voters approved a draft climate law in June that aims to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 by giving financial incentives for firms and consumers to switch to renewables.

Persons: Setayesh Ansari, Instagram @setayesh.ans, Georg Klingler, Emma Farge, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Protesters, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Greenpeace, Green Party, Thomson Locations: Bern, Switzerland, Swiss

“With us, you know what you get, which is rare nowadays!” Alexandre Edelmann, head of Presence Switzerland, a government agency that promotes the country abroad, says in an email. “People love our country without always knowing why,” says Jacques Pitteloud, Switzerland’s ambassador to the U.S. and a veteran diplomat. We are constantly leading the pack in terms of innovation.”This is evident in the prominent role Switzerland plays in some key areas of the global economy. Acknowledging "the elephant in the room," Pitteloud says Switzerland and the EU have "a complex relationship." And as a relatively small, landlocked country in which many areas are difficult to inhabit due to terrain, Switzerland is facing challenges related to population and resources.

Persons: Roger Federer, Philippe, –, Alexandre Edelmann, ”, Jacques Pitteloud, Pitteloud, ” Delphine Donné, Ruag, yearslong, ” Georg Klingler, Donné Organizations: Wimbledon, U.S . News, European Union, Bank, Presence Switzerland, Nestle, Roche, Novartis, Atlas, Logitech, ETH Zurich, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, EU, Greenpeace, Associated Press Locations: Switzerland, Europe, U.S, Swiss, France, China, Canada, Lausanne, Ukraine, Greenpeace Switzerland

[1/2] A participant applies rainbow coloured facepaint before a 5.17 km run to mark International Day Against Homophobia in a park in Beijing, China, May 17, 2018. Thirteen diplomats from nine Western and Asian delegations said that the challenges they face when arranging events about gender equality and LGBT issues, or broader cultural activities, showed how China's red lines have shifted. Some recent Chinese actions around foreign missions drew widespread attention, including a warning from authorities aimed at embassies displaying Ukraine flags. Three diplomats told Reuters the incident had made them more careful about meeting with civil society figures. "A case could be made that the intentional disruption of embassy activities violates one or the other of these provisions, if not both," he said.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Xi, Guy Saint, Jacques, Peter Stano, Yaqiu Wang, Wang, Yu Wensheng, Xu Yan, Joseph Klingler, Foley Hoag, Laurie Chen, Yew Lun Tian, Brenda Goh, Engen Tham, David Crawshaw Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry, Vienna Convention, Diplomatic Relations, of Public Security, Europe, UNESCO, United Nations, Coordinator's, Beijing LGBT Center, Human Rights Watch, Police, European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, SHANGHAI, Canada, Vienna, Ukraine, Western, Joseph Klingler , Washington, Shanghai

☆ Renault-backed Beyonca EV venture touts health monitoring, targets Audi in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Soh, Beyonca's chairman, said the company was targeting the high-end premium segment, where they would compete with models such as Audi's A8L, BMW's 7 Series and Mercedes' S Class. Soh said that by the time the car was launched, third generation EV technology would offer faster charging times and longer driving ranges. Soh acknowledged the difficult backdrop but pointed to steady growth in the premium car segment, which he said had potential annual sales of 3 million cars in China. He declined to say how much Beyonca had raised from investors or how large a stake Renault and Dongfeng held in the company. Beyonca is headquartered in Beijing and has a design center in Munich and an artificial intelligence development hub in Singapore.

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