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The demand for convenience is creating problems on sidewalks in China, especially in its largest cities. Shared bikes and food delivery on scooters are causing clutter and congestion on sidewalks. In Shanghai, a city of 24 million people, shared bikes are left on the sidewalk, piled on top of each other. Food delivery scooters have no dedicated lanes in the street, so they speed through pedestrians on the sidewalk trying to make deliveries on time. With such limited walking space left on the sidewalk, people sometimes walk in the road which is dangerous. Listen to hear more about the problems the convenience economy has created in China.
Story Length: 3:39
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January 19, 2018
4:57
A village in India has gotten the reputation for being very clean. Mawlynnong's residents try to make sure their houses and streets are spotless. Now many visitors come to see this sparkling clean village. Listen to this story and think about whether you think cleanliness is hereditary or influenced by surroundings and then debate: Are people born messy or clean?
Read MoreNovember 3, 2016
3:26
Self-driving cars have been getting a lot of attention lately, with companies such as Uber, Tesla and Google trying out their autonomous vehicles on city streets. However, the big shift towards self-driving vehicles may not be with fancy electric cars, but with long-haul trucks. Trucks are well-suited for self-driving technology and will make the job of driving less dangerous. Listen to hear why people are predicting that trucks will undergo the shift earlier than cars.
Read MoreSeptember 11, 2015
2:30
Uber is a leader in the “sharing economy.” It brings together people who need rides with people who have cars. But its business model has been challenged by the traditional taxi business as well as by its own drivers. Uber drivers argue that they should be classified as employees and not contractors. In California, the law states that employers have to reimburse employees for expenses to do their jobs. Now a federal lawsuit is digging into this issue. Use this story to spark a debate among your students.
Debate It! Uber Versus Taxis: Should Uber drivers be classified as employees or independent contractors? Provide evidence for your opinion.
Read MoreDecember 9, 2014
6:00
Most streets in the United States were designed for cars, not for people riding bicycles or walking. In densely populated cities this has meant that people are forced to live on streets where they don’t feel safe walking and cycling. A new movement, called “complete streets,” pushes cities to design streets to fit the needs of all the people who use it, not just people in cars. Listen to learn how this “complete streets” movement is being put into effect in cities across the country.
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