Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Dash cams are your second set of eyes on todays mean streets. Unlike a passenger, a dash cam is ever alert to whats happening, keeping a record complete with timestamp and GPS coordinates. There are different things to consider when choosing a dash cam, such as whether you want a front, front/interior, or front/rear model. We have reviews of all types. For even more information on what features to look for in dash cam, scroll to our buyers guide beneath our buying recommendations.

You can also save yourself a lot of confusion and aggravation by checking out our instructions on how to install a dash cam.

1. Cobra SC 400D

Our recent review of the Cobra SC 400D left us smitten. Its pricey, yes, but it delivers with stunning images4K for the front, 1080p in the rearday or night, has a crisp 3-inch screen, and can be expanded with a 120-degree FOV cam for the interior.

2. Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam

Not only does the 622GW accept the companys versatile rear view modules, it takes the most realistic, detailed night videos weve ever seenby far. Throw in drive mapping, a wonderful 3-inch display, plus emergency response to accidents, and you have a winner.

3. Viofo A129 Pro Duo

Another of the 4K-front/1080p rear camera setups, the Viofo A129 Pro Duo was the first to win us over to the benefits of 4K. Its been matched in those abilities by newer models, but the A129 comes at a competitive price that cant be ignored.

4. Nextbase 222X Dash Cam Budget option

If you really want to save money, this Walmart-exclusive Nextbase 222X front-and-rear camera duo offers great value. The 1080p/720p video is a compromise, but video quality was good, it has a nice magnetic mount, a clear 2.5 screen, and a battery-supported parking mode.

1. Garmin Dash Cam 57

This small but mighty front dash cam has it all: great 1440p video with a 140-degree field of view; integrated GPS and driving assistance; good phone connectivity; an easy and convenient magnetic mounting system; and the backing of Garmins good name.

2. Thinkware F200 Pro dash cam Budget option

Our budget pick for this category is no slouch. Thinkwares F200 Pro sports a very svelt profile, the better for remaining unobtrusive. Beyond that, its one heck of product, worth the slight premium over rock-bottom budget models.

1. Garmin Dash Cam Tandem

Garmins front/interior camera is easy to install, features a compact body that helps it avoid detection, and has an excellent magnetic mountall useful features that make up for the average 1440p/720p video capture quality.

2. Cobra SC 201 Smart Dash Cam Budget option

Dash cams are all about capturing the action, and few do it better than thefront/interior Cobra SC 201 Smart Dash Cam (currently $179.95 on Amazon). The exterior night video, especially, is unsurpassed in its ability to show details in dark surroundings and it offers a laundry list of features including GPS and cloud uploads. The company even includes a 16GB SD card. Its well worth the money for what you getjust dont try to use the cloud functionality with an older phone OS. Read our full review.

1. Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2

This is the smallest dash cam on the market that we know of. Definitely the top choice for anyone who wants their dash cam to remain discreet. But its small size doesnt mean its lacking in features. Its 1080p front video is good day and night; the cam can be controlled via voice commands or using the paired smartphone app; and its affordable. We can sacrifice the GPS for these perks.

Well step you through what to think about when youre shopping for a dash cam, from video capabilities, recording options, power connections, and more.

Something most people dont consider before they buy is that dash cams connect to a power source in your car via a physical cable. That cable can sometimes be tucked out of the way, but more likely than not youll have loose cable hanging somewhere. You can sometimes fix this with a longer or shorter cable (or a professional installation). Keep that in mind as you consider your power options:

Few people are as well situated geographically as I am to test dash cams. Within two blocks there are major four- and six-lane thoroughfares, numerous bike lanes, joggers, dog walkers, oblivious ear-budded pedestrians, and a major bus nexus serving both public and private coaches. The opportunities for near-accident are endless.

For every dash cam, I mount it in my car, judging the ease and convenience of doing so.Tip:Many dash cams rely on adhesive for mounting to your windshield. Hot conditions can make it next to impossible to remove the film that protects the adhesive. Remove the film in a cool environment, or place it in the fridge for a minute or two before installing it.

I put each dash cam through several days and nights worth of driving,recording video and judging the image quality. All the dash cams Ive reviewed in the last couple of years take good daytime video. However, night video is often plagued by murky shadows and headlight flare. That said, quality is improving rapidly with the introduction of new sensors. Take a close look at the night shots in each review.

I try all the features: Buttons, display controls, apps.Aside from rear-view support and GPS, the most salient differences between the products are the interface controls and extra features, such as the lane departure and collision warnings that you get with some models. I try themand I turn them off. In practice, they usually tell me Im changing lanes, in heavy traffic, or have just been cut off. Additionally, the collision warnings generally come too late to do anything but distract you at exactly the wrong time.

Note that the one thing I cant relate to you is longevity, as my testing occurs over a relatively short amount of time. Please check user reviews on various sights and pay attention to the warranty.

Dash cams have plenty of room to evolve. As nice as dual-channel is, theres talk about true 360-degree video. Check out TechHivesreview of PowerDVD 16s 3D playbackto see how compelling that can be.

Melissa Riofrio spent her formative journalistic years reviewing some of the biggest iron at PCWorld--desktops, laptops, storage, printers--and she continued to focus on hardware testing during stints at Computer Currents and CNET. Currently, in addition to leading PCWorlds content direction, she covers productivity laptops and Chromebooks.

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Best dash cams 2021: Your second set of eyes on the road - PCWorld

Pods arrive at Victoria Dock in Dundee, for construction of Hillcrest houses Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. Linked In An icon of the Linked In logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo.

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Pods arrive at Victoria Dock in Dundee, for construction of Hillcrest houses - The Courier

Take a look around your room. It is likely full of sophisticated digital technology: computers, smartphones, an internet-enabled TV, and even a smart speaker. However, the building itself has not really changed since the introduction of electrical wiring and central heating many decades ago.

Smart buildings aim to bring digital technologies into the fabric of the building, rather than just to objects within it. They will utilize a wide range of emerging technologies, such as semi-transparent photovoltaics on windows, moisture sensors for leak detection, and printed heaters with wall panels.

Combined with changes to building construction, such as greater use of prefabricated panels with integrated electronic functionality, incorporating technologies such as these promises smart buildings that facilitate predictive maintenance, are more energy-efficient, and are responsive to the needs of occupants.

Anyone that has had a water leak at home knows that it is extremely annoying and expensive, with walls, ceilings, and flooring all needing replacement. Furthermore, the affected area is out of action while everything is dried using extremely noisy fans and dehumidifiers. Clearly, a technology that reduces the likelihood and severity of leaks would bring clear benefits to home and business owners, along with insurance companies.

An alternative approach to leak detection is being developed by UK company Laiier. It offers low-cost capacitive sensors, which are made from carbon-based inks and can be produced using conventional graphics printers. The thin-film sensor format enables them to be placed underneath appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, boilers, and pipes, or even under flooring or within walls. The sensors are connected to the cloud, and hence able to provide the property owner with an alert when an increase in moisture is detected, enabling repairs to be performed before a leak becomes significant.

Housebuilding techniques have not changed substantially in many years, with most houses still being constructed on-site using conventional building materials. Plumbing and electricity are installed during the construction process, requiring skilled manual labor during every build. While most cars have been produced on a production line with extensive automation for many years, houses are still essentially handcrafted.

There is thus an excellent opportunity to simultaneously reduce construction costs and provide additional value to the building's occupants by integrating functionality into building materials. Promising examples include incorporating electrical heaters into wall panels, thus removing the need for unsightly free-standing radiators. Electrical switches, wiring, lighting, and other sensor types could also be installed into wall panels prior to installation, reducing the need for individual fixings that increase costs and create visual clutter.

Heating and powering homes more efficiently is crucial in meeting CO2 emission targets since at present around 30% of emissions in developed countries come from domestic households. While clearly greater adoption of established technologies such as thicker wall/roof insulation is important, there is also plenty of scope for emerging technologies to contribute.

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Smart Buildings: Another Frontier for the Digital Revolution - IDTechEx.com

Hindware 3 L Instant Water GeyserVertical3 L6.5 bar4.1: Warranty: Overall- 2 years, 5 years on tank and 2 years on the heating elementHindware 25 L Storage Water Geyser25 LVertical 6.5 bar4.2, Warranty: Overall- 2 years, 5 years on tank and 2 years on heating elementBAJAJ 15 L Storage Water Geyser (Popular Plus)Vertical8 bar15 L4.2, Warranty: Tank-5 years, Heating Element-2 years, Product-1 yearV-Guard 15 L Storage Water Geyser Vertical8 bar15 L4.2, Warranty: Overall- 2 years, 5 years on tank and 3 years on heating elementAo Smith 25 L Storage Water GeyserVertical8 bar25 L4.3, Warranty: Overall- 2 years, 7 years on tank and 3 years extended warranty on heating element.CROMPTON 25 L Storage Water GeyserVertical8 bar25 L4.3, Warranty: Overall- 2 years, 7 years on tank and 2 years on heating elementHAVELLS 10 L Storage Water Geyser (Instanio)Vertical0.8 bar10 L4.3, Warranty: Inner container-7 years, Heating Element-4 years, Product- 2 yearsBAJAJ 25 L Storage Water Geyser (Popular Plus)Vertical8 bar25 L4.3, Warranty: Tank-5 years, Heating Element-2 years, Product-1 yearHAVELLS 25 L Storage Water Geyser (Instanio Prime)Vertical8 bar25 L4.2, Warranty: Inner container-7 years, Heating Element-4 years, Product- 2 yearsHAVELLS 25 L Storage Water Geyser (Instanio Prime)Vertical8 bar25 L4.2, Warranty: Inner container-7 years, Heating Element-4 years, Product- 2 years

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Here are the best water heaters/geyser for home you can get this winter season - Business Insider India

Shipping containers have a lot of uses outside of getting goods around the world on the backs of ships, trucks and trailers. But I have to admit, I havent thought about the potential of using one as a custom camper. Now for just $4,000, you can have a 10-foot container turned into a discount travel trailer, if thats your jam.

I love the concept of using something for a purpose other than it was originally constructed for. I write a lot about old school buses, box trucks and transit buses now living new lives as homes on wheels. A similar thing happens with shipping containers. Some people repurpose shipping containers into stylish modern homes while other build storage complexes out of them.

But I hadnt considered posting up at the local KOA with a tiny shipping container bolted to a trailer.

The seller of this 2019 Custom Camper on RVT says that this travel trailer would be perfect for weekend camping or use as a home base. It consists of a 10-foot shipping container riding on a twin axle trailer. These are normally 10 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet, 6 inches tall. The addition of the trailer frame makes this one a total of 15 feet long and 10 feet tall. Its dimensions are similar to that of a fiberglass camper, but thats where the similarities end.

Inside, it looks like the builder took whatever they had laying around their basement and shoved it in.

Theres a cabinet, a king-size bed and one of those propane heaters that youd usually install in a garage. Amazingly, it has some basic facilities, too. Theres a cassette toilet, sink, shower and water heater. Onboard is also 14 gallons of fresh water storage and 27 gallons of grey water.

Sadly missing is any form of air-conditioning.

The trailer its mounted to has brakes and a tire pressure monitoring system. Its said to track straight, though I cant imagine pulling a steel brick is good for fuel economy. It also weighs in at around 3,250 pounds; three times as heavy as a comparatively-sized fiberglass camper.

They say that the camper turns heads and I bet it does. Imagine waking up and seeing this next to your campsite.

I like the idea; shipping containers are a blank slate to do whatever you want. But the end result of this one leaves a lot to be desired. It would look so cool painted or wrapped to look like a Borg cube from Star Trek. But really, youd likely be better off just shoving a bed into the back of a van.

If youre undeterred, the seller wants $4,000 for it after reducing the price down from $7,500. A shipping container can be had for about half of this price on Craigslist or Facebook, so youre basically just paying for the materials used to build the thing.

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A Shipping Container Might Be The Most Bizarre Thing To Camp In - Jalopnik

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) monitors forecasts and maintains open lines of communication with the National Weather Service.

Mayor Michelle Wu today joined City officials at the Public Works yard on Frontage Road to discuss winter preparations currently underway in the City of Boston, and resources available to residents, including older adults and individuals experiencing homelessness.

I am so grateful to the team from many departments and several different cabinets that come together to ensure that our streets will be safe and that our residents will be warm, supported and connected to everything that they need, saidMayor Michelle Wu. As we continue to manage amidst a global pandemic, winter will be the next phase of how were supporting all of our residents.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) monitors forecasts and maintains open lines of communication with the National Weather Service. OEM also works across City departments and with external partners to ensure coordinated response plans are in place. Residents can sign up to receiveAlertBostonnotifications by phone, text, or email in the event a snow emergency/parking ban is declared.

The Public Works Department (PWD) currently has 40,000 tons of salt on-hand to treat City streets. Along with 164 pieces of in-house snow clearing equipment, the PWD has the capability to place over 800 additional pieces on the roads during larger storms. As part of their neighborhood plowing operations during winter storms and to ensure the safety of riders following events, PWD allocates pieces of equipment to clear snow from Boston's dedicated bike lanes.

Rules on clearing snow:

Parking during a declared snow emergency:

Trash and recycling:

Caring for vulnerable populations:

Safety tips:

Dress for the weather:

Watch for signs of frostbite:

Watch for signs of hypothermia:

Heating guidelines for property owners and tenants:

Heating safety:

Tips to keep water flowing and pipes unfrozen during extreme cold:

Emergency home repair resources:

Tips to increase home energy efficiency:

Tips for what to do before a power outage:

Tips for what to do during a Power Outage:

Tips for Driving in a winter storm:

For more information, please visit theWinter in Boston guideand follow@CityofBostonon Twitter.

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Mayor Wu shares Boston's winter weather preparations - boston.gov

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United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People's Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People's Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People's Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People's Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People's Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People's Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, RevolutionaryPeople's Rep'c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People's RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People's RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People's Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People's RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Tips to lower your home's heating bill this winter - Sidney Herald Leader

WE DONT REALLY like to think about issues involving our wastewater. Yet, these issues are more regularly coming up to the surface in both a political sense and, more unfortunately, a literal one.

Globally, over four billion people use sanitation facilities that lack adequate wastewater treatment, which results in the contamination of the environment and a severe risk to public health. Ireland is no exception.

We have recently suffered a wave of swimming bans following summer heavy rains. This is a result of ageing wastewater infrastructure such as sewers and treatment plants incapable of supporting population growth and the impacts of climate change.

Irelands means of treating wastewater can be divided into two main types. The first is a centralised system in large urban areas such as Dublin where wastewater mostly flows by gravity across the city and ultimately arrives in facilities like Ringsend where it is stored and treated to remove harmful pathogens, using a lot of energy in the process.

A major concern is the collection systems where rainfall runoff from urban environments end up in the sewer, akin to safety releases, during high rainfall events. When this happens, diluted untreated sewage is released into rivers and bays due to rainwater drains overflowing into the sewers.

Sludge from household septic tank being emptied Source: KaliAntye via Shutterstock

Septic tanks across the island

The second form of treatment for wastewater is on-site or decentralised systems. Due to our sparsely-populated rural areas, we have one of the highest proportions of households around 489,000 in Europe using on-site domestic wastewater treatment systems.

The most common system is a septic tank, which separates wastewater of heavier solids and fats. Following this separation, wastewater is dosed underground into the soil along specially made trenches filled with gravel. Bacteria attached to the gravel and soil naturally treat wastewater as it percolates down to the underlying groundwater.

In my professional experience, if these systems are built according to the EPA code of practice, they should be considered an effective nature-based solution to on-site wastewater treatment. The key issue, however, is that much of the function takes place underground, so it is hard to know if these systems are functioning adequately.

Local authorities do inspect these systems, but with so many systems, and an average inspection rate of 1,000 per year, it will take nearly half a millennium to look at the systems currently in operation.

Aerial view of Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant, August 2020 Source: 4H4 Photography

Solutions to our sewage problem

One thing you come to understand when working in this area, is that there is more than one solution to the sewage problem.

Centralised systems such as those in Dublin are crucial as they treat high volumes of sewage on relatively little land but they do use a great deal of energy to do so.

These facilities could be aided by improvements in rainwater capture reducing the impact of climate change on our drainage network and improving our overall water supply.

On-site wastewater systems, if installed adequately, can also offer a low cost and low-energy alternative to smaller populations currently relying on septic tank systems. A good example is the integrated constructed wetland system at Castle Archdale in Co Fermanagh.

The system consists of a series of artificial wetland ponds over a three acre site, using natural processes with plants and bacteria to clean the wastewater. This system has a treatment capacity of 1,000 people and has resulted in a 100% reduction in electricity usage compared to the now decommissioned wastewater treatment plant.

These systems require little maintenance or technical labour in the long-term. They also have a natural aesthetic value with an abundance of plant life that starkly contrasts the typical austere or brutal facades of wastewater treatment plants.

Aeriel photo of Castle Archdale Treatment System Source: NI Water

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There are already examples of such systems in the Republic of Ireland, including Dunhill in Co Waterford, Glaslough in Co Monaghan, Clonaslee in Co Laois and Lixnaw in Co Kerry. Archdale Castle should inspire us to further develop more systems in the south.

The treatment capacity of a system like Archdale Castle could satisfy the needs of 569 of our 846 population centres accounting for nearly 250,000 people. It may not always be cost effective to replace an existing system with these natural process alternatives, but with 32 sites still pumping raw sewage into the environment daily, there is good reason to examine their potential.

Systems like Archdale would have the capacity to treat 15 of these sites, with minimal need for technical staff and energy to run them. These systems could also be adapted to more densely populated urban areas to passively treat wastewater before arriving at Ringsend and relieve some of the strain on the facility.

If we dont want to drown in our own misfortune, it is crucial that we collectivise our waste management, with the added bonus of diversifying our treatment methods and incorporating nature-based processes with minimal impact on the environment.

Alejandro Javier Criado Monleon is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Civil Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. His background is in public health, disease surveillance, water, wastewater, and microbiology. His current work focuses on the soil microbiology in on-site wastewater systems.

EMPTY THE TANK INVESTIGATION

Do you want to know more about Irelands aging wasterwater system?

The Noteworthy team wants to investigate if there are sufficient enforcement resources available to local authorities to ensure that septic tanks are safe and that contents are disposed of in a safe and regulated way..

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Lets not waste an opportunity: Nature-based solutions to our wastewater woes - thejournal.ie

To the editor:

What has Joe Biden accomplished? A lot. The previous administration attempted to pass an infrastructure bill, however despite having the majority in the House and Senate, was unable to do so. By working together with Republicans, skillfully negotiating and compromising, Joe Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with the support of 17 House Republicans and 18 Republican Senators, including Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham. Why would they do that? Because it is GOOD for the country.

According to NBC News in Miami, Florida will get about $19 billion for roads and bridges, new rail lines, projects to mitigate sea level rise, improved broadband access and transitioning neighborhoods from septic to sewer. Thats huge for homeowners, as it raises their property values while simultaneously protecting the aquifer we all rely on for drinking water.

It also includes funding to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems the goal of Captains for Clean Water. Its a big win for Florida and for our country.

Biden has shown the power of bipartisanship by getting done what 4 years of bitter fighting could not. Way to go!

Isabel Francis, MPA, MSN, RN

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Biden has done a lot for this country - Pine Island Eagle

AUSTIN Over the last few years, in one of the fastest-growing cities in America, change has come at a feverish pace to the capital of Texas, with churches demolished, mobile home parks razed and neighborhood haunts replaced with trendy restaurants and luxury apartment complexes.

The transformation has perhaps been most acutely felt across East Austin and the neighborhood of Montopolis, a 2.5-square-mile patch southeast of downtown, where unobstructed views of the ever-expanding skyline have made the historically Black and Latino neighborhood a sought-after community.

And the momentum is nowhere near abating. These days, construction sites and cranes feel more like permanent fixtures across the neighborhood, where longtime residents have watched with growing anxiety as chic coffee shops, yoga studios and pricey bars have inched closer and closer.

We knew it was coming, said Francisco Nuez, who for nearly two decades lived at the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park until it was sold to a developer to make way for amenity-rich apartments that now fetch more than double what he once paid in rent.

A decade ago, Austin, the capital of Texas often deemed a liberal oasis in a staunchly conservative state, was among the most affordable places to live. Now, according to a forecast prepared by Zillow, a real estate company that tracks affordability, the Austin metropolitan area is on track to become by years end the least affordable major metro region for homebuyers outside of California. It has already surpassed hot markets in Boston, Miami and New York City.

With an average of 180 new residents moving to the city every day in 2020, housing inventory is very low, realtors said. Multiple offers, bidding wars and blocks-long lines outside open houses are commonplace.

Home sale prices in the city of Austin skyrocketed to a record median of $536,000 in October, up from about $441,250 a year ago. And they have more than doubled since 2011, when the median sales price was $216,000, according to the Austin Board of REALTORS, a trade group. Rentals, too, have surged, with the average cost of an 864-square-foot apartment now $1,600.

Austin is the worst-kept secret, said Job Hammond, a secretary-treasurer with the board.

With the University of Texas flagship campus, gentle rolling hills and a vibrant music scene, Austin has long been an attractive place to call home. But surging prices have created a brewing housing crisis that is reshaping the city of nearly 1 million people, and pushing mostly low-income Black and Latino residents like Mr. Nuez away from cultural centers, transportation hubs, grocery stores and other amenities that come with urban living, activists said.

The lack of affordable homes has been underscored by the relentless sight of homeless encampments outside City Hall and under busy highways. (The city recently began efforts to clear them after voters approved a public camping ban this year.)

In 2018, while already experiencing explosive growth, at least 35 Austin neighborhoods were undergoing some stage of gentrification. Another 23 neighborhoods were at high risk of following suit, according to a study commissioned by the city and conducted by researchers with the University of Texas.

The numbers are likely higher today, said Heather K. Way, a law professor at the university and one of the studys authors.

You drive down a street one day and all of a sudden youre thinking, What happened to the apartment building that stood there last week? said Ms. Way, referring to the rapid demolition of older housing occurring in some Austin neighborhoods.

The displacement of low-income residents, in a city where about 13 percent live below the poverty line, has concerned Austin officials to such a degree that a grass-roots movement led them to hire the citys first displacement officer this year. Nefertitti Jackmon has been assigned the challenging task of preventing widespread gentrification even as cranes continue to dot the skyline and new structures climb ever higher.

Ms. Jackmon said that while plans remain in flux, her office will be allocated about $300 million over the next 13 years to be spent on addressing displacement, such as securing more affordable housing in affected neighborhoods. She doesnt mince words when describing the challenges that lie ahead.

In Austin, Black and brown neighborhoods have been marginalized and underinvested, Ms. Jackmon said. She also said she wants to expand participation of local residents in the early process of new developments. We are saying development can happen without displacement.

But not everyone is convinced a new displacement office will have a significant impact.

Its an aspirin for cancer, said Fred McGhee, a local historian and longtime resident of Montopolis, a neighborhood once home to formerly enslaved people and Mexican migrants who came to work in cotton fields.

On a recent day, Dr. McGhee walked out from his home and pointed in several directions, toward construction sites or newly built luxury buildings. Not long ago these used to be all wetlands, Mr. McGhee said. Now all you see are new developments or plans for one.

The East Vue Ranch is one of them. On the land that was once the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park, the luxury complex has a sleek swimming pool, game room and enclosed dog park. Nearby, another apartment complex now sits on land once occupied by a historical Black church. Another Black church, built in the 1860s, was demolished to make way for a road to accommodate all the new traffic. And a neighborhood hair salon was replaced with a trendy South American bakery.

This has become the tale of two Austins, said Susana Almanza, a longtime activist. The rich keep building in our neighborhoods and the poor keep getting displaced. It doesnt end.

From March 2020 to February 2021, despite the pandemic, Austin nearly led the nation in new construction, with close to 42,000 new residences, according to a housing report by Rice Universitys Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

Much of the citys expansion has been attributed to the recent arrival of tech titans, including Apple, Amazon and AT&T and more recently Tesla, whose chief executive Elon Musk, already a resident with a rocket site in South Texas, said that the company would move its headquarters from Palo Alto, Calif., to Austin.

Those big moves joining other major tech companies, like Dell and IBM, already fixtures in the region have meant an infusion of a younger and more affluent population, giving rise to the citys new moniker of Silicon Hills.

The high-paying jobs have accelerated the areas economy. Over the last 10 years, jobs in high-tech, which tend to pay in the six figures, rose nearly 62 percent in the Austin metropolitan area, for a total of about 176,000 positions, accounting for 17 percent of all jobs and far surpassing the growth of all other industries, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

And since 2010, the median household income has jumped from $55,744 to $80,954, according to the chamber.

Those high salaries have pushed up the price of housing, including rentals, the cost of which surged 38 percent over the last decade, more than other fast growing Texas cities like Dallas and San Antonio, according to a 2020 Root Policy Research housing market analysis.

The city, which saw an increase of nearly 160,000 people over the last 10 years, cant build homes fast enough, said Rob Gordon, manager and real estate agent with the realty company, JBGoodwin.

In the neighborhood of Northwest Hills, about 20 minutes northwest of downtown, where Mr. Gordon does a majority of his business, 18 of the 19 homes on the market this spring sold for more than the asking price, an average of a 113 percent spike, Mr. Gordon said. One home, listed at $975,000, was sold for $1,395,000 after a grueling bidding war.

Jon Kniss, a photographer from Nashville, took desperate measures to find a home when he moved to Austin last year. For months, he blanketed his new neighborhood with letters of cash offers.

Nine months and more than 200 letters later, the Kniss family moved into a three-bedroom house in an affluent community northwest of downtown. We wanted to see if we could get a little advantage, Mr. Kniss said. Great weather, quality of life, the schools. Everybody wants to move here.

That feels especially true in Montopolis.

For those who left the neighborhood, many wonder whether they will be forced to uproot from their new homes yet again, as new developments continue to be approved and built in even more remote pockets of the city.

Maria Garcia de la Luz, 68, a former Cactus Rose resident who now lives next door to Mr. Nuez, said she misses the proximity to shops and access to public transportation that she had in Montopolis. Not long ago, she hurt a knee in an accident and had no way to go get treatment after her husband, Magdaleno Garcia, 77, also fell ill and was unable to drive her.

It really affected me. I feel trapped here, Ms. de la Luz said. In the end, it is us, the poor people, who end up getting hurt. Whos to say they wont kick us out of here too?

Susan C. Beachy contributed research.

The rest is here:
How Austin Became One of the Least Affordable Cities in America - The New York Times