Subina Shrestha
@iamsubina.bsky.social
Postdoctoral Research Fellow @UofT|PhD from @uibCET|Researching cities and urban sustainability - climate, energy, mobility, justice.
Pinned
In this new paper from @uibcet.bsky.social, we explore what makes experiments stick. By assessing four experiments in the cities of Bergen and Groningen, we find that persistent relational work is crucial in embedding experiments.
Link to paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Link to paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Care in car centered design?
November 17, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Care in car centered design?
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
www.theguardian.com/environment/... #Airpollution An international study, published in the journal Nature, has found cutting pollution from road traffic and wood burning may be the most effective way to reduce the harm from air pollution across Europe.
Tackle wood burning and road traffic to improve Europe’s air quality, study finds
Researchers measure toxicity of air samples across continent to advise on ‘efficient’ policies to reduce harm
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:46 AM
www.theguardian.com/environment/... #Airpollution An international study, published in the journal Nature, has found cutting pollution from road traffic and wood burning may be the most effective way to reduce the harm from air pollution across Europe.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
"Many scholars, including us, have highlighted the threat posed by techno-solutionism in education: Rather than expanding our intellectual horizons, these technologies undermine the very conditions that allow us to think for ourselves."
1/n
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a...
1/n
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a...
October 25, 2025 at 6:08 AM
"Many scholars, including us, have highlighted the threat posed by techno-solutionism in education: Rather than expanding our intellectual horizons, these technologies undermine the very conditions that allow us to think for ourselves."
1/n
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a...
1/n
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a...
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Amazon plans to lay off as many as 30,000 starting as early as Tuesday…
Well, the White House ballroom ain't gonna pay for itself.
Well, the White House ballroom ain't gonna pay for itself.
Amazon to Lay Off Tens of Thousands of Corporate Workers
The cuts amount to roughly 10% of the online giant’s white-collar workforce.
www.wsj.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Amazon plans to lay off as many as 30,000 starting as early as Tuesday…
Well, the White House ballroom ain't gonna pay for itself.
Well, the White House ballroom ain't gonna pay for itself.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Minister Flack says that the Ontario government will not be moving forward on changes to Ontario's tenancy lease framework regarding month-to-month leases. More to look at in the bill but thank you to everyone who called, emailed and spoke up.
October 26, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Minister Flack says that the Ontario government will not be moving forward on changes to Ontario's tenancy lease framework regarding month-to-month leases. More to look at in the bill but thank you to everyone who called, emailed and spoke up.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Desperately needed recognition as local bike shops are on the front lines of the e-mobility revolution. No support from governments at all levels, strained logistics, and not enough experienced staff to fill open positions. #bikeshoplife
Bike mechanics want the government to recognize the job as a distinct profession and skilled trade.
Right now, they're officially grouped with workers who repair accordions, jukeboxes and the safety valves on pipelines.
pressprogress.ca/bike-mechani...
Right now, they're officially grouped with workers who repair accordions, jukeboxes and the safety valves on pipelines.
pressprogress.ca/bike-mechani...
We Don’t Know How Many Bike Mechanics Are in Canada. That’s a Problem.
Workers who service bicycles want the government to recognize the job as a distinct profession and skilled trade
pressprogress.ca
October 24, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Desperately needed recognition as local bike shops are on the front lines of the e-mobility revolution. No support from governments at all levels, strained logistics, and not enough experienced staff to fill open positions. #bikeshoplife
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Today's AWS outage, which affected a range of websites and applications—from Signal to Fortnite to key UK government services—reveals the dangers of relying on a handful of Big Tech firms, write Article 19's Corinne Cath and Don Le. These are not glitches; they are democratic failures, they say.
Amazon Cloud Outage Reveals Democratic Deficit in Relying on Big Tech | TechPolicy.Press
The AWS outage demonstrates the need for a fundamental shift in how we think about digital infrastructure, write Corinne Cath and Don Le.
www.techpolicy.press
October 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Today's AWS outage, which affected a range of websites and applications—from Signal to Fortnite to key UK government services—reveals the dangers of relying on a handful of Big Tech firms, write Article 19's Corinne Cath and Don Le. These are not glitches; they are democratic failures, they say.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
This shit makes me furious & despondent.
Scientific evidence, mass suffering, and the prospect of economic, political and social breakdown are insufficient to spur action.
We talk abt geongineering while investing further in fossil fuels.
We have collectively become untethered from reality.
Scientific evidence, mass suffering, and the prospect of economic, political and social breakdown are insufficient to spur action.
We talk abt geongineering while investing further in fossil fuels.
We have collectively become untethered from reality.
US and Canada weigh revival of ‘zombie’ Keystone XL pipeline in trade talks
Controversial project to ship heavy crude to Texas coast was killed by Biden administration on environmental grounds
www.ft.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:03 PM
This shit makes me furious & despondent.
Scientific evidence, mass suffering, and the prospect of economic, political and social breakdown are insufficient to spur action.
We talk abt geongineering while investing further in fossil fuels.
We have collectively become untethered from reality.
Scientific evidence, mass suffering, and the prospect of economic, political and social breakdown are insufficient to spur action.
We talk abt geongineering while investing further in fossil fuels.
We have collectively become untethered from reality.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Things that are cash grabs: Ford selling 99 year lease of public park (Ontario Place) to private company; successive governments taking taxpayer money earmarked for health and education and giving it to private companies. Things that are not cash grabs: fines for breaking the law.
“Those who are using terms like ‘nanny state’, and this is a ‘cash grab’, I hope they look at these numbers and realize this is absolutely not. This is about the safety of our most vulnerable, including little kids to older adults and everybody in between." -Waterloo mayor McCabe
Regional committee discusses speed cameras
Regional committee members discussed how the speed camera enforcement program has progressed in its first six months of operation at a meeting on Tuesday.
kitchener.citynews.ca
October 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Things that are cash grabs: Ford selling 99 year lease of public park (Ontario Place) to private company; successive governments taking taxpayer money earmarked for health and education and giving it to private companies. Things that are not cash grabs: fines for breaking the law.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?
Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚
Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚
October 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?
Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚
Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚
Pedestranised street in North America... Say what?!!!!!
October 4, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Pedestranised street in North America... Say what?!!!!!
Allocating space disproportionately in favor of cars also means taking space from other modes of transport. UTSC students told us about the inequities in transport planning in and around Scarborough and how this affects their everyday lives.
The distribution of public land in cities has serious implications for how we move, how safe we feel, and who can access opportunities. @lanrickbennett.bsky.social + our data viz team find that 80% of T.O. street space is dedicated to motor vehicles:
Who are streets for?
More than 80% of street space in Toronto is inequitably dedicated to motor vehicles. How can this be fairly re-designed?
schoolofcities.github.io
October 1, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Allocating space disproportionately in favor of cars also means taking space from other modes of transport. UTSC students told us about the inequities in transport planning in and around Scarborough and how this affects their everyday lives.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
“AI is the asbestos we are shoveling into the walls of our society, and our descendants will be digging it out for generations.”
September 29, 2025 at 9:15 PM
“AI is the asbestos we are shoveling into the walls of our society, and our descendants will be digging it out for generations.”
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Highly recommend this webinar next week presented by @bcpolicy.bsky.social 👇
What’s needed to tackle the housing crisis?
Next week—a webinar with senior economist @1alexhemingway.bsky.social and Sarah Ellis, Squamish Community Housing Society, for housing policy analysis & a practitioner's perspective on creating non-profit housing.
Oct 1, 12 pm PT
bcpolicy.ca/events
Next week—a webinar with senior economist @1alexhemingway.bsky.social and Sarah Ellis, Squamish Community Housing Society, for housing policy analysis & a practitioner's perspective on creating non-profit housing.
Oct 1, 12 pm PT
bcpolicy.ca/events
September 25, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Highly recommend this webinar next week presented by @bcpolicy.bsky.social 👇
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
“Canada’s fossil fuel industry has singlehandedly scotched any chance of the country hitting its legally-binding 2030 emissions reduction targets, due to increasing oil production.”
(Sorry world)
(Sorry world)
September 18, 2025 at 11:36 AM
“Canada’s fossil fuel industry has singlehandedly scotched any chance of the country hitting its legally-binding 2030 emissions reduction targets, due to increasing oil production.”
(Sorry world)
(Sorry world)
"The housing crisis is urgent, and so is the opportunity. We can keep funding market Band-aids that expire in a generation, or we can take land off the speculative market, put it in community hands and make houses into homes. For good."
theconversation.com/turning-hous...
theconversation.com/turning-hous...
Turning houses into homes: Community land trusts offer a fix to Canada’s housing crisis
Canada treats land as a tradeable asset, forgetting it’s the foundation for homes, communities and stability. If the country is serious about solving the housing crisis, it must change that.
theconversation.com
September 16, 2025 at 12:23 AM
"The housing crisis is urgent, and so is the opportunity. We can keep funding market Band-aids that expire in a generation, or we can take land off the speculative market, put it in community hands and make houses into homes. For good."
theconversation.com/turning-hous...
theconversation.com/turning-hous...
The research found that the emissions from any one of the 14 biggest companies were by themselves enough to cause more than 50 heatwaves that would otherwise have been virtually impossible.
Carbon emissions from oil giants directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for first time #Climate
Carbon emissions from oil giants directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for first time
Study shows how individual fossil fuel companies are making previously impossible heatwaves happen and could have to pay compensation
www.theguardian.com
September 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
The research found that the emissions from any one of the 14 biggest companies were by themselves enough to cause more than 50 heatwaves that would otherwise have been virtually impossible.
Here we see the nuance, and the danger, of the language of pragmatism. It allows politicians to hold two positions at once. They can acknowledge the need for rapid change, while promoting a “pragmatic” position against it.
Interesting take on the new politics of climate pragmatism that matches the emerging paradigm of climate realism around the world
cc @jeffcolgan.bsky.social
cc @jeffcolgan.bsky.social
Happy to share our new research on UK climate politics 🚨
We found Members of Parliament (MPs) use the language of climate "pragmatism" to avoid rapid change. It risks becoming a new discourse of delay.
More detail below and in 🧵
1/
theconversation.com/politicians-...
We found Members of Parliament (MPs) use the language of climate "pragmatism" to avoid rapid change. It risks becoming a new discourse of delay.
More detail below and in 🧵
1/
theconversation.com/politicians-...
September 8, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Here we see the nuance, and the danger, of the language of pragmatism. It allows politicians to hold two positions at once. They can acknowledge the need for rapid change, while promoting a “pragmatic” position against it.
“Social housing is solidarity you can touch.”
“The main thing is that [Vienna] just kept the policy commitment: housing is a human right, we’re going to keep building it.” @aldasky.bsky.social @cplusc.bsky.social
Vienna's Model Shows the Government Really Can Guarantee Housing for All
A new report documents the wild and likely replicable success of Vienna's public housing plan.
truthout.org
September 5, 2025 at 9:10 PM
“Social housing is solidarity you can touch.”
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Nearly every large organization - Columbia, Starbucks, REI, Trader Joes, Amazon, etc - has embraced an illegal anti-union playbook. While we should increase the legal penalties for such behavior, Eamon's right that we also need a shift in social norms to safeguard organizing rights.
![Any consensus was short-lived. As Paul Weiler noted, employer unfair labor practices began to increase in the late-1950s. At the start of the 1980s, the Board was reinstating over 10,000 discriminatees and receiving over 31,000 charges of employer unfairness per year, the latter representing a 750% increase from 1957. Weiler, reviewing these facts contemporaneously, found that “[n]either the law nor NLRB practice has changed materially since the mid-1950s. What has changed is the willingness of employers to break the law when they feel they can get away with it,” reflecting in part “a growing social acceptance of such tactics.” In other words, social norms about labor-law compliance had changed. Violating the law to break a union had become okay.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5m2cxxh65t5tkpn56cnyjr2b/bafkreieeuc54ll6csvfb7gl2wysloj3uqzbqkexrokehi5od4wxwhlsiwe@jpeg)
September 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Nearly every large organization - Columbia, Starbucks, REI, Trader Joes, Amazon, etc - has embraced an illegal anti-union playbook. While we should increase the legal penalties for such behavior, Eamon's right that we also need a shift in social norms to safeguard organizing rights.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Important piece from @berkie1.bsky.social on using postive language when we talk about housing (or any type of) growth in our communities. Adding housing brings so many benefits to a community; we need to start our convesations around new neighbors with this in mind.
We Must Rebrand Housing as a Benefit, Not a Burden
I’m often asked by area business owners and residents, “What can we do to support solutions to our housing issues in our own communities?” The answer sometimes surprises people in its simplicity.Beyon...
www.remainplaces.com
August 28, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Important piece from @berkie1.bsky.social on using postive language when we talk about housing (or any type of) growth in our communities. Adding housing brings so many benefits to a community; we need to start our convesations around new neighbors with this in mind.
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
Median household income is $12,000 higher in states with high union density than in states with low union density 📈
Unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract & retain workers.
www.epi.org/publication/...
Unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract & retain workers.
www.epi.org/publication/...
Unions aren’t just good for workers—they also benefit communities and democracy
Rebuilding worker power by strengthening unions is not just good policy—it is a democratic imperative in the face of authoritarian backsliding.
www.epi.org
August 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Median household income is $12,000 higher in states with high union density than in states with low union density 📈
Unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract & retain workers.
www.epi.org/publication/...
Unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract & retain workers.
www.epi.org/publication/...
Reposted by Subina Shrestha
You're proud of your heat pump and you want to brag about it, but your neighbors don't even know you have it! What can you do?
Here you go: a heat pump yard sign.
merch.quilt.com
Here you go: a heat pump yard sign.
merch.quilt.com
August 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
You're proud of your heat pump and you want to brag about it, but your neighbors don't even know you have it! What can you do?
Here you go: a heat pump yard sign.
merch.quilt.com
Here you go: a heat pump yard sign.
merch.quilt.com