According to this story over at the Washington Post, today many federal agencies are expected to release progress reports for what they’re doing to reduce the government’s carbon footprint. The more eco-friendly efforts are part of an initiative put forth by Barack Obama back in 2009. In total, the government is hoping to reduce itsRead… Read more »
The city of Glendale, Ariz., is using an automated monitoring system to help it track performance of street lights throughout the city, according to a story over at Government Technology. The 55-square mile area’s 20,000 street lights are interconnected through a system called Remote Operations Asset Management, or ROAM. “I describe it as a photoRead… Read more »
There is a little irony in the fact that the government agency responsible for finding ways to cut costs at other Federal agencies is planning on scaling itself back, as well. The GAO is looking to cut $35 million from its budget, which could mean mandatory furloughs for all GAO employees. The Federal watchdog organizationRead… Read more »
Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. This common adage speaks to how most people would act in a crisis situation. (But, of course, hindsight is always 20/20.) In matters of safety, it can be somewhat difficult to adequately prepare for a realistic situation. But Oklahoma City and its surrounding areas are doingRead… Read more »
The Washington Post is reporting that Carolyn Lerner, head of the Office of Special Counsel, wants to update the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is the 72-year-old law that prohibits Federal employees from participating or advocating in most political activities. The Hatch Act prevents any person who receives Federal funds for their employment to runRead… Read more »
Okay, bad puns aside… This is pretty awesome! Dayton, Ohio, is combining RFID technology with recycling in an attempt to bolster recycling efforts and reduce the amount of money the city expends on garbage at the landfill.The city has seen an increase in recycling participation by 40 percent, according to an article over at GovernmentRead… Read more »
Since the launch of its new online petition system, We The People, earlier this week, The White House has received a flood of petitions. We The People is part of a large push by the Obama administration to have greater transparency and openness in government. (And there is an ongoing debate about whether “Open IsRead… Read more »
According to this article, over at Government Technology, Arkansas is paving the way for what future telecommunication and video conferencing infrastructure could look like for other states. The state is in the midst of developing a next-generation communications system that will give users state-of-the-art video, data and voice services, including the ability to video chatRead… Read more »
Knowing your audience and brand is important, and when you’re creating a mobile application targeted toward an audience with specific needs, you need to listen. That’s exactly what the VA did in the planning stages of its Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Coach application. Lead Developer Dr. Julia Hoffman, along with other clinicians for the VARead… Read more »
According to an article over at Government Technology, energy company, NRG Energy, and the University of Delaware are partnering to develop commercially available technology that would allow electric cars to sell excess energy back to the grid. “This technology can be paid well, to provide the short bursts of back-and-forth power that we use toRead… Read more »