Walmart Expands Volkeswagen Group Electric Car Charging Locations From 120 To 300

Walmart Expands Volkeswagen Group Electric Car Charging Locations From 120 To 300

Electrify America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkeswagen Group of America, is investing $2 billion over a 10 year period in zero emission vehicle infrastructure, education and access. A major partner is the initiative is Walmart, which has now opened 120 charging stations at Walmart stores in the US.

On Monday, Electrify America and Walmart announced that the are expanding their relationship in an initiative that will make Walmart one of the largest retail hosts of EV charging stations across the US.

Plans are to add 180 additional locations. Every installation site is equipped with regular 150 kW stations as well as ultra-fast 350 kW stations that can charge vehicles at a rate of 20 miles per minute.

Most electric charging infrastructure—and most electric vehicles—are located on the coasts, writes Curbed. Walmarts tend to be located in states or areas within states where EV adoption is low. This sounds counter-intuitive but the initiative can help to influence consumer buying behavior in more ways than one. Walmart isn’t commonly associated with environmental initiatives, which is a reflection of elitist thinking about the company.

Bette Midler & Michael Kors Open Solar-Powered Essex Street Community Garden In Brooklyn

Bette Midler & Michael Kors Open Solar-Powered Essex Street Community Garden In Brooklyn

Mega talent Bette Midler and designer Michael Kors, joined by his husbandLance LePere, reminded New Yorkers Thursday night that wonderful gifts to humanity can come in small packages. Honoring the summer solstice, the trio joined New York Restoration Project (NYRP) Executive Director Deborah Marton in a ribbon-cutting for the newly restored green space, called the Essex Street Community Garden.

Attending an old-fashioned, New York block party, the global citizens celebrated the 3,200-square-foot green space is the first New York community garden that is entirely solar-powered, featuring Wi-Fi, a projection screen, and greenery that was planted by Kors and other community members themselves. The garden, one of 52 that NYRP installed around the city, will be an intended haven for weddings, yoga classes, movie screenings, and more celebrations to come, bringing together locals into a shared space, writes CR Fashionbook. 

The activist and philanthropy players have worked with NYRP for the last 21 years, after Midler brought Kors and LePere into the organization. 

Inspired By NYC HighLine, the 10-Mile Long Underline Comes to Miami

An exciting new urban regeneration project is coming to Miami. The Underline will comprise a 10-mile stretch of land below Miami's Metrorail. Designed by James Corner Field Operations -- who also designed the High Line -- the Underline will include biking and pedestrian paths we well as a rotating public arts program that includes sculpture, performance, and installations. 

Declaring the $120 million project as one of his priorities, Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos A. Giminez committed $3 million towards the Underline, which has been forecast to increase economic output along US Route 1 by $170 million in during construction and by $50 million annually after completion, as well as raising local property values by an estimated $650 million.

Commissioned by Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs & Art in Public Places the installations are funded by a $200,000 grant from ArtPlace America. The inaugural art show includes four commissions by Miami-based artists Bhakti Baxter, Naomi Fischer, Nicolas Lobo, and Agustina Woodgate, which will be unveiled at an exclusive flashlight tour on Thursday evening. via ArtNet.