It's almost Halloween, and that means it's time to celebrate America's most important holiday by dressing up in a silly costume. But what's that? Tired of culturally relevant costumes? Don't want the general public to have any idea what you are? Prefer a drawn-out, interest-losing explanation of an obscure and wonky costume concept? Then you're in luck, because I happily present the second edition list of the best urban planning costume ideas.
Environment
Suburbs Sprouting in Cairo Deserts
President Mubarak of Egypt is allowing developers to create American-style suburban developments in dry desert land outside Cairo.
POLIS
Toward an Ethic of Place: Experiments in Regional Governance
Matthew McKinney argues that regional governance is essential to address transboundary issues like climate change, wildlife corridors, shared water resources, and energy development.
The Prius Power Drain
PG&E CEO Peter Darbee says that it wouldn't take very many all-electric cars to create a serious drain on local power generators.
CNET
Denmark's Energy Efficient Poster Child
The Danish island of Samso is the poster child of clean energy. Its residents generate more energy than they consume. Now the Danish government wants to export that model back to the mainland.
Der Spiegel
NFL Cities May Benefit From California Stadium Decision
A recent move that exempted a proposed Southern California football stadium's plans from environmental review may turn out to be precedent-setting for other cities looking to revamp their sports arenas.
Los Angeles Times
The World's 'Greenest' City by 2020
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has announced a ten-point plan to turn his city in the greenest in the world by 2020.
The Vancouver Sun
The Real Inconvenient Truth: Global Land Use
Global warming is a problem, says climate scientist Jonathan Foley, but it's not the only one. The other major problem facing the global environment is a pattern of land use for agriculture that is grossly unsustainable.
Yale Environment 360
Redeveloping Brooklyn's Waterfront Wasteland?
Developers and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg have hit a speed bump in revitalizing the Gowanus Canal. It may be designated as a Superfund site.
The New York Times
GE's Grand Gorgon Gas Plan
GE is going to power the world's largest carbon capture and sequestration project for western Australia, in order to process natural gas from its Gorgon natural gas field.
Environment News Service
Cleaning Up Trucking in Southern California
The Port of Long Beach has settled with the American Trucking Association to clean up its air, while the Port of Los Angeles is waiting to reach more comprehensive changes.
Los Angeles Times
Environmental Laws Bypassed for California Stadium Project
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that allows developers of a planned football stadium in Southern California to bypass environmental laws and speed up the planning process.
Los Angeles Times
Where There's a Will...
A Stanford professor and a UC Davis researcher say we could make the switch to 100% renewable energy by 2030... if we really want to.
Fast Company
Sacramento's Hopeful Catch-22
Policymakers are closer than ever to coming to an agreement on comprehensive water legislation. They've agreed on major parts, but have yet to officially finalize the details.
Los Angeles Times
Traveling? Take a Bike!
Bicycle commuting increased 43% in the U.S. from 2000 to 2008. And as commuters get used to having their trusty bike to get around, more business travelers are taking their ride with them.
New York Times
Zero-Waste Going Mainstream?
The New York Times examines a handful of places in the US embracing zero-waste policies, how they're doing it, and what challenges lie ahead.
The New York Times
Schwarzenegger to Receive Park Protection Award
Without even a hint of sarcasm, the National Park Trust is planning to give an award to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for protection of public lands.
Los Angeles Times
Environmental Concerns Slow Solar in California
The White House is pushing for more solar power projects nationwide, but environmental concerns are stalling the progress of plans to build solar projects in the California desert.
The Los Angeles Times
An Ecotopia in Colombia
A small village founded in Colombia in the 1960s as an experiment in sustainable agriculture is still thriving. Experts like Amory Lovins are paying Gaviotas a visit to learn their secrets.
The New York Times




















