Corporations and cities across the globe are signing on to a new wave in environmental stewardship: zero waste. Cities such as Oakland and Seattle have pledged to improve their policies to encourage recycling and a reduction of waste.
"Zero waste may seem more of a Platonic ideal than a realistic objective. But a growing number of communities and businesses worldwide are adopting its principles, drawn to both its environmental and economic advantages. Corporations such as Wal-Mart, Nike, Toyota, and Ford have all set zero-waste targets for their operations, and so have the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and Seattle, among others. Outside the United States, New Zealand and regions of Australia and Canada have committed themselves to the zero-waste challenge, and Great Britain is touting the 2012 Olympics in London as the first 'zero-waste games.'"
"With its faint ring of the incredible, zero waste is in some ways still more of a buzz phrase, a branding concept for a big idea, than a reality."
"'The whole concept of zero waste may be unattainable -- it may be a mythical goal,' says John Warner, director of the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. 'That doesn't mean it's not worth working toward the goal.'"
FULL STORY: A world without waste
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind
A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.
Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo
Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.
Appeals Court: California Emissions Standards Upheld
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, the nation's two most powerful environmental regulatory agencies, won an important round in federal court last week. But the emissions standards battle may not be over.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
