A recent editorial argues that creating cities that consume less energy and emit less pollution will also help us create attractive and healthy places to live.
"Evidence around the world shows higher-density, walkable cities with excellent public transit have lower automobile dependence, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, urban planning represents a major opportunity for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions."
"For example, Peter Newman and Jeffrey Kenworthy show that per capita transportation energy use in sprawling automobile-dependent Houston is over 70 gigajoules (GJ) per year, while transit-oriented Hong Kong comes in at less than 10 GJ. European cities like Paris, Copenhagen, London, Vienna, Munich, and Amsterdam come in around 20 GJ."
"Green cities provide great mobility options, reduced public health costs from fewer traffic collisions and more active lifestyles, increased social capital from greater social interaction, more efficient infrastructure provision, protection of agricultural land from sprawl, and greater emphasis on beauty and livability -- qualities everyone can embrace.
That the climate crisis compels change is not a bad thing."
FULL STORY: What makes cities green also makes them great

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie