Fast Company Co.Exist

Smiling couple on a blanket in a park in Denmark

Measuring Well-Being in Santa Monica

The beachfront town known for its surfers and celebrities is collecting data that dig deeper than traditional measures of economic prosperity, and the results may be surprising.

August 3, 2015 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Floating Vertical Farms Could Deliver and Monitor Food Production in Dense Cities

Known for its density with nearly 20,000 people per square mile, Singapore is changing its food systems strategy to produce more food locally, and reduce food waste.

August 6, 2014 - Fast Company Co.Exist

nyc. subway.

Which U.S. Cities Have the Best Transit?

Walk Score has published its analysis of the quality of public transit in 50 of the biggest cities in the United States. The rankings may surprise you.

January 31, 2014 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Is New Solar-Powered Ford a Game Changer?

Though their lack of emissions is admirable, the knock on electric vehicles is that their power is likely derived from dirty sources. Could a new solar-powered car unveiled by Ford kick-start the era of renewable energy-powered transportation?

January 6, 2014 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Crowdsourcing Toronto's "Homegrown National Park"

Led by the nonprofit David Suzuki Foundation, a volunteer workforce of "park rangers" is deploying creative green interventions along private properties and public spaces throughout Toronto to create a citywide green corridor.

January 3, 2014 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Evacuated Highway 401

When Driving Wanes, Local Economies Gain

Want to boost your local economy and produce significant environmental dividends at the same time? Just drive one mile less per day says a new report from CEOs for Cities.

December 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

LEED Neighborhood Rises in Shadow of Pioneering Seattle Shopping Mall

A sprawling parking lot next to one of America's first suburban shopping malls is undergoing a monumental transformation into a dense mixed-use community complete with restorative park.

December 20, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Could a Well-Placed "Nudge" Get People to Take the Stairs?

An innovative experiment in "environmental calorie labeling" is based on the idea that well-placed information on the benefits of specific physical activities will prompt people to choose healthier options.

December 18, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

The World's Most Polluted Places

The Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland recently released a list of places you definitely don't want to find yourself near: The World's Most Polluted Places.

December 11, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Mapping New York's Toxic Legacy

In bright blues, greens, and reds, an interactive map developed by property information website Property Shark documents New York City's cornucopia of polluted properties. Check the map to see if you might be living next door to a leaking oil tank.

November 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Market on Wheels Serves Chicago's Food Deserts

A nonprofit has converted a former Chicago city bus into a mobile grocery store to bring fresh food to the city's underserved neighborhoods. After stopping operations in August, the service will return with a sustainable business plan this month.

November 18, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

New Neighborhood Sets Extraordinary Bar for Sustainability

Sure, reusing an existing building is probably the most sustainable method of construction, but a new neighborhood on Bainbridge Island, Washington sets an enviable standard for environmental responsibility in every aspect of its design.

November 15, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Seattle skyline

North America's 10 Smartest Cities

A year after he unveiled his list of North America's top "Smart Cities" based on a new metric meant to bring clarity and measurability to the discussion, Boyd Cohen is back with a refined methodology and a new ranking.

November 14, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Expanding Cycling Infrastructure Is a Snap With Lego-Like Bike Lanes

Somewhere between the universally-despised sharrow and the rare separated cycle track sits Copenhagenize Flow, a lego-like set of tiles that allows cities to experiment with expanded bike infrastructure at low cost and low commitment.

November 14, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Big Data Having Big Impact on City Operations

In the future, big data is supposed to help cities improve and optimize their operations. According to a new report that documents the innovative uses of data and evidence by seven major cities, the future is now.

November 13, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

How Can We Provoke "Peak Waste"?

Because city residents generate four times as much trash as rural residents, the rapid growth of the world's cities is leading to the rapid growth of the world's garbage. A new study examines future trash troubles and potential solutions.

November 8, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Breakthrough Building is Assembled Like an Airplane Engine

In Brooklyn's Navy Yard, the largest modular high-rise building in the world is being assembled one floor at a time by teams of 10 to 15 union workers. Sydney Brownstone tours the milestone in modular construction.

October 28, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

A Year Later, Sandy Recovery Shows That Building Resilience Takes Time

Despite warnings of the threats posed by rising seas and more extreme storms in the years leading up to Hurricane Sandy, the New York region's preparations lagged behind where experts thought they should be. Has anything changed since Sandy?

October 25, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Modular Street Squares Turn NYC's "Leftover" Spaces into Public Amenities

New York City's 5.3 million square feet of “leftover” street space provides a prime opportunity to create public amenities and a more resilient city. Eric Tan and his colleagues at Gensler have created modular "Street Squares" to fill the void.

October 4, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Ikea Gets Into the Solar Panel Business

All 17 Ikea stores in Britain will begin selling solar panel packages within the next 10 months. The announcement by the Swedish retailer is "a sign of the growing mainstream appeal and affordability of solar energy," says Jessica Leber.

October 2, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

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