Downloading my newest addition to my Kindle library—the digital book service provided by Amazon.com—I remembered the gentle criticism of a planner on a list serve not too long ago. The thread was on sustainability and global warming. I had made the point that market economies were innovative economies, and too much of the planning discussion on sustainability focused on reduced consumption without seriously discussing the ways technology fundamentally changed our choice sets. The planner chastised me for my faith in markets, saying, in a nutshell, we need to focus on what we know we can influence and not hedge are bets on the past. The implication was that markets were too ephemeral and undependable to include in long-term planning.
Innovation
The Innovations Building the Next Economy in 2012
Bruce Katz and Judith Rodin identify the forward thinking and innovative solutions that collaborative groups are implementing to restore prosperity to their communities.
The Atlantic Cities
Eleven of the Best Urban Design Ideas in the World
From a penthouse dwelling above an air-raid bunker to an "inside-out" building where plants grow on the walls through rainwater irrigation, Wendy Goodman and Justin Davidson have asked design experts to compile their favorite urban ideas.
New York Magazine
Europe's Architecture Trendsetters
In interviews with key figures at four of the most influential European architecture firms, the constant theme was that architecture philosophy needs to recognize that eco-friendly design is the future of design innovation.
The Wall Street Journal
Top 10 States With Highest Growth Potential
Citing data from the Chamber of Commerce, The Atlantic releases its top picks based on their capacity for growth and innovation. Alaska, North Dakota, and Wyoming come out on top.
The Atlantic
Creating Smart Cities and Replicating Silicon Valley
Google CEO Eric Schmidt discusses what makes a city smart and successful in this interview with Foreign Policy.
Foreign Policy
Power Balace to Shift From Nations to Cities
The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.
Foreign Policy
Government Turns to Prize-Sourcing
The Federal government spends almost $137 billion a year on research. A new paper suggests that Federal, state, and local govs would encourage significantly more innovation by holding contests with a cash prize.
Governing Magazine
Looking for an Economic Niche in St. Louis
This piece from The St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at how the city is trying to coerce itself into the new idea- and innovation-based economy.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Ideas to Transform India's Cities
Scholars from the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad discuss how to remake the country's urban areas into sources of economic prosperity.
The Wall Street Journal
Turning Cities into Innovation Centers
Saul Kaplan says cities should be transformed into innovation centers to stay competitive and become the venue of a "new economic conversation".
Business Week
Back-To-Nature Plans Stall Innovation
According to this op-ed, allowing cities to de-densify undermines the importance of the city's role in society at large--namely, as a breeding ground for technological and cultural innovation.
Los Angeles Times
The Future of Research Parks and Technology-led Economic Development
Fri, 04/03/2009 - 06:11
The American economy has long relied upon technological innovation to drive its economy. Today,basic investment in science and technology is once again taking center stage,as a cure for both our economic and environmental ills.
A Train That Never Stops
A Taiwanese inventor is proposing a rail system that never stops for passengers, virtually eliminating delays. Follow the full story link to see the video.
boingboing.net
