Energy
Calculating Your 'Water Footprint'
Your morning cup of joe - all things considered - takes 140 liters of water to make. A new study reveals the true cost in water usage for crops and cultures.
Lasers May Make Nuclear Power More Efficient (and Bombs Easier to Make)
G.E. is currently experimenting with a new lased-based technology that could make nuclear enrichment much easier. This would be a boon to nuclear power, but would also make nuclear-based weapons easier to make.
Beyond LEED: Buildings That Give Back
A handful of thinkers and architects are pushing past LEED requirements to design buildings that generate more energy than they use.
Concentrating Solar
Concentrating solar, or 'solar thermal', is an old technology getting an update as solar power spreads across the Southwest.
Windmills for NYC?
In order to reduce New York City's dependence on natural gas, Mayor Bloomberg is proposing an offshore wind farm and skyscraper-mounted turbines.
Windmills Planned for New York Skyscrapers and Bridges
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to install windmills on some of the city's skyscrapers and bridges.
Bikers vs. Environmentalists
Planners in Montgomery County, MD are nixing a proposed bike path because of its nearness to 'ecologically sensitive parkland'. Bicycle proponents think this argument doesn't hold water. Says one,'they're already running a big highway through there.'
Congressperson Asks Americans To Drive Slower
One of Congress' newest members sees it fitting that Americans should drive slower to save fuel - an appropriate sacrifice for a war she sees partly waged for oil. Her first bill, HR 6458, lowers speed limits to 60/65 mph (urban/rural areas).
Huge Solar Power Plants Proposed in California
Solar power will get a big boost from two facilities planned for California, which will together be capable of generating 800 megawatts of power.
Oil Supply Crunch May Hit In Five Years
Using the term 'oil supply crunch' as opposed to 'peak oil', this British report indicates that the oil crisis will hit by 2013, with prices jumping to $200/barrel. It states that the problem is not insufficient oil but obstacles to its extraction.
'Wood Waste' Power Plant Raises Questions in Texas
The city of Austin considers a multi-billion dollar investment in a "biomass" power plant, burning wood waste in East Texas as a carbon-neutral, renewable energy source.
Boise Looks to Streetcars for Urban Renewal
Boise considers resurrecting their streetcar system after an 80 year absence.
Will New England Face a 'Frozen Katrina'?
With heating oil expected to be 36% more expensive, natural gas twice that amount, and LIHEAP funding lower than it was in the 1980s, there are grave warnings that the northeastern U.S. could be facing a "frozen Katrina" this winter.
British Columbia Considers Carbon-Neutral Construction By 2020
In British Columbia, a proposal to require all new buildings to be carbon-neutral is being considered. The rule would require that buildings have no carbon footprint by 2020.
Americans and Business Curb Energy Use
American businesses and consumers are changing their habits and finding ways to save energy.
Did Enviros Misjudge The Effect Of High Gas Prices?
The public has relegated global warming well behind other issues, including high energy prices. This article examines the role of environmental groups in this backslide as the public warms to more drilling to reduce gas prices.
More Americans to Face Energy Poverty
The cost of home heating is expected to rise considerably this winter, but with utilities unable to obtain credit, Washington deadlocked on how to deal with it, and LIHEAP underfunded American households are in for a tough winter.
Rethinking California's Irrigation Strategy
Astride the maze of rivers east of San Francisco that crisscross California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta stand two imposing edifices — the pumping stations that supply water to vast swaths of the state. When operating at full throttle, the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant, managed by the state of California, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's C.W. "Bill" Jones Pumping Plant, have the capacity to entirely reverse the flow on the delta tributaries upon which they sit.
Commute Costs Changes Growth Patterns in D.C.
Suburban growth in the DC area has been fueled by low gas prices and abundant freeways. Expensive gas has changed this growth paradigm as commuters shift to public transit and seek close-in homes. Will government respond to the change in the market?
Is Globalization Slowing?
Alex Steffen of WorldChanging proposes that globalization could soon change direction as transportation costs increase.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
