Environment
New York City’s Trash Problem
The city had ambitious goals to reduce waste, but millions of tons of garbage are still sent to communities around the country each year.
To Clear Obstacles to Housing Affordability, Environmental Law Reformed in Washington
State and local lawmakers hope that recent reforms to the Washington State Environmental Policy Act are only an initial step toward ending the law's use as a tool for delaying affordable housing plans.
Decline in Coal-Fired Power Reduces U.S. Carbon Emissions in 2019
The energy sector produced ten percent less carbon emissions in 2019 than the previous year—the largest drop in decades. Still, the decline of the coal industry is not enough to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Accord.
Opinion: Car Culture Will Shift in the Next Decade
Cars and vehicle emissions are undoubtedly central to the climate change problem. The solution, however, might not be cleaner vehicles but rather a drastic change in our relationship to automobiles and driving.
Trump Administration Proposes Changes to National Environmental Policy Act
Sources report that proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act would limit the kinds of projects subject to federal environmental review, and remove climate change as a consideration for large infrastructure projects.
Technology Might Not Save Us
In the absence of more enlightened policies, technological change is as likely to increase pollution as to decrease pollution.
Massachusetts Legislators Fear Hidden Gas Tax in Transportation and Climate Initiative
Gov. Charlie Baker (R) supports a multi-state proposal to mitigate tailpipe emissions that would increase gas prices and pay for transit projects in an $18 billion transportation bond. A bill has been introduced to ensure that doesn't happen.
Highway Expansion Project Damages Flood Control Systems in Cincinnati
The Ohio Department of Transportation has prioritize the expansion of Interstate 71 in the neighborhood of Madisonville, in Cincinnati, over flood protection for property owners in the city, according to a recent city memo.
Empowering Architects to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Stephanie Carlisle, a principal at Philadelphia architecture firm KieranTimberlake, discusses the need for a toolkit of decarbonization strategies that designers can use for all design efforts, "not just the fancy projects or the unique projects."
LEDs, Downward Lights Changing the Night in Chicago
The nighttime illumination of Chicago is almost finished with a complete overhaul of its streetlights, producing a dramatic effect in the nighttime environment of the city.
Global Cost of Transitioning to 100 Percent Renewable Energy: $73 Trillion
A report by researchers from Stanford University says the cost of transitioning the world to entirely renewable energy production would pay for itself in seven years and add a net positive amount of jobs measured in the millions.
Keeping Colorado Land from Development Could Cost $5 Million
In Golden, Colorado, residents want to keep a parcel of land as open space, but it could come with a hefty price tag.
New Decade Eye Candy: The Decade in Photographs
National Geographic shared a list of 15 of its best images captured during the 2010s.
Watch: Urban Planning in the 2010s
A first draft of the urban planning history of the 2010s.
East Coast Considers Plan to Hike Gas Prices to Mitigate Climate Change
Will a dozen East Coast states and D.C. agree to a regional plan that would likely hike gas prices through a "cap-and-invest" program to mitigate tailpipe emissions similar to what California has done for the last five years?
6 Examples of Citizen Science at Work
A few examples from around the world illustrate the power of crowdsourcing to expand the scope of scientific inquiry.
Washington State to Transition to Battery Electric Ferries
Washington's largest diesel emissions polluter will transition its fleet to diesel-hybrids and then to battery-electric propulsion to comply with Gov. Inslee's emissions-reduction executive order which will also please the orcas in Puget Sound.
The Ongoing Debate Over California's Eucalyptus Trees
The eucalyptus is an exotic species in California, and studies suggest it has contributed to an increase in wildfire hazards. But defenders of the trees say the eucalyptus is just an ecological scapegoat.
Stormwater Credits Provide Incentives for Green Infrastructure
Most harmful stormwater originates on private property, and public agencies are looking for ways to entice property owners to implement more effective infrastructure.
95 Environmental Regulations Threatened by the Trump Administration
New York Times analysis quantifies the environmental regulations at risk under the actions of the Trump administration.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
