Environment

Sadiq Khan Pledges to Clean Up London’s Toxic Air
The World Health Organisation published figures on 12 May 2016 which showed that London has breached safe levels of pollutant particles known as PM10. Almost 10,000 Londoners die prematurely each year, because of polluted air.

Activists Track America's Electronic Waste
When a watchdog group partnered with MIT to install trackers on a batch of e-waste, the results were sobering. Much of the haul left the country, ending up in Asian junkyards where unknowing workers are exposed to toxic substances.

China's Last Wild River Could Remain Free of Dams
Plans to dam China's last wild river have been circulating since 2003, but now it seems that conservationists could emerge victorious

Friday Funny: Here's Where Cows Could Take Over the United States
Vox imagines a world in which cows stage a military coup.

Documenting the Trail of the Huge Fire in Canada
An unusually large and hot fire has struck Alberta, Canada at an unusually early time of year. According to researchers, this is the new normal.

A New 'Learning Garden' for Detroit's Osborn Neighborhood
A new garden has opened in Detroit's Osborn neighborhood. It's described as the city's first outdoor learning garden.

Parcel Tax Measure Would Fund Climate Adaptation in Bay Area by Restoring Wetlands
Next month, along with picking presidential, U.S. Senate and legislative candidates, and local ballot measures in a primary election, voters in the Bay Area will also determine the outcome of the first regionwide measure in Bay Area history.
Balancing the Scales of City Sustainability
Urbanism and smart growth are great for cities, people, and "the environment"—but neighborhood impacts must be mitigated. Kaid Benfield gives pointers on balancing the scales.

Mayoral Op-Ed: Give Cities the Power to Address Climate Change
In an opinion piece, former mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York joins Anne Hidalgo of Paris and Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro. They argue that national governments should give cities every possible tool to cut emissions.

Interior Department Secretary Jumps Into Fossil Fuel Debate
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell expressed a surprisingly pro-industry viewpoint in response to the growing "keep it in the ground" environmental movement.
The Greening of Large Trucks Begins at California's Ports
A Planetizen blog post by Casey Brazeal asks, "When will the trucking industry electrify?" Three truck manufacturers and electric truck builder BYD Motors are now in competition thanks to a $23.6 million state grant to the South Coast Air District.

19 Mansions May Be Headed to Los Angeles Wilderness
A fight is brewing over a plan to build 19 luxury homes on an expanse of wilderness in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Mountains.

Water Diversion Controversy Stifles Milwaukee Suburb's Growth Plans
The city of Waukesha asked for more water than the Great Lakes Compact would allow. Commenters remind the city of Waukesha that water for growth was never the goal of the Great Lakes Compact.

Changes to Google Maps Don't Necessarily Equal Good Cartography
Google Maps has changed a lot since its quick rise to ubiquity. An intrepid blogger digs into the nitty gritty of how the mapping platform has changed, and the consequences of Google's cartography for how the public perceives the world.

Unique Public-Private Partnership Tackles Stormwater Infrastructure in Maryland
By combining the resources of the public and private sectors, Prince George County was able to greatly reduce the costs required to retrofit an aging stormwater system.

The Path to Success for an Effective Carbon Tax
A Vox explainer describes the complex political, economic, and cultural obstacles to overcome in achieving a carbon tax equal to the social cost of carbon.

San Francisco's New Park, Built Over a Viaduct
Designed by the same landscape architect behind New York City's High Line, a new park will cap San Francisco's Doyle Drive, connecting the Presidio to the shoreline.

After the Scourge: Regions Struggle to Sustain Plantlife
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative provides a regional model for planting and protecting a sustainable natural environment in and around cities and communities.

Environmentalist Alarmed Over California-Focused Federal Water Legislation
An op-ed argues that instead of building a more resilient and sustainable water supply infrastructure, two water bills before congress would rollback exiting environmental protections.

Los Angeles Reaps the Benefits of Restoring the Santa Monica Bay
Los Angeles has made major progress in restoring the Santa Monica Bay. Now, The Bay Foundation's Tom Ford sees opportunities for L.A. to capitalize on its natural resources.
Pagination
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Planning for Universal Design
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont