Environment
Sierra Nevada Snowpack at 500-Year Low
Unusually scarce precipitation last winter has left little snow on the mountains, endangering a key California water reserve.
EPA's New Ozone Standard Pleases No One
The EPA chose to reduce the current standard of 75 parts per billion, unchanged since 2008, by 5 ppb. Public health and environmental groups insist that a safe standard would be 60 ppb, while businesses point to the high costs to comply with 70 ppb.
Friday Eye Candy: Explore Manhattan in 1609
A new online interactive project allows new access to the history of Manhattan before Dutch settlers began taking residence on the island in 1609
Planning for the 'Big One'—In Salt Lake City
Many people outside of Salt Lake City might not realize that the city's proximity to the Wasatch Fault puts it at risk for an earthquake likely in the range of 7.1 on the Richter scale.
The Dangers of Dumb Luck for Hurricane-Zone Transplants
The relative calm of the last decade may be luring hundreds of thousands of new coastal residents into a false sense of comfort.
Beyond the Big One: Real Recovery in San Francisco
What does it mean to be a Chief Resilience Officer for one America's largest cities? Doggerel spoke to Patrick Otellini, Chief Resilient Officer for San Francisco, to find out what it takes to make a truly resilient city.
$7 Billion Later, Shell to Withdraw from Arctic Oil Drilling
Environmentalists could have saved themselves a lot of demonstrating had they known that Shell Oil would pack up their drilling rigs after only six weeks of exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska. Insufficient oil and other reasons cited.
Sidewalk Cafes—Silver Bullets of Walkable Places
No single tool builds "walk appeal" as powerfully as sidewalk cafes, which are both a cause and an effect of places we love to walk.
A Real-Time Map of Global Air Pollution
A quick look at a real-time map of air pollution around the world shows how much healthier the air in the United States is than in China.
California's Oil Battles Move from Legislature to Air Resources Board
Big Oil may have defeated Gov. Jerry Brown's oil reduction goal in the legislature this month, but there are other avenues for the green governor to pursue his climate change agenda. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard was renewed by CARB on Sept. 25.
Take Care of Trees (They Take Care of You)
New research suggests that trees offer a "layer of protection" for cardiovascular disease.
China to Start Cap-and-Trade to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2017
President Xi Jinping announced a landmark commitment on Sept. 25 to commence a cap-and-trade program in 2017, going further than the U.S. to limit emissions.
Deadly Diesel Emissions Plummeting in California
Amidst the bad publicity coming from Volkswagen's engineered fraud on diesel emissions testing comes good news from California Air Resources Board: The cancer risk from airborne toxins, most of which come from burning diesel fuel, dropped 76 percent.
Where Is the Los Angeles Heat Island Effect Most Intense?
No, this is not a trick question. By definition, you'd think the answer is L.A., where the heat is generated, but it's actually San Bernardino, 56 miles to the east. Turns out that like ozone, heat is transported by the wind.
Thoughts on the Dynamic Cities Sector
After spending more than a decade in government and real estate development, Brian Swett recently joined Arup in the role of Director of Cities and Sustainable Real Estate in the Americas. We asked for his thoughts on urban expansion and development.
Volkswagen Caught Cheating on Emissions Testing
A toxic revelation about the use of software to cheat emissions testing, found in 11 million Volkswagen vehicles, has taken down the company's CEO and could cost the company around $7.3 billion.
On the Altered Landscapes of the Wildfire West
The heightened intensity of wildfires in the Western United States, along with other human factors, are short-circuiting the natural processes of rebirth.
Debate: When Should California Switch to VMT to Measure Development Impacts?
In an effort to shift from car-centric planning and incentivize eco-friendly transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.
Appalachian Coal's Last Wheezing Breath
As the nation abandons old-school West Virginia coal, a scarred and cratered landscape remains. Can residents build a new economy and overcome the legacy of an often-brutal industry?
On the 'Tree Wealth' of the World's Countries
A closer look at the data of a study revealing the number of trees on the planet shows several ways to compare and contrast the relative resources, in the form of trees, of countries around the world.
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.
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
