Environment

The term "sustainability" carries so much baggage that we're no longer able to talk about what we actually need to talk about. What can we do to depoliticize it?

August 8, 2013 - PlaceShakers

Could the Hamptons have a new rival for New Yorkers seeking a little fun in the sun? With $7 million allocated, plans to transform Lower Manhattan's desolate, trash-strewn waterfront into a 'premier staycation destination' are moving forward.

August 7, 2013 - New York Daily News

If the hiring of the city's first Chief Sustainability Officer is any guide, the Garcetti administration intends to make sustainability a priority for Los Angeles.

August 6, 2013 - KPCC

Four former EPA heads in Republican administrations, from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush, have penned an op-ed in The Times calling on members of all parties to support President Obama's recent climate initiatives and do more to curtail warming.

August 2, 2013 - The New York Times

Over the past 14 years, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have experienced an unprecedented drop in water levels, and many fear they won't be coming back. In a multi-part series the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explores the causes and implications.

August 2, 2013 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A far-fetched proposal for Seaport City - a new landfill neighborhood on the East Side of lower Manhattan - is one step closer to reality with New York City's release of a request for proposals to study the idea.

August 1, 2013 - Crain's New York Business

After a long confirmation delay, Gina McCarthy, the new head of the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency, has wasted little time wading into the controversy over the agency's (and administration's) role in addressing climate change.

July 31, 2013 - The Washington Post

When the Bank of America Tower opened in 2010 it was praised as the world's first LEED Platinum skyscraper. But data on the building's performance, post-occupation, show that it's actually an energy hog and massive greenhouse gas polluter.

July 30, 2013 - The New Republic

A 'toxic tour' of Los Angeles raises awareness of the harmful effects the city's industrial infrastructure brings to adjacent, often minority, communities. Stops include a battery recycling plant, rendering plant, oil refinery, and scrap yards.

July 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Brasilia’s new soccer stadium, the Estadio Nacional de Brasilia Mane Garrincha, is on track to become the world’s first LEED Platinum-certified FIFA World Cup arena. It's also seen as a symbol of the country's over-investment in sporting events.

July 29, 2013 - Green Source

According to SF State University geographer, Jason Henderson, the adoption of Plan Bay Area by MTC and ABAG last Thursday was a "watershed moment in regional planning", but it also was a missed opportunity to improve transit to capture more trips.

July 26, 2013 - San Francisco Bay Guardian

For a century, energy companies have been digging up Louisiana's coast for exploration and pipelines. A state board that oversees flood-protection has now sued them for destroying the coastal wetlands that stood as a natural buffer against flooding.

July 26, 2013 - The New York Times

The unprecedented decline in Arctic sea ice could cause the catastrophic release of methane, imperiling the world's climate and economy, reports a new paper published in the journal Nature.

July 25, 2013 - The Guardian

Residents of New Jersey, and particularly its coastal communities, have an emotional connection to the state's seaside towns. But in the rush to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, Scott Gurian asks if emotion is getting in the way of good planning.

July 25, 2013 - NJ Spotlight

In a wide-ranging interview with Metropolis Magazine, CNU founding member Peter Calthorpe opines on China's planning process, the future of America's suburbs, CA high-speed rail, and why he would retire the term 'transit oriented development'.

July 24, 2013 - Metropolis POV Blog

This summer marks a key moment in the effort to transform the Los Angeles River from eyesore to amenity. A newly announced greenway plan and much-delayed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study could fundamentally change the river's course.

July 24, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Ideally, the best way to encourage sales of non-polluting electric vehicles would be to price carbon emissions. But if that isn't possible, why not reward EV owners with perks such as free parking; or would that be a distortionary incentive?

July 24, 2013 - UC Berkeley: Energy Economics Exchange

Extreme temperatures aren’t just a public health concern: they also affect how we get around.

July 22, 2013 - Better Institutions

Gina McCarthy's confirmation has been stalled by Senate Republicans who claimed she hadn't answered the 1,000 questions they gave her. Her confirmation vote, 59-40 on Thursday, results from a filibuster compromise that the Senate reached on Tuesday.

July 19, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Overtaxed pipelines, train accidents, and natural gas 'flaring' are just some of the symptoms of the strain North America's oil and gas boom is placing on the continent's infrastructure. Can needed upgrades be reconciled with environmental goals?

July 18, 2013 - The Washington Post