Environment
Harvesting the Tides of the Bay of Fundy
Experimental efforts are being made to harness the extreme currents off Maine's coast, as underwater tidal energy turbines could soon generate power for nearby homes and businesses.
India's Energy Problem: Coal Shortage or Too Much Coal?
Dueling pieces in Foreign Policy and the Christian Science Monitor come to completely different conclusions on the connection between the great Indian blackout of July 31 and the country's reliance on coal.
High-End Real Estate Makes Wildfires Worse
In Colorado and the West, the most desirable real estate is also the most likely to burn, writes Michael Kodas.
Could a Toll Road Boost Maine's Economy at the Cost of its Identity?
Katharine Seelye writes on the clash between business interests and residents of rural Maine, where a proposed private toll road has revealed a difference in values.
James Hansen: Extreme Weather Linked to Climate Change
NASA scientist James Hansen, considered to be the 'godfather of global warming' has co-authored a new report that shows the connection between 'extreme weather events', such as the drought most of the U.S. is now experiencing, and climate change.
Does Conservation Development Actually Work?
Emily Wortman-Wunder looks at the effectiveness of conservation development - a popular tool used by planners across the rural West for the purposes of preserving open space.
Will Engineered Resilience Eclipse Sustainability?
Rives Taylor pens an editorial for Urban Land advocating for "engineered resilience", which he describes as "next-generation sustainability" that "adds adaptability and the protection of human life" to planning for the well-being of the planet.
U.S.: Historic Drop In Carbon Dioxide Emissions
The first four months of 2012 saw 'energy-related, CO2 emissions' drop to levels not seen since 1992, according to the EIA. Graphs show an 18% decrease in carbon emissions from coal, with lesser amounts from natural gas and petroleum from a year ago
New Jersey Charts its Future Growth, Angering Environmentalists
In producing updated sewer service maps, New Jersey's 21 counties have partnered to sketch out statewide development well into the future. Critics complain that the plans favor developers over the environment, reports Jill P. Capuzzo.
Our Changing Landscapes, as Seen From Orbit
Earlier this week we brought you stunning images of global urban growth as captured by Landsat, NASA's longest running satellite imagery program. These images capture the dramatic changes to some of America's natural landscapes.
The Community-Building Power of Communal Gardens
Planted to solve a perceived food desert problem, urban gardens are harvesting more than just fresh, nutritious food. Neighborhoods surrounding gardens are seeing surprising declines in violent crime.
Can the Los Angeles River Reclaim a Starring Role?
From its mountain tributaries, to the San Fernando Valley, through Downtown, and across the basin into the Pacific Ocean, Christian MilNeil tells the story behind the ecological and recreation rehabilitation of the Los Angeles River.
Oil Spill in Michigan Still Affecting Town Two Years Later
Matt Pearce reports on the town of Marshall's road to recovery after a 2010 oil spill damaged the area's human and natural ecosystems, and describes how these long-term impacts should serve as a warning to other communities.
UC/ASU Study: CA High Speed Rail Brings Environmental Benefits
A new academic study has determined that California's beleaguered high speed rail project may meet at least one promise if fully built - it can bring the environmental improvements that supporters boasted when travelers ditch planes and cars for HSR.
Edible Bus Stops Sprout in London
I'm sure your mother had good reason to tell you not to eat on the run. But times have changed, and one group in London is utilizing the city's public transportation network to help popularize the benefits of healthy eating and urban greening.
New Life for Dead Gas Stations
Finding new uses for vacant gas stations is a major challenge throughout the U.S. The days of the small, independent service station are fading, yet they often occupy prime, gateway sites. Whether razed or transformed, challenges are formidable.
A Plan to Finally Fix California's Water Problems?
California's Governor Jerry Brown unveils his administration's new plan in hopes of finally balancing the state's competing water interests. The cost? $14 billion over a decade.
Extreme Weather Threatens Infrastructure Across America
Airplanes sink in melted asphalt, trains derail along kinked tracks, highways buckle over dry soil; these aren't scenes from a science fiction film depicting a future plagued by global warming. Climate change is here, and it's taxing our grid.
New York Seeks to Revive its Freight Rail Industry
Winnie Hu reports on how the reopening of the 65th Street Rail Yard in Brooklyn last week is part of a wider, regional rail expansion effort that aims to revive the moribund industry in order to boost economic and environmental benefits.
Unsettling Infographic Details the Impending Disappearance of World's Natural Resources
The BBC has provided an infographic timeline indicating when scientists and researchers predict valuable resources and ecosystems will disappear, urging planners and officials to address the dangers of current population and consumption levels.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
