Environment
Beach Cities Changing Tide Toward a Healthy Future
Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach are trying to transform homes, workplaces, and schools to improve public health, writes Anna Gorman for the Los Angeles Times.
Does CEQA Reform Leverage the Environment for Jobs?
Last week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into a law two CEQA reform bills that will expedite the court review process for some job-creating projects. Joel R. Reynolds editorializes on the move's risk to the basic principles of CEQA.
Death from Air Pollution is 2m Each Year, Says New Report
World annual death toll due to particulate pollution from indoor and outdoor sources is 2 million people each year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization.
Brownfield Playground
Ecopolis Plaza is a former industrial site that has become an inventive children's park, located roughly 12 miles from the center of Madrid. Nicole Jewell checks it out.
Bad Day To Give Away Gasoline
A promotion by Shell Oil and Lucky supermarkets conflicted with a regional alert to reduce driving due to an ozone alert. Motorists lined up in the morning for free gasoline at a San Francisco Shell station during a 'Spare The Air' Day on Sept. 28.
Richard Florida Examines The Regional Variance In Unemployment Figures
Richard Florida examines the stark regional variance behind American unemployment figures. He finds that Bismark and Fargo in North Dakota have least unemployment, while the Californian Central Valley suffers the highest.
Two CEQA-Reform Bills Signed By Governor
Brown's main reason for signing the bills: "Too Damn Many Regulations". One gives environmental clearance for the AEG stadium in downtown LA, and the other other accelerates environmental review for projects costing at least $100 million.
A City as Good as Its Buildings
If cities are like ailing bodies, then building modernization is the key to their future health. It's time planners looked at buildings as ecological and economical assets, according to Gordon Gill.
Taking a Stroll With a Guide to Understanding Cities
In his critique of "Urban Code: 100 Lessons for Understanding the City," San Francisco Chronicle Columnist John King says how the book's formula for a city doesn't do justice to its authenticity.
Benjamin Netanyahu's Land Reform Provokes Student Protest
Amid the backdrop of Mahmoud Abbas' application for Palestinian statehood, Jesse Fox critiques the Israeli premier for his antiquated plan to fast track sprawling suburban developments into Israel's rapidly diminishing open spaces.
Environmentalism, Renewable Energy and NIMBYs
Jennifer Runyon asks if environmentalists are doing the right thing by pushing regulations that make the cost of building renewable energy projects prohibitive.
New Report: Latinos Disproportionately Impacted By Air Pollution
One out of every two Latino's live in the nation's top 25 most ozone-polluted cities according to a new report. KQED's California Report interviews one of the co-authors, the Director of Latino Outreach for NRDC, in this radio report.
Enviros Not Happy With San Francisco's World Cup Plans
The America's Cup, the worlds fastest yacht race, is destined for San Francisco in 2013. But local environmental groups are not pleased with the current plan to manage the environmental impacts of the event.
Guatemalan Schools Built on Bottles
The nonprofit Hug It Forward is helping Guatemalan neighborhoods build schools at less than $10,000 by making them out of plastic bottles, writes Zak Stone for GOOD.
Three Controversial Bills To Reform CEQA
The CA Environmental Quality Act: you either love it or hate it. The 1970 law either protects the environment or stifles smart growth, depending upon your perspective. Three bills lie on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk that address different aspects of it.
Obama's Renewable Energy Blunder
The President went out of his way to support Solyndra's cutting-edge solar technology. When the company declares bankruptcy this week, Jon Stewart anticipates the gaffes by Obama's opposition in a very funny segment on The Daily Show.
NYC Residents Suggesting Locations for New Bike Share Stations
Earlier this week, New York City officials announced a new bikeshare system that will be available to New Yorkers in 2012.
Clean Cars May Lose Express Lane Privilege in LA
Single occupant electric vehicles retained access to carpool lanes in California, while hybrid owners lost it on July 1st.
Montana Landowners Bring Wind Power Project to a Standstill
Phil Taylor of the New York Times writes about an ensuing battle between a Montana wind power transmission project, backed by eminent domain rights, and Montana landowners, fighting for cultural conservation of their land.
Converting Vacant Lots to Farms Can Feed Cleveland Population, Study Finds
A recent study found that a city could completely live off food grown from urban agriculture. Sharanbir Grewal, the study's author, discovered in his analysis of Cleveland that the city could produce up to 48 percent of the city's fresh produce.
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
