Environment

California Set To Adopt Emissions Targets From VMT Reduction

The fruition of a lengthy state planning process required by SB 375 may come as early as Sept. 23 when the CA Air Resources Board may adopt targets for 18 metropolitan regions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle miles traveled.

September 22, 2010 - Capitol Weekly

Amid Growth, the Colorado River is Running Dry

Freshwater resources are running out and being overused -- a global crisis that can be seen in the declining flows of the Colorado River.

September 22, 2010 - Smithsonian Magazine

Irrigation Project Spurs Protests in Peru

A proposed irrigation project near the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru that would divert water away from small villages has sparked violent protests.

September 22, 2010 - Guardian

Livability And Breathability

Hong Kong and Singapore are two thriving, rival Asian cities. But when evaluated in terms of livability, Hong Kong was rated #71 while Singapore scored #28. Singapore's cleaner air was considered a major factor. Hong Kong is making changes.

September 21, 2010 - Bloomberg News

Light at End of Tunnel for Southern States' Water Fight

The tri-state fight over water in Alabama, Georgia and Florida is still raging, but some believe a negotiated settlement is not far off. However, there is potential for the fight to go all the way to the Supreme Court.

September 21, 2010 - The Economist

Ownership Undecided on California Naval Base Redevelopment

A decommissioned naval base in Concord, California, is moving steadily towards redevelopment as a mixed use community. But who will own the redeveloped base is still undecided.

September 21, 2010 - The San Jose Mercury News

Community Says 'No' to In-N-Out

Locals in Walnut Creek are up in arms over a proposed In-N-Out Burger. Columnist Tom Barnidge says that while "provincialism often is the catalyst for complaint," there is reason to protest in this case.

September 20, 2010 - Contra Costa Times

Cities and Local Govts. Are Key To Halting Climate Change

Grist encourages its readers to look toward cities - big ones, as the place where real progress in fighting climate change is to occur, rather than international treaties and federal legislation.

September 19, 2010 - Daily Grist

Greener Buildings Mean Healthier Workers

A new study says that improved environmental quality in office building leads to reductions in "work hours affected by asthma, respiratory allergies, depression, and stress."

September 16, 2010 - GOOD Magazine

U.S. City Park Facts Released, Park Visitation Enormous

New report details park spending, facilities, use, and trends

September 14, 2010 - 2010 City Park Facts

Reframing the Human Relationship with Water

Urban runoff and contaminated water are creating major ecological damage, even in the United States. One design competition has the goal of rethinking how we handle this crucial resource.

September 14, 2010 - Metropolis

The Personal Cost of Transportation

A new website created by the Center for Neighborhood Technology calculates how much an average household in your neighborhood would spend on transportation, with results for cars and public transit.

September 14, 2010 - Governing Magazine

Using Crowds, and GPS, to Chart Roadkill

Ron Ringen has logged more than 1,400 animals for a roadkill project. "I'm almost a fanatic with it," he said. "You get hooked."

September 13, 2010 - The New York Times

Re-Examining the Geography of New Orleans Post-Spill

In the wake of the BP oil spill, geographer Richard Campanella of Tulane University takes a look at the geography of New Orleans and the Gulf region, and suggests that the disaster will fuel a renewed discussion of the area's uniqueness.

September 12, 2010 - Places

The Global Challenge of Unsafe Water

Unclean and unsafe water is an increasingly vexing problem for the world's cities, which are struggling to meet the needs of rapidly growing populations. But there has been some positive work in developing countries.

September 12, 2010 - Citiwire

Five State Capitals Chosen by EPA for Greening Efforts

The Environmental Protection Agency has named five state capitals as its first group of cities in a new effort called Greening America's Capitals.

September 12, 2010 - Reuters

The Urban Impact of Richard Daley

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who recently announced he would not seek re-election, has had a major impact on the city and its urban form, according to this review.

September 9, 2010 - Chicago Tribune

Southern CA MPO Snubs Air Board By Reducing Emissions Targets

The Southern California Association of Governments rebuffed the CA Air Resources Board by deliberately setting lower targets for greenhouse gas emissions per SB 375, the 2008 law intended to reduce GHG emissions from transportation.

September 8, 2010 - LA. Streetsblog

'Greening the Ghetto'

Low income housing can also be green housing. A new trend in home design and community activism is giving even inexpensive housing a green sheen.

September 7, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

FedEx Testing Electric Tricycles for Deliveries

The global courier has transformed the way packages are delivered around Paris by deploying large eco-friendly tricycles that go beyond the curb.

August 31, 2010 - TheCityFix

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.