Environment

ASLA Creates Sustainability Guide

The American Society of Landscape Architects has released an extensive online guide to resources for sustainable urban development.

August 7, 2009 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

When Clunkers Become Junkers

Where do those 'clunkers' go once they've been accepted by the new car dealer for a $3500 or $4500 credit from the Cash for Clunkers program? Turns out the economic stimulus continues with the auto wreckers, junkyards and recyclers.

August 6, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Inside the Construction and Planning of Masdar City

WBUR's On Point takes an hour-long look at plans for Masdar City, the zero-waste, carbon-neutral city under construction in Abu Dhabi.

August 6, 2009 - On Point

Becoming an Energy-Independent City

The City of San Jose, California is on its way to becoming the nation's first energy-independent city, deriving all of its energy from renewable sources.

August 5, 2009 - USA Today

Climate Change May Be Greening the Sahara

The Sahara desert is becoming increasingly green, according to satellite imagery -- which scientists are attributing to rising temperatures associated with global climate change.

August 4, 2009 - National Geographic

Park Built On Top of Contaminated Site

New public space has opened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in an unlikely place. The new park sits a few feet above the contaminated grounds of a deactivated municipal incinerator.

August 4, 2009 - Metropolis

The Effects of the Background Noise of City Life

Urban sounds can have an effect on people -- both physically and mentally. This sonic tour through New York City examines how sounds affect urbanites.

August 3, 2009 - Discover

Superbarrels to Save the City

Collecting an reusing rainwater is one way cities can deal with diminishing freshwater supplies. The more people can collect, the better. And people can collect more water if they have bigger containers.

August 1, 2009 - Governing

Vancouver Setting the Bar for Green Cities

Mayor Gregor Robertson was elected in December 2008 on a green platform, and the city could be on its way to being the greenest city in the world.

July 31, 2009 - Alternet.org

California Bill Seeks Sharp Cuts in Per-Capita Water Use

The state of California is looking to reduce its per-capita water usage 20% by 2020, a plan that's moving forward in the state legislature. The plan could mean drastic changes for many cities in the arid parts of the state.

July 31, 2009 - Miller-McCune

Budweiser Beach, CA?

With the new California budget slashing state park funding, as many as 100 parks and beaches could close. Park officials are seeking funding to keep parks open, including corporate sponsorship opportunities.

July 31, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Largest Park in Newark Opens, 30 Years Late

Nat Turner Park is Newark's newest, and largest, city-owned park. The city bought the lot in the 1970s but didn't get around to developing it until now.

July 31, 2009 - Newark Star-Ledger

Un-Damming America's Rivers

Dams are increasingly being removed in the U.S. as part of an effort to save fish.

July 30, 2009 - Good

'Invisible' Cities Want Bigger Role in Climate Bill

Officials in big cities are expressing disappointment that the House-approved climate bill looks to state capitals for guidance, not the metropolitan areas the bill will largely impact.

July 30, 2009 - The New York Times

Water Tunnel Beneath Bay to Protect San Francisco in Face of Quake

Utilities officials in the San Francisco Bay Area are hoping to secure their water resources in the face of another devastating earthquake by building a 5-mile long water tunnel beneath the Bay.

July 29, 2009 - San Jose Mercury News

'Fertile Crescent' Doomed by Century's End

Water projects and diversion efforts in Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria are draining the marshlands near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as the 'Fertile Crescent'.

July 29, 2009 - New Scientist

U.S. Behind in Drive for Clean Energy

China, South Korea and Japan are all investing teh equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy technologies, while the U.S. is debating a mere 1.2 billion in the Waxman-Markey bill.

July 29, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Jane Jacobs vs. Robert Moses

A review by John King of Anthony Flint's new book, Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City.

July 29, 2009 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Manhattan, Minus Buildings

The Mannahatta Project is a project of the Wildlife Conservation Society. The website aims to visualize the island of Mannahatta in 1609, before European settlers began developing it.

July 27, 2009 - The Mannahatta Project

LaHood To Congress: VMT-Reduction A 'Must' To Reduce Global Warming

Testifying to the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee on July 14, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood clearly states that fuel efficiency must be complemented with livable communities and transit to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.

July 27, 2009 - Fast Lane (DOT blog)

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.