Environment
Dockside Green: 'Lightyears Ahead' in Sustainability
So says Mayor Fortin of Victoria, British Columbia about Dockside Green, a new waterfront development in his city. A new documentary talks to the Mayor, architect Franc D'Ambrosio, and Smart Growth BC co-founder Deborah Curran about the project.
Aging Sewers and Growing Cities Mean Troubled Waters
As cities grow, aging sewer systems are having trouble keeping up with increasing amounts of waste. Often, the result is sewer system overflows that end up directly in waterways.
Could a Saharan Forest End Global Warming?
NASA scientists are floating the idea that turning deserts on the equator into lush forests could single-handedly end global warming.
Denser Neighborhoods Could Save Bay Area $31 Billion
Walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods do more than just lower greenhouse gas emissions of their residents - they save them money too, states a new report, "Windfall for All", from the Bay Area's TransForm, a coalition of over 100 non-profits.
Huge San Francisco Redevelopment Project Underway
It's the largest redevelopment project since the great earthquake of 1906: 702 acres, 10,500 residential units, a shipyard brownfield cleanup, and a new stadium (hopefully) for the 49ers. The Environmental Impact Report has just been released.
The Remarkable Rezoning of NYC
Recently the NYC Planning Dept. announced its 100th rezoning since Bloomberg took office. This article takes a spin through the city's remarkable shift in the last 50 years away from industry to business and tourism and a sustainable approach.
VMT Fee May Replace Car Taxes In Netherlands
Imagine this: Replacing the sales tax on purchasing a new vehicle and annual, 'fixed' fees with a VMT fee based on size, weight, and CO2 emissions of the vehicle. This is the plan of the Dutch government to reduce congestion and greenhouse gases.
Light From Garbage
A new concept streetlight from Yanko Design would use garbage cans built into the base as fuel tanks, converting the trash to light.
US, Canada and Mexico Collaborate on Wilderness Preservation
A new agreement signed this week by all three governments creates an international committee to collaborate on wilderness management.
Walking the Green Streets of Portland
Matthew Roth of Streetsblog SF takes a tour of Portland's impressive green streets program from landscape architect David Elkin. Stormwater runoff is a major component of the program, as are new bike lane designs.
Much-Needed Water in Nevada is Radioactive
Over forty years, the federal government exploded almost a thousand nuclear warheads under the Nevada desert. Radiation leeched into the aquifers, in a region with a growing population and a water crisis.
Highways Devastating the Amazon
The greatest threat to Brazil's Amazon Rain Forest is not just farming or logging, but the road construction that makes both possible, writes Stephanie Brault.
Man-Made Mountain Proposed in Berlin
An architect in Berlin has proposed replacing the city's now-unused Tempelhof airport with a giant man-made mountain, dubbed The Berg.
Green Jobs Outlook Not So Rosy
The New England Economic partnership warns that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's optimism about green jobs may be unrealistic.
New York Tries to Dodge Superfund Status for Canal
New York City's Gowanus Canal has been heavily polluted for years. Mayor Bloomberg said the cleanup would happen, but it never did. Now the EPA is calling the troubled waterway a Superfund site and the city is kickstarting action.
Making Gritty Pretty
Cities around the world are finding that turning industrial ruins into green public space is far more cost effective and fun than tearing them down.
Rating the Landscape
A new rating system for open and planted spaces has been created, offering a way to identify the most sustainable landscapes.
New Natl. Parks Chief Takes Scientific Approach
Jonathan Jarvis, named the head of the National Park Service last month, says that he'll work with the National Academy of Sciences to fight global warming, which he says is "the greatest challenge ever to face national parks."
Land and Water Unite in Waterfront Redevelopments
Cities across the globe are rediscovering their waterfronts. As this piece from Places discusses, revitalization of these former industrial areas includes more than just green space.
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
