Environment

Oregon Eyes a Tight Water Future

The municipal demand for water in Oregon is expected to increase by more than 61% by 2050, and many policymakers there are trying to figure out how to meet that growing demand.

April 28, 2009 - The Oregonian

Dreaming the Green Home of Tomorrow

The Wall Street Journal asked four architects (including William MacDonough and Steve Mouzon) to design an energy-efficient, sustainable house of the future. The results are in, and couldn't be more different.

April 27, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

Brutalist High-Rises Finding New Life in Toronto

Toronto is moving forward with a plan to re-vision it's aging concrete high-rises as sustainable, mixed-use centers of urban development.

April 27, 2009 - WorldChanging

Plans for Retrofitting, Audits Announced for NYC

In a step toward accomplishing PlaNYC's goal of reducing the city's carbon emissions by 30% in the next twenty years, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that larger buildings will be retrofitted to be more energy efficient.

April 24, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

Smart Grids to Get More Funding

The Energy Department has announced that it will be increasing grant limits to implement smart grid technology. The current $20 million per grant, officials say, just isn't enough to get the technology used at a commercial scale.

April 24, 2009 - The Washington Post

Opening the 'Superfund' Can of Worms

The EPA's proposal to list the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site is getting mixed reactions from nearby residents and officials: some see the designation as a development-halting stigma, others as quite the opposite.

April 24, 2009 - The New York Times

Fed Money Announced for CA's National Parks

Twenty-two national parks in California will get a portion of $97 million to repair historic buildings, install solar panels, and fix trails.

April 24, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

How Green is Your Neighborhood?

San Francisco residents will get their first peek today at an inventive Internet-based tool that lets them track their personal carbon footprint and gauge how green their neighborhood is compared with the rest of the city.

April 24, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Vatican Reveals Solar Plant Plans

Vatican City has plans to build the largest solar plant in Europe, which will supply enough power for 40,000 households in a state of 900 inhabitants.

April 23, 2009 - Bloomberg

Berkeley Mayor Goes Car-Free

In order to reduce his carbon footprint, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates is providing an excellent example for all municipal leaders by giving up his car.

April 23, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

In Miami, A Greenway May Rise From Developers Vision

As a developer turned bicycle activist, Brad Knoefler is trying to bring an urban greenway to one of Miami's most blighted neighborhoods. However, a myriad of red tape remains to be cut.

April 23, 2009 - Miami Herald

Can a "Dr. Evil" Approach Solve Global Warming?

Scientists are taking seriously proposals to artificially and massively change the Earth's ecosystems -- to "geoengineer" the planet -- to put the brakes on climate change.

April 23, 2009 - Macleans

Water Shortage Makes State Tense

Farm workers are getting laid off and other consumers face strict water use limits. The current drought, exacerbated by environmental restrictions on pumping from the San Joaquin Delta, has made Californians competitive for the resource.

April 22, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

Vatican Embraces the Power of the Sun

The Vatican has announced plans to build Europe's largest solar plant to power the state.

April 21, 2009 - Bloomberg

Buildings Going Green, On Top At Least

This piece from National Geographic looks at how green roofs are sweeping across the tops of buildings all over the world.

April 21, 2009 - National Geographic

Prepare Now for Altered Coastlines

A disturbing new report on sea-level rise projections for California warns that the state must start planning now for the anticipated flooding of its coastline, which could wipe out over $100 billion worth of built infrastructure.

April 19, 2009 - AlterNet

Canada's Top Green Cities

Green Living magazine gives kudos to Canada's leading cities in terms of energy, water, density and bike-friendliness.

April 18, 2009 - Green Living

Can Dubai Survive?

Beneath the shiny allure of Dubai lies a litany of human rights and environmental abuses so severe that collapse cannot be far away, writes Johann Hari.

April 17, 2009 - AlterNet

Green Roofs May Be Mandated in Toronto

Toronto City Council is planning to vote on a measure that would require green roofs on most buildings over 54,000 square feet, which would make it the first North American city to require green roofs. Developers are opposing the move.

April 17, 2009 - The New York Times

Un-Developing Abandoned Housing Developments

A stalled and abandoned development along the Florida coast is being scouted by the Trust for Public Land as a possible site for "un-development" -- a return to its natural state as open space.

April 17, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

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.