Environment
Cities Facing Turf Questions
Water saver or environmental hazard? Questions are compounding about artificial turf as more homeowners ditch their grass for fake lawns. Contradicting city policies muddy the issue in the arid Southwest.
Stopping Sprawl Won't Happen Soon Enough to Fight Global Warming
Policies that encourage density as a way to reduce carbon emissions won't be able to play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions in time to counteract global warming, according to a new report from the National Academy of Sciences.
Kansas' 'Green Impact Zone'
Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrion, Jr. visited Kansas City on Tuesday to visit the site of the city's new "Green Impact Zone". The inner-city Zone will be a laboratory for energy-saving techniques.
Heart of California's Agriculture on Life-Support
Water restrictions on farms in the state have atrophied jobs in the fertile Central Valley, giving communities some of the highest rates of unemployment in the state. As jobs dry up, the need for aid is surpassing what's there to give.
New Study on the Benefits of Density
A new report from the National Research Council seeks to establish the scientific basis for the relationships among development patterns, VMT, and energy consumption. So what did they find?
Dengue Fever Increased by Rapid Urbanization
Rapid urbanization and dense cities with inadequate infrastructure are being cited as leading causes in the spread of dengue fever throughout Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.
Eco-Cities Progressing, Despite Bad Economy
The failing world economy put many large eco-developments on hold, but many projects like the Amsterdam's 'smart city' and Germany's Eco City Hamburg-Harburg are on track and forging new ground in sustainability practices.
Growth of Asian Cities Means Growth in Greenhouse Gases
A new study from the Asian Development Bank predicts that 20 years from now, Asian cities will be responsible for more than half of the world's greenhouse gases.
A 'Feasible' Engineering Solution to Global Warming
A new study from the UK Royal Society has determined that geo-engineering techniques are technically feasible approaches to address high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resulting global warming.
Chicago Schoolchildren to Ride Greener, Safer Buses
As the new school year starts, Chicago Public Schools yellow buses will be upgrading to new technologies including GPS, mobile data terminals (MDT), and adding hybrid buses.
Buildings That Are Green But Not Energy-Efficient
LEED-certified buildings may be constructed with little energy, but some are just as energy-intensive as non "green" buildings once they're in use. This disconnect is prompting the U.S. Green Building Council to change its rules.
Dwindling Resources in a World of 9 Billion
The population is expected to climb to 9 billion within the next 50 years. As a result, crucial natural resources will dwindle. This article looks at four that will be much harder to come by in the future.
'Fuel Management' Fueling Wildfires
As wildfires rage in Southern California, some experts are calling for a revision of policies that encourage controlled burns to reduce fire risks.
When Going Green Is Less Important Than Saving Green
A new HVAC system for a building in Minnesota that was expected to meet high environmental standards was going to come in at almost three times its originally estimated costs. So city officials are delaying.
Inside Havana's Urban Farms
This video from the BBC looks inside some of the 200 urban farms that provide vegetables for Havana and the rest of Cuba.
Right-Of-Way Issues Could Delay California HSR
A Sacramento judge has ruled that the environmental review for California's high-speed rail has failed to fully account for right-of-way delays involving Union Pacific trains.
Measuring Environmental Impacts With the 'Water Footprint'
A Dutch hydrological engineer has developed a new way to measure the environmental impact of humans: the "water footprint".
Business Buys Bikes For Commuting Workers
A brewery in Ashland, Oregon decided that the best way to incentivize employees to commute differently was to buy them bikes. A 15-minute on-street parking space was removed and replaced with a large bicycle rack to accommodate the bicycles.
A Biological Approach to City Building
Architecture and biomimicry are joining forces. A new city being planned in a flood-prone region of India is using the concept of mimicking nature to build a city that better responds to its environmental conditions.
Toilet to Tap to Farm
Farmers in the Monterey Bay area of California have been feeding their artichoke plants with recycled urban wastewater. And they've been doing it safely for years.
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
