Environment

"Severe Drought - Conserve Water" freeway sign.

Wet Summer Pulls California Out of Drought

The entire state is drought-free for the first time in years.

November 10, 2023 - KTLA

Train tracks along California coast with yellow wildflowers blooming on one side and blue Pacific Ocean on the other.

Transit’s Next Challenge: Climate Change

Extreme weather and erosion threaten transit infrastructure around the country.

November 10, 2023 - Transportation for America

Electricity towers against sunset sky with green trees in background.

Energy Reliability on the Ballot in Texas

Texans will decide on November 7 whether to subsidize electricity generation to strengthen the power grid to prevent blackouts, but only with the construction of new natural gas power plants.

November 8, 2023 - The Washington Post

Three grey trash cans labeled with Compost, Recycle, and Landfill in English and Spanish on a concrete walkway in a park in Austin, Texas.

Austin Reveals New Zero Waste Plan

The city aims to eliminate the majority of landfill waste by 2040.

November 8, 2023 - The Austin Chronicle

View of Golden Gate Bridge from Presidio Golf Course with tall trees in foreground in San Francisco, California.

Urban Golf Courses: Publicly Subsidized, Privately Enjoyed

City golf courses, paid for by public dollars, are rarely used by the vast majority of residents. Some advocates want to see them opened to the public as parks or repurposed for housing.

November 7, 2023 - Business Insider

Twilight view of San Gabriel Mountains with three tall palm trees in foreground and purpleish sky.

Feds Weigh Expansion of San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

The White House is sending a top-level cabinet member who oversees the U.S. Forest Service to the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles to hear public comments on the proposed expansion the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

November 6, 2023 - Los Angeles Daily News

Road sign with EXTREME HEAT ALERT surrounded by orange traffic cones

How Extreme Heat Impacts Heart Health

A higher number of high heat days correlates with more cardiovascular deaths, according to new research.

November 6, 2023 - Wired

Sunset view of Williamsburg Bridge from East River Park walkway next to river with one jogger.

East River Floodgates Rising in NYC

A tour of new infrastructure designed to protect the city’s East Side from catastrophic flooding.

November 6, 2023 - Curbed

Three people harvesting crops from rooftop community garden.

How Cities Can Support Urban Gardeners

Urban agriculture can provide green spaces, fresh food, and healthy activities, but urban gardeners and foragers face many obstacles.

November 2, 2023 - The Architect's Newspaper

Small grey sedan charging at outdoor electric car charging station with green kiosk and green forest in background in Norway.

Norway’s EV Boom Could Entrench Car Dependency

The Scandinavian country is a pioneer when it comes to EV adoption, but there are downsides.

November 2, 2023 - Vox

Two women walking on wide walkway among large trees next to neoclassical building in Cologne, Germany.

How Urban Design Impacts Public Health

With more and more people living in cities, designing equitably healthy urban spaces becomes a key question for policymakers.

November 1, 2023 - Wired

View of Glen Canyon Dam with vertical red stone cliffs on either side, Colorado River at bottom, and dusk sky in background.

The Life and Death of American Dams

Many of the nation’s largest dam projects are reaching the end of their useful lives, helped along by nature.

November 1, 2023 - Governing

White, yellow, gray boxy apartment building with construction fence surrounding bottom floor in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

State Trust Lands Offer Opportunity for Affordable Housing

Western states that hold millions of acres in land trusts are working to turn some of them into affordable housing.

October 31, 2023 - Stateline

Large blue metal dumpster container in front of wood-frame house under construction.

Bringing Circularity to the Construction Industry

Using more recycled materials could dramatically reduce carbon emissions and waste from construction projects.

October 29, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Aerial view of Buckeye, Arizona with sunset sky.

Arizona Town Looks for New Water Sources, Insists Development ‘Full Steam Ahead’

While many Southwest cities are looking for ways to conserve water and limit growth as water supplies become strained, one town is pressing ahead with rapid development.

October 29, 2023 - The Guardian

View of windy road in Marin County and Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline in background at sunrise.

California State Law Calls on Coastal Regions to Create Resiliency Plans

Cities and counties at risk of flooding and erosion from sea level rise can access state funding to implement coastal resiliency plans.

October 27, 2023 - Bay City News Foundation

View of San Francisco from top of hill with Victorian houses in foreground.

San Francisco Required to Change Restrictive Housing Approval Policies

State agencies want the city to speed up its alarmingly slow permitting process.

October 26, 2023 - KQED

Aerial view of Uniroyal Promenade site on East Riverfront in Detroit with wide paved walkway along river and shaded pavilion at left.

New Riverfront Promenade Opens in Detroit

The East Riverfront now provides 3.5 miles of contiguous parks and trails on the formerly industrial waterfront.

October 26, 2023 - Urbanize Detroit

People, cars, bikes and buses traveling through a busy intersection on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street in New York City with shining sunlight background.

When it Comes to Vehicle Travel, Less is More

Motor vehicle travel provides many benefits, but also imposes large costs on users and communities. With better planning people can drive less, rely more on non-auto modes, enjoy more access, and be better off overall as a result.

October 25, 2023 - Todd Litman

AErial view of lush green Freshkills Park wetlands surrounded by trees in Staten Island, New York.

Former Landfill Doubles as Public Park, Energy Producer

Once the world’s largest dump, Freshkills Park now offers new city park space and powers local households with biofuel.

October 25, 2023 - Bloomberg Green

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.

Comprehensive Bikeway Design Workshop

Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University

Early Bird Deadline – save on your tuition fee!🚨

Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)

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.