Environment

Reducing The Environmental Footprint Of Death

When people die, they can still create negative impacts on the environment. Green burials are becoming a popular way to address this environmental concern.

December 18, 2007 - NPR

The Rise of The 'Green Collar' Job

By creating "green collar" jobs, cities across the country are creating jobs and helping the environment.

December 18, 2007 - USA Today

Long Beach's YouTube Videos Persuade Residents to Conserve Water

The city of Long Beach, California has initiated a water conservation campaign, including YouTube videos. As a result, residential water use rates have hit record lows.

December 18, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

The Myth Of Resource Sustainability

John Brätland, senior economist with the U.S. Department of the Interior, offers his observations on how economists have let the myth of resource exhaustion persist from the nineteenth century to the present, and why it is misguided.

December 17, 2007 - The Independent Institute

The Determining Factor of Walkable Places

Almost all of the towns with high percentages of walking commuters are centered around an institution, like a university or military academy, where many are housed very close to their classes or jobs.

December 17, 2007 - Streetsblog

A Deadly Catch

China is the world's fish capital, but extreme pollution has made much of its fishing waters and catches toxic.

December 17, 2007 - The New York Times

Abu Dhabi's Green Future

Despite its plentiful oil reserves, the Arabian emirate of Abu Dhabi is planning and developing some green cities that will be able to operate without the power of oil.

December 16, 2007 - Business Week

'Clean Coal' Devastating the Appalachias

While coal industry lobbyists promote "clean coal", scientists argue that such technology is years away. Meanwhile, the mountains of West Virginia are being leveled with devastating consequences for the environment and for neighboring communities.

December 15, 2007 - AlterNet

New Car 'Carbon Fee/Rebate' Takes Effect In France

Come January 1, new car buyers in France may be charged a hefty carbon fee, or conversely, receive a carbon rebate, depending upon the emissions of the vehicle they purchase. The fee/rebate is strikingly similar to a twice-failed California bill.

December 15, 2007 - Yahoo News

Las Vegas Goes Green

Various projects in Las Vegas are including environmentally-friendly elements, signaling a shift amongst the city's development community.

December 14, 2007 - E/The Environmental Magazine

Business Carbon Tax Proposed In San Francisco

A ballot measure aimed for November 2008 will ask San Francisco voters to raise the commercial utilities tax and lower the city's payroll tax in an effort to reduce energy usage, increase use of public transit, and increase recycling.

December 14, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Spanish Government To Green Houses

Officials in Spain have announced billion-dollars plans to help homeowners retrofit and renovate houses to be more energy efficient.

December 13, 2007 - Reuters

D.C.-Area Governments Pushed To Build Green

The regional association of governments in Washington D.C. is calling on its member cities to put more emphasis on encouraging environmentally friendly development.

December 13, 2007 - The Washington Post

Social Steps Toward Environmental Sustainability

Toronto's poet laureate argues that environmental sustainability cannot be achieved until people become better neighbors and create better communities.

December 13, 2007 - Spacing

Development And Logging To Blame In Flood

Devastating floods in the southern Washington community of Chehalis have many tracing the roots of the problem back to clear-cut logging and a long pattern of unchecked floodplain development.

December 11, 2007 - The Seattle Times

States Dependent On Colorado River Water Agree On Plan

The seven western states dependent on the Colorado River for their water are on the verge of coming to an agreement on a management plan to ensure a steady supply of water from the increasingly stressed source. But some say the plan won't do enough.

December 10, 2007 - The Arizona Republic

Green Housing Meets Low Income

This article from Utne Reader looks at a green housing complex that aimed at an atypical market: low-income residents.

December 10, 2007 - Utne Reader

Brad Pitt Announces Plans To Build Eco-Friendly Homes In New Orleans

The actor-turned-developer announced plans to build 150 environmentally-friendly homes for low-income families in New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward.

December 9, 2007 - CNN

Reorienting Suburbs Toward An Interdependent Future

Created as a celebration of American individualism and consumerism, suburbs will need to reinvent themselves to successfully lead an interdependent world, according to this article from Newsday.

December 7, 2007 - Newsday

A Killer View

A Las Vegas homeowner has been convicted of killing more than 500 trees to improve his property's view of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

December 5, 2007 - The 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.