Environment

A Coming Future When Cars Are Not Privately Owned

Citing the failure of 2nd generation alternative fuels and the looming issue of traffic congestion, the Chairman of Ford Motor Company ponders 'radical' solutions for the future.

November 25, 2007 - The New York Times

Will LEED Last?

The green building certification system LEED is gaining popularity, but some wonder if its success will last.

November 25, 2007 - Metropolis Magazine

Power Plant Meets Opposition From Hunters, Environmentalists

Environmentalists and hunters have teamed up to fight against developers of a geothermal power plant who want to use the water from a California aquifer that sustains a large swath of vegetation and an active hunting ground.

November 24, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Against 'Audio Architecture'

On November 21st, Britain's "No Music Day" showed why taking a break from ubiquitous music in public spaces is a badly-needed means of reclaiming the ability to actually listen to your surroundings, writes Kevin Berger.

November 24, 2007 - Salon

Border Walls Fight Immigration, Hurt Environment

Border walls along the U.S.-Mexico are being called out by environmentalists for creating negative impacts on the area's environment and local ecology.

November 24, 2007 - The New York Times

Water Slides May Rise In The Desert

In the arid and frequently drought-stricken southwestern city of Phoenix, plans are moving forward to build a 125 acre water park.

November 24, 2007 - The Guardian

From The Toilet To The Fields

Detroit city officials have approved a plan to recycle the city's waste sludge into fertilizer.

November 23, 2007 - The Detroit Free Press

Mexico City Seeks Water Self-Sufficiency

Mexico City and its 20 million people get water from many sources, some nearly 100 miles away. The city has announced plans to achieve water self-sufficiency by 2020, a task sure to be a challenge.

November 23, 2007 - Treehugger

The Continent of Garbage

A vortex of winds has concentrated garbage and plastic flotsam into a huge island of garbage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean -- an unintentionally man-made mass that is growing at a rapid pace.

November 22, 2007 - The Tyee

Private Island To Become a Part of New York City

The last privately held island in the East River has been transferred to the City of New York using a combination of public and private funds.

November 21, 2007 - The New York Times

Green Projects Allay Second Home Buyers' Guilt

Developers seek to use the environmental friendliness of their projects to lure second home buyers who may be struggling with the guilt of buying another home and increasing their environmental footprint.

November 21, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Final And Most Dire UN Agency Report On Climate Change Released

The UN agency assigned to climate change known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared a Nobel Prize with former VP Al Gore has issued its final report - and the news is worse than initially thought. Will the world react in time?

November 21, 2007 - The New York Times

Carbon-Coughing Dubai Leans Toward Green

Development is booming in Dubai -- so much so that its pace is causing concerns about carbon emissions. In response, numerous green efforts have been launched to bring sustainability into the planning and design process.

November 20, 2007 - Arabian Business

Pittsburgh Set To Allow Density Bonuses For Green Buildings

The Pittsburgh City Council is unanimously backing legislation to allow LEED-certified buildings to be taller and bigger than zoning ordinances would normally allow.

November 19, 2007 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Satellite Imagery Reveals Katrina's 'Unprecedented' Impact

According to new analysis of satellite data, Hurricane Katrina destroyed 320 million trees. Dead trees will release about 367 million tons of carbon dioxide as they decompose.

November 19, 2007 - Los Angeles Times

Cities Abandonded? Mass Migrations? The Questions No One is Asking About Drought

Atlanta and the southeast are running out of water. But they're not alone: this year has been the driest on record in many parts of the globe. It's time to consider some worst-case scenarios, writes Tom Engelhardt.

November 18, 2007 - Tom Dispatch

L.A. Set To Become Next Big City To Mandate Green Development

The L.A. planning commission approved regulations requiring that major new developments meet U.S. Green Building Council LEED standards, with the goal of reducing energy use in new building by 15%.

November 18, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Citywide Green Building Rules Under Consideration

San Jose, California is considering a plan to require all new private developments to follow strict environmental standards. Builders and developers are opposed and claim the move will be bad for the city as it tries to encourage business growth.

November 17, 2007 - San Jose Mercury News

Land Use Planning And Climate Change May Be Linked In Lawsuits

While Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has received fame for making global warming a priority, he has studiously avoided the land use connection. Not so for California's attorney general, who is tackling the issue head on, even warning of litigation.

November 16, 2007 - The Oakland Tribune

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.