Environment

Reimagining Conservation to Prioritize Vulnerable Communities
Learn more about Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) which focuses on environmental conservation and restoration, regional recreation, and rural recreation.

Can Southwest Utah’s Water Supply Handle its Explosive Growth?
A remote corner of the state is the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, but concerns about water supplies across the Southwest signal an uncertain future.

U.S. Houses Facing Increased Flood Risk Overvalued by as Much as $237 Billion, Study Says
Housing markets are failing to price in climate risks in their assessment of housing values, according to a recent study published by Nature.

Study: One-Quarter of L.A. County Bus Stops Equipped With Shelters
Bus riders in Los Angeles frequently lack protection from sun and extreme heat, with bus stops in some of the county’s hottest areas having the worst amenities.
Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities
The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.

Federal Union: Remote Work Is Climate-Friendly
Federal workers are pushing back on a return to the office, citing the environmental benefits of eliminating daily commuting.

New Jersey Offshore Wind Projects Face Opposition
Local critics of Gov. Phil Murphy’s plan to install hundreds of wind turbines off the New Jersey coast plan to sue the state to stop or delay the projects, citing aesthetic, environmental, and economic concerns.

Extreme Heat Responsible for Growing Death Rates Among Unhoused People
Extreme heat events like the ‘heat dome’ that baked Southern California last summer kill a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness, who have fewer resources to protect themselves from the scorching sun.

Planning Trends to Watch in 2023
The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.

California's Wildlife Conservation Board Funds Projects to Restore and Protect Habitats
The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) just approved approximately $51.83 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California.

Planting More Trees to Protect and Save Lives
A new study estimates that more than a third of premature deaths from excessive heat can be prevented by planting more trees in cities.

Friday Funny: ‘Deregulation Works’
A tongue-in-cheek piece from The Onion calls the disastrous train derailment in Ohio a “deregulation success story.”

Utah Governor: Californians, Stay Home
Gov. Spencer Cox urged Californians considering the move to Utah to stay put, highlighting the state’s rapid growth and the strain on resources like water and housing.

Economic Benefits of New York City Parks
A new study by the Trust for Public Land identifies the benefits and fiscal impacts of public parks and open spaces in New York City.

Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’

Alaska to Consider Carbon Offset and Sequestration Program
Alaska could follow in the footsteps of California and Europe by leveraging the state’s natural resources to create a carbon offset and sequestration program, mitigating the environmental effects of its industries and raising revenue for the state.

The Water Crisis Comes Home to Roost in Arizona
Due in part to the state’s history of ‘wildcat’ real estate developments, some communities are losing access to water sources as cities and water agencies look for ways to conserve shrinking water supplies.

How the Urban Tree Canopy Can Save Lives in a Heat Wave
New research reveals the direct link between planting more trees and a reduction in heat-related deaths.

Colorado Emissions Reduction Plan Ties Sustainable Transportation to State Funding
The state’s Greenhouse Gas Planning Standard uses tangible financial penalties to prioritize transportation projects that reduce emissions.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.
Pagination
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie