Environment
Year in Review: Urban Planning in 2021
Part one of two of Planetizen's review of 2021—re-assessing failed predictions and daylighting the biggest planning stories of the year.
Oregon DOT Projects Little Decline in Driving Despite Climate Pledge
Financial projections from the state's Department of Transportation suggest the agency does not anticipate a marked reduction in driving in the next decade.
Bay Area Developments at Risk From Sea Level Rise
A controversial proposed housing development in Newark exemplifies the struggle between increasing housing supply and protecting vulnerable shoreline communities from flooding.
Friday Funny? Cartoon Lampoons the Growing Size of Trucks and SUVs
The Nib takes on the latest trend in car culture: massive vehicles.
Utah Debates Solutions to Water Shortage
With a rapidly growing population and strained water supplies, Utah lawmakers and conservation groups debate how to best replenish the state's water sources.
Port Logjam Contributing to Dismal L.A. Air Quality
Emissions from container ships idling outside Southern California's ports are adding to pollution that has blanketed the region in a noxious layer of smog.
New Research on the Disparate Impacts of Air Pollution in the U.S.
Researchers at the University of Washington published a new study of the disparate impacts of air pollution in the United States
Climate Change Is All Around
A massive interactive feature published by the New York Times tells 193 stories—for 193 countries—to illustrate the ravages of climate change in every corner of the globe.
Why Are U.S. Policymakers Ignoring Electric Bikes?
The singular focus on EVs is making U.S. cities miss out on the opportunity to promote e-bikes as a more efficient and sustainable transportation mode.
Bringing the Kern River Back to Bakersfield
Bring Back the Kern is working to restore recreational flows to the Kern River in Bakersfield (cue Merle Haggard).
Study: EV Adoption Isn't Enough. Car-Centric Culture Needs To Change.
The focus on electrifying personal vehicles misses the opportunity to transform urban transportation systems, reduce congestion, and make cities more affordable.
Puget Sound Transportation Plan Fails To Meet Emissions Goals
A draft regional transportation plan for the Puget Sound region does not go far enough to significantly reduce emissions and meet climate goals.
'Daylighting' Project to Restore Nature in the Big Apple
More cities are returning waterways to a more natural state—in some cases unearthing them from subterranean pipes in a process known as "daylighting." A new example can be found, perhaps surprisingly, in New York City.
Biden Commits Federal Government to Carbon Neutrality
President Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday that aims to cut 65 percent of the government's carbon emissions by the end of this decade and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Senate Will Vote to Repeal OSHA's Vax-or-Test COVID Rule
Senate Republicans will target the Biden administration's private employer vaccine-or-test mandate using a law they successfully employed during the beginning of the Trump administration to recall a slew of environmental regulations.
Assessing Prince George's County's Climate Action Plan
The Prince George's County draft Climate Action Plan includes ambitious goals and timetables, but falls short of recommended targets for emissions reductions in the transportation sector.
'Nudges' Can Reduce Plastic Bag Use Even Where Bans or Fees are Banned
Even in cities where state law pre-empts plastic bag fees, there are ways to reduce plastic waste.
Voluntary Collaboration for Adaptive Governance: The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact
This is an updated version of a blog post published at the Conversation by Karen Vella and William Butler. Both are associate professors at Queensland University of Technology and Florida State University, respectively.
Santa Monica Mountains Acquires More Land For Conservation
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired the final 150 acres of the 325-acre Triangle Ranch open space in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Fire-Prone Communities Fight New Development
New development in small Colorado towns threatens to overwhelm fire evacuation resources, raising alarm among local residents.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
