Environmental historian Ted Steinberg explains American's fascination with the perfect lawn.
"Why did the perfect-lawn aesthetic emerge in the 1950s? Because that was a time in the nation's economic history when â€" with Americans already awash in consumer goods such as refrigerators and washing machines â€" manufacturers longed for new ways of stimulating demand. The perfect lawn fueled postwar consumerism as homeowners repeatedly bought products in the elusive quest for an impeccable yard.
...Economic imperatives, color preferences and conformity are better explanations than genetics for the all-American lawn mania. Focusing on genes tempts us to accept as inevitable the roughly 75,000 Americans injured each year using lawnmowers or the groundwater contamination caused by lawn overfertilization. But, in fact, ecological history suggests that traveling back and forth across the yard with our spreaders is no more natural than the chemicals we are putting in the ground."
FULL STORY: Lawn mores
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
Central Florida’s SunRail Plans Major Expansion
The expanded train line will connect more destinations to the international airport and other important destinations.
Las Vegas Golf Course to Become Over 1,000 Units of Affordable Housing
The project is part of an initiative to build affordable housing on shuttered golf courses.
Cities and States Taking Action to Limit Rent-Setting AI
Federal prosecutors are charging a software company with using algorithms to artificially inflate rents.
BART to Raise Fares in January
The transit agency says it needs more state and federal support to meet its operating costs and avoid a growing budget gap.
Montreal Bike Share Breaks Ridership Record With 13 Million Rides
The Bixi system introduced a winter pilot project last year, leading to a rise in winter cycling.
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.
Los Alamos County
City of Culver City
Skagit Transit
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners