The City of Boston is in the process of adding solar powered trash cans in its downtown. Despite early confusion from pedestrians, Mayor Tom Menino praises them for their cleanliness and ability to save on labor costs.
"They're boxy and green and, at first glance, don't even look like garbage cans; as Mayor Thomas M. Menino demonstrated their use yesterday, some people downtown mistook them for mail drops or traffic-light switch boxes.
They are Menino's latest idea for keeping the city litter-free: solar-powered, self-compacting trash receptacles. Delivering a rant about overstuffed trash cans, while trying to scrape gum off the bottom of his shoe at a Downtown Crossing unveiling, Menino described the virtues of the new devices. They need emptying only once or twice a day, not the 15 or more sanitation worker visits required by some downtown trash cans. They don't spill. They smell less. And, they hold some 150 gallons of trash, about five times more than a standard city receptacle."
FULL STORY: Solar-power compactors press the mess in Boston

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New Trail Project Enhances Safety and Access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
Jefferson County is improving safe access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge with new trails, a bridge, and signage, as part of the Rocky Mountain Greenway project, ensuring environmental safety and educating visitors about the site’s history.

Wisconsin Awarded $12 Million for Brownfield Redevelopment Amid Broader EPA Budget Cuts
The EPA provided the funding to Wisconsin for brownfield cleanups in cities like Milwaukee and Racine, even as broader agency budget cuts under the Trump administration raise concerns about future environmental protection capacity.

Indianapolis Advances Plans to Expand and Connect Citywide Greenway Network
Indianapolis is developing a new Greenways Strategic Implementation Plan to expand, connect, and modernize its trail system, aiming for over 250 miles of greenways that support sustainability, mobility, and community well-being.
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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