Correspondent/neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, who has been tapped to fill the Surgeon General position by President-elect Obama, talks about 'livable cities' as they relate to climate change and public health.
Said Gupta, "Too many of our cities are built with an eye toward commerce, instead of health. As a result, we have parking structures instead of parks and roads instead of walkways. There are plenty of examples where you can do both. Healthier cities are successful cities. I would focus on increasing the amount of green space, because it is good for the earth and for our own bodies. I might buy thousands of bikes, paint them a really ugly color (so people wouldn't steal them...) and simply distribute them around a city. I would paint quarter mile markers on every walkway, so citizens could always have feedback on how far they are walking. I would also want to see urban gardens like they have in the south side of Chicago. Teaching my kids to garden would provide immeasurable rewards both for them and for their community."
Thanks to Gladwyn d'Souza
FULL STORY: Worldchanging Interview: Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Health Solutions
White House Could End 'Slow the Spread' Coronavirus Guidelines
President Trump signaled that he was considering lifting the public health guidelines at the end of the 15-day period on March 30 due to the severe economic impacts caused by containment strategies despite mounting deaths caused by the pandemic.
So the Chief Doc Says 'Take a Walk'
Though the role for planners in making it easier to walk was clear even before the U.S. Surgeon General urged communities to design and plan for walking, more information is needed to understand why and where people choose to travel on foot.
More on the U.S. Surgeon General's Historic Pro-Walking Stance
The idea that Americans should walk rather than drive: "a radical idea wrapped in a banal government document."
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)