James Howard Kunstler ponders our built enironment and our insatiable thirst for cheap foreign oil.
"Now, six months into the 'War on Terrorism' our denial level concerning how we live -- and the peril this places us in -- remains sky-high. This is especially true concerning oil, the commodity underlying all of our current living arrangements and economic relations. Except on this subject, denial devolves into delusion."The truth is, we are nearly up against the wall where oil is concerned. As I write, the big cheese of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has proposed a one-month oil export boycott by Islamic nations against the US. Suicide bombers happily give their lives up for the chance to injure Americans and Israelis; do you suppose that members of that culture would not give up some revenue, too?"Alternative fuels are not going to solve these problems... I wish my fellow ex-hippies and environmentalist friends would give a little less of their time to projects like hybrid vehicles and concentrate instead on the walkable community side of the equation. That is where the big payoff in conservation lies for this nation."
Thanks to Dan Zack
FULL STORY: Maul of America

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

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

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.

Texas Safety Advocates Raise Alarm in Advance of Tesla Robotaxi Launch
The company plans to deploy self-driving taxis in Austin with no oversight from state or local transportation agencies.

How to Fund SF’s Muni Without Cutting Service
Three solutions for bridging the San Francisco transit agency’s budget gap without reducing service for transit-dependent riders.

Austin Tests Self-Driving Bus
Autonomous buses could improve bus yard operations for electric fleets, according to CapMetro.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)