Urbanism and smart growth are great for cities, people, and "the environment"—but neighborhood impacts must be mitigated. Kaid Benfield gives pointers on balancing the scales.
"I spend virtually all my professional time thinking about the intersection of human settlement and environmental sustainability. I am particularly interested in the built environment of American cities, towns, and suburbs – what I like to call our people habitat – and how it relates to the natural world. How can we make these two realms – people habitat and natural habitat – more harmonious? These issues are acutely on my mind today because I am preparing a talk I have been invited to deliver early next month on Urbanism and Sustainability."
Through this lens, Benfield goes on to discuss:
- The scales of urban sustainability
- Growth challenges ahead
- The geography of impacts from traffic
- Similar issues for watersheds
And wraps up by forecasting where balancing the scales between cities and the environment might take us.
FULL STORY: Balancing the Scales of City Sustainability
Ten Key Ingredients of a Green and Healthy Community
Everyone has a different answer on what makes a great place, depending on how wonky you'd like to get. Kaid Benfield lists his top 10 ingredients for a healthy community.
Seven Brilliant Projects Keeping New Orleans Safe from Stormwater
20 years post Katrina, New Orleans has shored up and reinvented itself to absorb millions upon millions of gallons of stormwater. Their success holds lessons for landscape architects all over the world.
Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience
Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association