Emissions

Schools can do more to reduce the environmental threat posed by idling cars during drop-off or pick-up. School districts could also improve their buses with that aim in mind.

February 29, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

The most dangerous air pollution is not smog and is barely known by the public, writes Bill Adams, editor of UrbDeZine. Line-source particulate matter air pollution could change the way the public thinks about road projects and gas powered cars.

May 31, 2015 - UrbDeZine.com

In terms of land area, San Francisco’s a small city. Yet if current policies persist, the city will build 92,000 parking spots for residents by 2040, on just 49 square miles of land.

February 17, 2014 - SF Streetsblog

Critics claim that smart growth policies are ineffective at reducing vehicle travel and achieving intended to objectives. This column critiques their arguments.

June 24, 2013 - Todd Litman

Hazel Borys compiles an extraordinary list of studies quantifying the role of livable, walkable places in building equity, city coffers, health, and social capital.

September 14, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Note: This column was originally titled, "A Stupid Attack on Smart Growth," intended as a pun on 'smart' and 'stupid.' However, that sounds harsh so I retitled it. - T.L. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has a well-financed campaign to discourage communities from considering smart growth as a possible way to conserve energy and reduce pollution emissions. They contend that compact development has little effect on travel activity and so provides minimal benefits. The NAHB states that, “The existing body of research demonstrates no clear link between residential land use and GHG emissions.” But their research actually found the opposite: it indicates that smart growth policies can have significant impacts on travel activity and emissions.

June 9, 2011 - Todd Litman

A new report from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute says that new evidence shows that smart growth policies can have a significant effect on vehicle miles traveled and thus reduce emissions.

May 31, 2011 - New Urban Network

A new study estimates there are at least 500 million off-street parking spaces in the U.S. This represents 0.5% to 12% of estimated lifecycle energy consumption and greenhouse emissions, and 24% to 81% other air pollutants.

December 13, 2010 - Knoxville News Sentinel

A new report suggests that making policies in Canada to avoid urban sprawl development will reduce pollution and boost the economy.

October 6, 2010 - The Vancouver Sun

Stockholm's congestion charge is not only reducing traffic and greenhouse gas emissions, it's also increasing sales of alternative fuel vehicles.

September 30, 2009 - The New York Times

The Environmental Protection Agency has reversed a decision by the Bush Administration that will allow California to create its own set of vehicle emissions standards.

July 1, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said at the Asia Society Washington, D.C. center awards dinner that "climate change is the greatest challenge facing science."

June 24, 2009 - THE DIRT

The National Building Museum recently held a session on Sustainable Sites Initiative, which outlines voluntary guidelines for sustainable practices.

June 20, 2009 - THE DIRT

WorldChanging argues that more leadership from architects, landscape architects and planners is needed in a review of progress on Ed Mazria's 2030 Challenge, which calls for all buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030.

June 11, 2009 - THE DIRT

The Obama administration has announced that it will issue new emissions and mileage requirements for cars and light trucks tomorrow to create a single national standard.

May 18, 2009 - The New York Times

An article posted last week by the Guardian and highlighted yesterday by Treehugger.com cites recent studies as well as data from maritime industry sources that the combination of quantity and quality of low-grade bunker fuel used in the massive engines of freight vessels may result in more emissions than all the cars in the world!  I don’t mean to wax sensationalist here, this is what is stated in the article.  If the truth is anywhere near the statement, then the idea of

April 15, 2009 - Ian Sacs

CA Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed perhaps the most important air quality bill of the year just before the deadline to the dismay of the state's environmental and health community. Alaska Gov. Palin's letter asking for the veto may have played a role.

October 6, 2008 - San Mateo County Times

North American (United States and Canada) policy generally favors low energy prices, with low taxes, production subsidies and other types of energy industry support. As a result, North Americans are energy rich: an average worker can purchase more fuel per hour of labor than almost any other time or place. In response North Americans have developed energy intensive lifestyles and industrial practices, have failed to implement many energy conservation practices common in other parts of the world, and consume more energy per capita than most other times and places.

July 11, 2008 - Todd Litman

The coal industry, electric utilities and manufacturers are in line to get trillions of dollars in federal funding to reduce carbon emissions, leaving virtually no money for smart growth and transit solutions to climate change.

March 14, 2008 - California Planning & Development Repot

Last week I attended the NREL Energy Analysis Forum, where leading North American energy analysts discussed current thinking concerning greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies, much of which involves emission cap and trade programs (as summarized in the report by Resources for the Future, "Key Congressional Climate Change Legislation Compared"). Similarly, a recent report, "Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much At What Cost" evaluates emission reduction strategies according to their cost effectiveness.

December 7, 2007 - Todd Litman