Public Health
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
Study: Urban US Residents Have Higher Life Expectancy Than Rural Americans
A combination of economic and social factors leads to higher rates of disease and reduced access to healthcare for many rural residents.
Clean Air Zone Nets Health Authority Over £30K per Month
A new study links the zone to a 25 percent drop in GP visits for lung and heart conditions in its first year alone.
Estonian Capital Launches Noise Reduction Action Plan
European Union cities are required to create ‘noise maps’ and strategic plans for reducing environmental noise.
Neurodivergence and the City
Researchers are starting to understand how people with conditions like autism experience cities differently — and how to design for the neurodiverse brain.
January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.
Healing the Land: Collaborative Effort to Reclaim Orphan Well Sites
The Well Done Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are partnering to plug over 110 orphan wells across four National Wildlife Refuges, restoring habitats, protecting ecosystems, and reducing methane emissions.
Noise as a Public Health Hazard
New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.
‘Safe Land Use:’ A Key to Road Safety
How approaching transportation planning through a public health lens can reduce traffic deaths.
Nature and Nurture: Understanding the Diversity of Biophilia
Biophilia, originally thought to be an innate and universal love for nature, is now understood as a temperament trait with significant individual differences influenced by genetics and experience.
Key Climate and Health Issues to Watch in 2025
The escalating health impacts of climate change, from extreme heat to sea level rise, highlight the urgent need for integrated medical education, proactive communication, and sustainable policy solutions to protect public health.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
New York Law Addresses Extreme Heat in Schools
The law calls for heat mitigation measures when temperatures exceed 88 degrees.
Silent Threat: America’s Abandoned Oil Wells and the Danger Beneath
Abandoned oil and gas wells across the U.S. pose significant environmental, health, and safety risks, with many leaking hazardous gases and chemicals, highlighting regulatory failures and the immense financial burden of remediation.
Students Drive Solutions for Environmental Justice Through Video Challenge
The Environmental Justice Video Challenge empowers students and communities to collaboratively address environmental inequities through innovative data-driven strategies, resulting in impactful projects and fostering local leadership.
New Jersey to Consider Charging Fossil Fuel Companies for Pollution
A proposed law would make companies liable for damages caused by burning fossil fuels.
Ohio Invests $58 Million to Revitalize Brownfields and Boost Local Economies
This investment in brownfield remediation will clean up hazardous sites, foster economic development, and create jobs through 61 new projects across 33 counties.
Balancing TOD and Public Health
Building housing near transportation networks can improve density and walkability, but can also have serious health consequences for residents.
Opinion: Supporting Electric School Buses is the Right Thing to Do — and Fiscally Conservative
Why switching school bus fleets to electric vehicles is good for students, the environment, and school districts’ finances.
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)
