United States

Rating the Landscape

A new rating system for open and planted spaces has been created, offering a way to identify the most sustainable landscapes.

November 10, 2009 - USA Today

Chrysler Bails on Electric Cars

Despite taking billions in stimulus funds with the promise of forging ahead on electric vehicles, Chrysler has dissolved the engineering team working on their three proposed electric offerings.

November 10, 2009 - USA Today

New Natl. Parks Chief Takes Scientific Approach

Jonathan Jarvis, named the head of the National Park Service last month, says that he'll work with the National Academy of Sciences to fight global warming, which he says is "the greatest challenge ever to face national parks."

November 9, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

CAFE Or Gas Tax? How Best To Increase Fuel Efficiency.

The current government strategy to increase fuel efficiency is to mandate it through increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, currently set for 35.5 mpg by 2016. In this piece, auto executives suggest a better way - using gas taxes.

November 9, 2009 - Automobile

Walkscore to Get Bus Points

Transit stops are now included on Walkscore, the map-mashup website that scores neighborhoods based on their accessibility and walkability.

November 7, 2009 - NRDC Switchboard

Isn't This How We Got Into This Mess in the First Place?

In the name of economic stimulus, the government has invested deeply in the very business (real estate) that was driving the economy down. Does that make sense? Streetsblog's Ryan Avent reports.

November 7, 2009 - Streetsblog

Talking 'Bout a RailVolution

The Urbanophile reports from RailVolution in Boston, including a video interview with John Robert Smith, CEO of Reconnecting America.

November 7, 2009 - The Urbanophile

The Solution for Homelessness? Homes.

Neal Peirce says that there is finally light at the end of the tunnel in the debate over homelessness, and a consensus that stopgaps don't work. The real answer is to, duh, give them homes.

November 6, 2009 - Citiwire.net

The History of the Parking Lot

An exhibit currently at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. explains how the architecture and design of parking lots evolved, and why. Meanwhile, the Parking Show of Shows conference takes place nearby with a different take.

November 6, 2009 - The Washington Post

The Most Polluted Metro Areas in America

Atlanta tops a list of the most polluted cities in the country, according to an analysis of EPA data by Forbes.

November 6, 2009 - Forbes

'No Credits, Just Prerequisites'

The Living Building Challenge is a new environmental rating system that focuses on required environmental design elements, diverging dramatically from the credit-based approach of the built environment's dominant rating system, LEED.

November 6, 2009 - Metropolis Magazine

Driverless Cars are the Solution, Says Randal O'Toole

Promoting his upcoming book on transportation planning, Randal O'Toole says his central argument is that rail is a dead end and driverless car technologies are the answer to our congestion problems.

November 6, 2009 - The Antiplanner

New $6500 Tax Credit for Homebuyers

The U.S. Senate has approved an extension of the tax credit for 1st time homebuyers, which is set to expire in November. The House could vote on Thursday.

November 6, 2009 - Builder Magazine

Smaller May Be Better in Developer Biz

While a number of mega retail developers crashed and burned during the recession, some smaller developers have thrived.

November 6, 2009 - Retail Traffic Magazine

National Trust for Historic Preservation Head to Retire

Richard Moe, longtime president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has announced his retirement. His tenure brought about a major change in the way the group interacts with the federal government to preserve the nation's historic sites.

November 5, 2009 - The Washington Post

Bus Becomes Bus Stop

Sculptor and designer Christopher Fennell takes scrapped school buses and repurposes them into bus shelters.

November 5, 2009 - The Design Blog

Changes Ahead for Rails and Air

Changes to a 75-year old rule, which says nonvotes must count as 'no' votes in labor elections, could make it easier for workers to organize in the railroad and airline industries.

November 5, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

Kunstler: Rebuild the Passenger Rail System

In his forward to James McCommons' new book, Waiting on a Train: The Embattled Future of Passenger Rail Service, James Howard Kunstler lays out the case for investing in a revival of passenger rail.

November 4, 2009 - AlterNet

A Greener Shade of Golf?

Golf courses use dangerous pesticides and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to maintain their manicured look. Many people would like to change that. But some golf courses says you can have your cake and tee off, too.

November 4, 2009 - Good

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.